COPY 25 August 1943 MEB

LEAVE CLEARANCE INTERVIEWS
SUGGESTED TOPICS FOR QUESTIONING

1. Identification questions -- Name; age; address at relocation center; previous addresses; birth place; selective service registration; have you been interned and paroled or released?

2. Parents -- Names of parents; their birthplaces; their addresses, if living; age; occupations; are they applicants for repatriation? are they internees or parolees?

3. Education -- Common school, high school, college, military, both in America and Japan, dates; Japanese language.

4. Brothers, sisters, and other relatives -- Number of brothers and sisters, names, addresses, their ages compared to yours; their education; their employment, before and after evacuation; their military status; are they applicants for repatriation or expatriation; other close relatives, in U.S., in Japan; are any close relatives internees or parolees?

5. Husband or wife -- Age; his or her birthplace; are you living together; if not, explain; spouse's education, military status, employment history, repatriation or expatriation requests.

6. Children -- Number, age, addresses; education, past and future; plans for their future; are they registered for dual citizenship; their present occupation.

7. Employment Record -- Before and after evacuation; in Japan, if any; by Japanese government or on Japanese Naval vessel; by a Japanese language periodical; by a semi-official Japanese firm (Mitsui, Mitsubishi, Tourist Bureau, N.Y.K. Line, Yokohama Specie Bank, etc.)

8. Travel record, outside United States -- Time and length of each trip, reasons for trips; if trip was Kengakudon (organized "educational and cultural" tour) who was leader of trip; associates in Japan or other foreign country; places where you lived abroad; occupations while abroad; reason for return to U.S.; occupation and residence immediately after return.

9. Military and Naval Matters -- Military training in school, when, where; reservist status at any time; actual service at any time, in U.S., Japan, or elsewhere; reason for termination of service or reservist status; attitude toward service, by self or family members, in U.S. Army now, against Germany, against Japan; attitude toward Selective Service for evacuees.

10. Citizenship Status -- Dual citizenship, by whom registered, when, where; your first knowledge of fact of dual citizenship; application to cancel dual citizenship, when, where, why; why cancellation not attempted; present attitude toward dual citizenship; what advantages do you see in retaining your Japanese citizenship, personal reasons for retention.

11. Plans for the Future -- For self and family; relocation or residence in center during war; desire for leave clearance; attitude toward residence in segregation center; residence after war; return to West Coast; type of occupation contemplated; hopes for children; future residence in or visits to Japan; reasons.

12. Immediate plans for relocation -- Job opportunities for self and family, where, when, letters received, interviews with relocation officer; locations preferred; type of work desired.

13. Repatriation or expatriation -- application made, when, where, why; revocation of application when, where, why; were you on lists furnished by Japanese government? What advantages do you see, for you and your family, in returning to Japan as against remaining in U.S.?

14. Economic ties with Japan -- Property in Japan, owned by self or family; investments in Japanese securities; business connections; prospect of inheriting Japanese property; did your former occupation in this country involve relationships with Japan or with persons officially or otherwise connected with Japan?

15. Hobbies and Interests -- Inquire generally; judo, kendo, politics, Japanese literature, writing, etc., honors received; activities in relocation and assembly center.

16. Religion -- Sect, member or non-member, length of membership, degree of activity; Shinto priest; Emperor worship (Dai Jingu).

17. Organizations -- Kenjinkai, Nihonjinkai, Japanese Chamber of Commerce, Japanese Labor Association, Budokai, Heimusha Kai; ask for list of memberships; question about any having particular Japanese significance. (A study of Community Analysis Report No. 3, March 1943, on Japanese Groups and Associations in the United States, would be profitable for all Hearing Board members).

18. Language abilities -- English, Japanese, other; speak, read, write; language teaching experience; Japanese publications which you have read or subscribed to; Japanese writing for publication; Japanese language reports, to persons in U.S. or Japan, made in course of employment or otherwise.

19. Pro-Japanese activities -- Purchase of war bonds; contributions to Japanese patriotic funds, societies or organizations; public statements; collaboration with Japanese officials.

20. Pro-American activities -- Purchase of war bonds and stamps; contributions to American patriotic funds, societies or organizations, membership in American organizations; public statements; affirmative patriotic activities.

21. Internal security and intelligence records -- Relevant facts from these records should be in the applicant's file, and should be studied by Hearing Board members before the hearing starts. The applicant should be asked about, and given an opportunity to explain, significant items in his internal security and intelligence record.

22. Answer to Question 28 -- Correctness of answer when given; correctness now; has answer been changed; would you change it now if given opportunity; reason for original answer; reasons for change in answer.

23. Is there any statement you would like to make for us to consider in connection with our consideration of your application for leave clearance?

24. Additional interviews and investigation -- It is to be understood that, in accordance with the Administrative Instruction, additional investigation may be undertaken apart from the hearing itself, other witnesses may be examined either in the presence of the applicant or separately, and the applicant himself may be recalled for further interviews.