The Brazilian Government, influenced by increased political and economic pressure brought to bear on them by the United States and Great Britain, at last, on the 28th of January, took the thoughtless action of declaring the severance of diplomatic relations with Japan, with which country they had maintained cordial relations for a long time. Japan, however, with an attitude of calmness and broadmindedness, watched the development of the situation.
The Brazilian Government, on the other hand, since the severance of diplomatic relations with this country, steadily took steps to maltreat the Japanese residents there. A few examples of such inhuman treatment are enumerated below:
Firstly, it is widely understood that the possession of firearms for self-protection is customary and absolutely necessary for the people residing in the interior regions of Brazil. São Paulo authorities, under the false pretext that all Japanese residents were fifth columnists, confiscated all firearms in the possession of Japanese residents. As a consequence, many lawless elements, seizing the opportunity presented, threatened the Japanese with firearms, committed acts of burglary, caused innumerable casualities and even maltreated defenseless Japanese women. Yet, the Brazilian police
authorities remained aloof and refrained from taking any effective measure for the protection of Japanese residents.
Secondly, the Brazilian authorities without just reasons, detained the Japanese residents and forced them to be confined in the most unhealthy quarters. Because of this many Japanese have been seriously impaired in their health.
Thirdly, the Brazilian police authorities indulged in searching the Japanese houses and without the slightest provocation arrested the Japanese and even took them into police custody, treating them as if they were criminals. As a matter of fact many Japanese were often threatened with physical violence and many were actually hurt.
The Brazilian police authorities entering Japanese stores, seized various merchandise and they carried away whatever they could take, after eating and drinking as they pleased without paying. To cite an extreme example, a certain Japanese was requested by a Brazilian chief of police to hand over the money in his possession. On refusing, the police immediately imprisoned him. Such unjust and inhuman acts of physical violence, persecution and looting are tantamount to the very desecration of civilization itself. It is a most unworthy act in the history of Brazil which has enjoyed its position as one of the foremost countries of South America.
Looking back into the history of thirty-five years of Japanese immigration to Brazil, I can state with confidence that the Japanese immigrants, who gradually increased to some 250,000 persons, had diligently toiled in the new land and made unparalleled contributions to the economic development of Brazil. This is a fact well known and recognized even by the Brazilians themselves.
The afore-mentioned maltreatment of the Japanese residents by the Brazilian authorities cannot by any means be tolerated by the conscience of any man. It is, indeed, an offense against god and humanity.
It is needless to say that the Japanese Government have from time to time taken effective and proper steps to correct the Brazilian attitude and secure their guarantee against future maltreatment of our countrymen. This resolve of our Government remains unchanged.
We expect, therefore, that the Brazilian Government, refusing to submit to American and British pressure, and on the basis of their own independent policy, waste no time in rectifying their attitude and their treatment of the Japanese people who live in their country.