Honolulu Record, August 19, 1948, vol. 1 no. 3, p. 8
Three years after Japanese surrender we find in our Territory Japanese fanatics and racketeers who persist in propagating the myth that Japan won the war.
Undoubtedly there are sincere but foolishly blind patriots, among them. But there is no doubt that the well-organized ABSOLUTE VICTORY CLUB is led by people who evidently know that Japan is a vanquished nation. They are intelligent enough to know this.
This organization charges a $10 initiation fee. It takes in contributions. It holds no membership meetings. It is run by a "permanent" board of directors.
Where the money is spent no one knows, excepting the top leadership that has been criticized for dining and banqueting too often and too lavishly.
Besides this the leaders receive chicken, eggs, vegetables, and all sorts of gifts from the duped followers who read the organization's literature and believe— some with hope—that one of these days when Japan takes over Hawaii they will be rewarded.
It is preposterous that among our island residents there are ones who think, believe or propagandize that Japan controls Pearl Harbor, that the ships in the Harbor are Japanese warships captured from the U.S.
They antagonize, argue and quarrel with Japanese aliens who send relief packages to Japan. Their point of view is this: Why send relief packages to Japan when her people are living prosperously. They will tell you that there is no such thing as the atomic bomb. If you mention Hiroshima or Nagasaki, they will pity you for "believing" so gullibly the "propaganda" handouts of the Anglo-Americans.
This is all very comical if it does not have gravely tragic implications. Homes are being broken up. Innocent people are being robbed. Some "believers" are returning to Japan, leaving their wives and children behind because the latter will not be convinced that Japan is the peer of the world.
Yasutaro Soga., columnist and former editor of the Hawaii Times, wrote in his column on June 12 of this year:
"The majority of them (Absolute Victory Club members) are motivated by greed and they are not necessarily blind patriots. . . . There are leaders who fatten their pockets by inciting the simple blind patriots. This is a sort of swindle."
The president of this club boasts that his organization has not been investigated by the authorities.
What is the FBI and other intelligence organizations going to do about this situation?