Charges that Japanese judicial officials in Manchukuo encourage anti-Semitism were laid before Minister Ariyoshi at the Japanese Legation here by a Jewish delegation consisting of four representatives of the Shanghai Ashkenazi Jewish Communal Association.
M. Ariyoshi in reply expressed sympathy with the object of the visit and promised to forward a copy of a resolution which was given to him to the Foreign Office in Tokyo.
The delegation, comprising Hillel Epstein, N. E. B. Ezra, B. Topas and Rabbi M. Z. Ashkenazi, presented the grievances of the Jewish community of Harbin.
COMPLAIN OF TREATMENT
The Jews of that city, the resolution asserted, are being subjected to ill treatment under the Manchukuo regime as a result of encouragement of anti-Semitism alleged to be given to the White Russians there.
Chief of Detectives Eguchi of Harbin, who was reported in a recent issue of the North China Daily News to have accused the Jews of a leading role in the execution of the Czar and of leaning too definitely toward Communism, was assailed in the statement as having voiced “infamous libels.”
“A judicial official should be the last to lend his ears to untruthful remarks by irresponsible people,” the resolution pointed out.
SHANGHAI JEWS AROUSED
Ezra told the Japanese envoy the Jews of Shanghai were naturally aroused by “the present unwholesome display of activities in Harbin, insofar as the Jewish community as a whole is concerned.”
“For the past twenty months,” he said, “there has been persistent agitation in the press to slander them and accuse them of all crimes.
“That this criminal agitation by a group of White Russians should be tolerated by the police is hard to understand. The motive behind it should be investigated.”
The spokesman drew attention to the fact that the Jews in the new Japanese State are pioneers in building up the country and promoting its economic growth and, consequently, should be entitled to “full protection and consideration.”
“It is, therefore, unfair and unjust to permit a gang of hooligans to invade the country and encourage them to vilify and slander these pioneers and the whole Jewish community.”
Recalling that in 1933 Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Shigemitsu wrote that Japan would not tolerate anti-Semitism in its territory, Ezra declared he had faith in that pledge and was confident it would not be thrown aside.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
