Translation
THE GAIMUSHO
No.150/A1
NOTE VERBALE
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs presents its compliments to the Korean Mission and, with reference to the latter's Note Verbale PKM-24 dated August 19, 1957, concerning the incident which occurred on August 16 in the Hamamatsu Branch of the Kawasaki Immigration Centre, has the honour to state the view of the Japanese Government as follows:
1. Whereas the Korean Mission, in its Note Verbale under reference, ascribes the incident to the negligence on the part of the Japanese authorities concerned in improving the treatment of the internees and accomodations of the Center, the Japanese Government is convinced that the treatment of and accommodations furnished to those internees are adequate and appropriate for their status. It has been revealed that the incident accurred when a celebration fundtion planned by the inmates was capitalized upon by some instigating elements and developed into a confusion, much against the intention of their own leaders. This is what was confessed and apologized for by the leaders themselves subsequently.
2. It was only after twenty-odd hours of persisent efforts for persuasion by the Center authorities proved unsuccessful that its security guards took steps to disperse the sit-down demonstrators. Six inmates were bruised or scratched, but this was caused as some rioters began to throw stones to aggravate the situation; injuries of like degree were sustained also by seven Japanese guards. It should be noted that the measures taken by the authorities in the course of the trouble were the minimum essential for maintainance of order and for self-defense, and that accordingly the action taken by the same authorities was reasonable and justifiable.
3. The Mission's allegation in its Note Verbale under reference that four Korean inmates were arrested in the incident is a distortion of the fact. The authorities took the measures to segregate these inmates from the rest for they were found to have taken a leading part in resisting the guards and in provoking the incident. Their segregation was necessary in order to keep order in the Centre.
4. A statement given out by the ringleaders of the present incident expressed the wishes of the Korean internees for an earliest possible repatriation to their home country. It also stressed their intolerance of being subjected to a protracted internmemt because of the prolonged negotistions between the states for which they are not responsible. In the light of the fact that the principal cause of the incident lies in the prolongation of such abnormal situation, the Japanese Government earnestly desires that all pending issues, including the acceptance of the Korean illegal entrants, be settled between the two countries as early as possible.

Tokyo, September 26,1957