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or (1901–1982) was the
National Archives and Records Administration
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or (1901–1982) was the nom de guerre
A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...
for Mitsugi Seguchi (瀬口 貢 ''Seguchi Mitsugi''), a Japanese writer, literary critic, and political activist.
Biography
Wataru Kaji was born inKyushu
is the third-largest island of Japan's five main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands ( i.e. excluding Okinawa). In the past, it has been known as , and . The historical regional name referred to Kyushu and its surroun ...
in 1903. He became involved with activism. Kaji was charged with violating the Peace Preservation Law
The was a Japanese law enacted on April 22, 1925, with the aim of allowing the Special Higher Police to more effectively suppress socialists and communists. In addition to criminalizing forming an association with the aim of altering the ''kokuta ...
and threatening the Kokutai, resulting in his flight to China in January 1936. He arrived in Shanghai, where he married Yuki Ikeda. In Shanghai, Kaji was placed under suspicion for working with Japanese socialists by Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek (31 October 1887 – 5 April 1975), also known as Chiang Chung-cheng and Jiang Jieshi, was a Chinese Nationalist politician, revolutionary, and military leader who served as the leader of the Republic of China (ROC) from 1928 ...
's Nationalist government.
While in China, Kaji met Lu Xun
Zhou Shuren (25 September 1881 – 19 October 1936), better known by his pen name Lu Xun (or Lu Sun; ; Wade–Giles: Lu Hsün), was a Chinese writer, essayist, poet, and literary critic. He was a leading figure of modern Chinese literature. W ...
, Hu Feng
Hu Feng (, November 2, 1902 – June 8, 1985) was a Chinese Marxist writer, poet and literary theorist. He was a prominent member of the League of Left-Wing Writers. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Hu Feng became a member ...
, Xiao Hong. Edgar Snow, andFrom Vagabond to Journalist: Edgar Snow in Asia, 1928-1941 By Robert M. Farnsworth Page 326 -327 Koji Ariyoshi. In December 1939, Kaji founded the Japanese People's Anti-war Alliance.
Kaji and Ikeda fled Shanghai following the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War. Kaji worked for the Chinese, and re-educated Japanese POWs.
Kaji was kidnapped in 1951 by U.S intelligence, and was held for more than a year.
Wataru Kaji died when he was 79 years old.
Legacy
The Chinese Documentary series "Today In The History Of Anti-Japanese War" dedicated an episode to Kaji. Wataru Kaji was featured in the "International Friends during the Anti-Japanese War". A show organized by the Beijing People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. The show "features 160 pictures of 39 foreign friends who worked together with the Chinese people and made contributions to China's independence and freedom."See also
* Teru Hasegawa * Japanese dissidence during the Shōwa period * Japanese in the Chinese resistance to the Empire of Japan * Japanese People's Anti-war AllianceReferences
Further reading
* *Records of the Office of Strategic Services (Record Group 226) 1940-1947 , Entry 211 , Boxes 1-45. Location: 250/64/32/1. CIA Accession: 85-0215R. at thNational Archives and Records Administration
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External links
* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Kaji, Wataru 1900s births 1982 deaths Japanese rebels People of the Second Sino-Japanese War