Japanese American Nisei in the Military Intelligence Service During the US-led Occupation of Japan

Abstract

Second-generation Japanese Americans (Nisei) in the Military Intelligence Service (MIS) were engaged in critical work during the US-led Allied Occupation of Japan from 1945 through 1952. After Japan’s surrender in August 1945, Nisei in the MIS played an important role in areas such as interpretation, translation, and Cold War intelligence gathering in Occupied Japan. They have often been called the cultural bridge that was crucial to the success of the occupation of Japan and development of close ties between Japan and the United States after 1952. Their upbringing in areas like Hawaii and California and military training prior to their deployment in Japan provide insight into the nature of their contributions in key areas of the occupation, such as censorship, repatriation, and the International Military Tribunal for the Far East. Their work and experiences illuminate the complex dynamics of both Japanese American military history and the postwar occupation of Japan more generally.