flag signed by Tojo and others held at Sagamo

[brannow]

Hi All,

I see fakes posted all the time and wander. What would a flag that was really signed by Hideki Tojo and the other war criminals who were held at Sagamo prison be worth?

Thanks in advance!

Bill Rannow
Minneapolis, MN
www.collectorsmilitaria.com'

[Paul G]

Some would say, Priceless!

PG-

[Papa Nambu]

I remember seeing a collection of autographs one of the staff at Sugamo had gathered, but that was about 10 years ago and I don't know what it sold for.

I've been to the site of Sugamo Prison (without knowing it at the time), there is now a 60 story skyscraper there.

[oldflagswanted]

War criminal signed flags ???

Hi All,
I see fakes posted all the time and wander. What would a
flag that was really signed by Hideki Tojo and the other war
criminals who were held at Sagamo prison be worth?
Thanks in advance!
Bill Rannow
Minneapolis, MN
www.collectorsmilitaria.com'

Hello Bill:
Interesting question. I wonder if such a signed flag
actually exists? Seems on par with a like Nuremberg
prisoner signed flag - i.e., by who & why would such
a signed flag be allowed? A most improbable flag IMO.
*OFW*

(below) Example noted elsewhere online...
"Lot 53: Flag Signed by Top Japanese WWII Officials,Tojo ...
Description Flag has the desirable signatures of the top Japanese WWll officials.
1. General Hideki Tojo
2. Baron Kiichiro Hiranuma
3. Foreign Minister Shigemitsu Mamoru
4. Navy Minister, Admiral Shigataro Shimada

Witnessed by Arthur Bell Jr.
Capt. C. M. P.,U.S. Army,
and further inscribed Tokyo 12/5/47.

This also is presented with three original photos.
1. Hideki Tojo with Capt. Arthur Bell Jr. signed by Tojo
image 5.5 x 4.5"
2. Capt. Arthur Bell Jr. C.M.P. with an unidentified Japanese man in native garb
3. Shigemitsu Mamoru with Capt. Arthur Bell Jr. .
ARTIST: Unknown
WORK DATE: 12/5/47
MATERIALS: Silk
SIZE: 16" x 18" framed 22.5 x 24"

A brief history of each signer follows:

1. Hideki Tojo[1] (30 December 1884 – 23 December 1948) was a general in the
Imperial Japanese Army and the 40th Prime Minister of Japan during much of World
War II, from 18 October 1941 to 22 July 1944. After the end of the war, Tojo was
sentenced to death for war crimes by the International Military Tribunal for the Far
East and executed on 23 December 1948

2. Baron Hiranuma Kiichiro (?? ???, Hiranuma Kiichiro?) (28 September 1867 - 22
August 1952) was a prominent pre-World War II right-wing Japanese politician and
the 35th Prime Minister of Japan from 5 January 1939 to 30 August 1939. The modern
Japanese politician, Takeo Hiranuma, is his adopted son.

Hiranuma served as one the Jushin, or unofficial senior advisors to Emperor Hirohito
during World War II. Hiranuma saw the jushin as the core of a new group of genro advisors,
as the last surviving Meiji period genro Prince Kimmochi Saionji, died in November 1940. The
new group included former Prime Ministers Mitsumasa Yonai, Nobuyuki Abe, and Konoe Fumimaro,
all of whom supported Japan's aggressive foreign policy and the right-socialist ideals of Kingoro
Hashimoto on creation of a Military Shogunate that would manage the Imperial affairs directly.
In April 1945, Hiranuma was again appointed President of the Privy Council. After the war, he
was arrested by the American Occupation Authorities and was convicted by International Military
Tribunal for the Far East as a Class A War Criminal and given a life sentence. However, he was
paroled in early 1952, and died shortly afterwards. His grave is at Tama Cemetery, outside of Tokyo.

3. Mamoru Shigemitsu (?? ?, Shigemitsu Mamoru?), July 29, 1881–January 26, 1957, was the
Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs at the end of World War II.

Shigemitsu was born in Oita, Japan. He studied Law at Tokyo Imperial University, graduating in
1907.[1] After World War I, He served briefly as consul at the Japanese consulate in Portland,
Oregon. On April 29, 1932, Shigemitsu was Japan's minister in Shanghai when a Korean independence
activist, Yoon Bong-Gil threw a bomb at a reviewing stand [2] Shigemitsu walked with an artificial leg
and cane for the rest of his life.

Shigemitsu became ambassador to the Soviet Union, and in 1938 negotiated a settlement of the
Russo-Japanese border clash at Changkufeng Hill. He then became Japan's ambassador to Great
Britain until he was recalled home in June, 1941. He spent two weeks in Washington on the way
back, conferring with Ambassador Nomura. Two days after Pearl Harbor, Shigemitsu was appointed
ambassador to the Chinese puppet state in Nanking. On April 20, 1943, in a move that was viewed
as a sign that Japan might be preparing for a collapse of the Axis, Japan's Premier Hideki Tojo fired
foreign minister Masayuki Tuni in favor of Shigemitsu, who had been opposed to the militarists
[3]. The American press often referred to him in headlines as "Shiggy."[4]

He, along with Yoshijiro Umezu, signed the instrument of surrender on September 2, 1945. He
was later convicted of war crimes by taking part in Unit 731,[5] and sentenced to 7 years
imprisonment. He was paroled in 1950, and again served as Foreign minister from 1954 until
1956. He represented Japan at the UN General Assembly when it became the 80th member of
the United Nations on December 18, 1956[6]. Prior to that, he was:

Japan's ambassador to the Republic of China, 1931–1932.
Vice minister of foreign affairs, 1933–1936.
Ambassador to the Soviet Union, 1936–1938.
Ambassador to the United Kingdom, 1938–1941.
He died, aged 69, in Yugawara.

4. Shigetaro Shimada (?????, Shimada Shigetaro?, 24 September 1883 – 7 June 1976)
was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.
Shimada was named Minister of the Navy on 18 October 1941. During his term as Navy
Minister, he knew of the plans for the attack on Pearl Harbor and approved its implementation.
Although largely regarded as a submissive lackey for his reputation of meek submissiveness
and unquestioning loyalty to Prime Minister Hideki Tojo (which created considerably unpopularity
and criticism among his naval associates, who would refer to him as "Tojo's Yurufun" ("Tojo's
Droopy Drawers"), Tojo's "tea servant" or "briefcase carrier" behind his back), Shimada played
an important role in working with Tojo in coordinating military operations between the Army and
Navy during the early years of the Pacific War.

After a series of major Japanese losses, Emperor Hirohito lost confidence in both the Army and
Naval Chiefs of Staff. As such, Tojo was able to dismiss Chief of the Army General Staff Hajime
Sugiyama and Chief of the Naval General Staff Osami Nagano. Tojo assumed the role of Army
Chief while Shimada became Naval Chief on 21 February 1944, concurrent with his position as
Naval Minister. This reorganization made Shimada supreme commander of the Imperial Japanese Navy."

[brannow]

It does exist on a flag. On a separate note my wife's grandfather was also a guard at Sigamo prison and got all of their autographs on some large Japanese bills.

Bill

[oldflagswanted]

example ???

It does exist on a flag. ...
Bill

Bill:
Please do post an authenticated autographed flag.
OFW

[GeorgeP]

Bill:
Please do post an authenticated autographed flag.
OFW

I agree!



Tom

[Gmantrig]

Flag

This flag does exist. My grandfather was a prison guard and when I was a kid he use to show the flag to me. As of now my uncle has possession of the flag and he is trying to get it authenticated. We have letters from the state department thanking my grandfather (Marvin christianson) for saving a prisoners life. I will have my uncle attach a scanned copy of the flag and also 24 out of 28 names we have identified. My grandpa was a simple farmer from iowa who kept this flag wrapped in silk and kept it in a dark place for his entire life, that alone tells me it's real. We as a family are looking to get it authenticated.

[gunto]

This flag does exist. My grandfather was a prison guard and when I was a kid he use to show the flag to me. As of now my uncle has possession of the flag and he is trying to get it authenticated. We have letters from the state department thanking my grandfather (Marvin christianson) for saving a prisoners life. I will have my uncle attach a scanned copy of the flag and also 24 out of 28 names we have identified. My grandpa was a simple farmer from iowa who kept this flag wrapped in silk and kept it in a dark place for his entire life, that alone tells me it's real. We as a family are looking to get it authenticated.

Looking forward to se if its the real stuf or just another vet story.

[Stu W]

Hello Gmantrig,

Welcome to the forum.

I hope you have a thick skin and a good sense of humour. You are going to need both if you decide to follow through with posting of the flag photos for authentication. Please understand, it's not an attack upon you, just that those of us who have been collecting for any length of time have seen and heard many stories about items that when subjected to scrutiny fail to make the grade for any number of reasons. Having said that, I hope the flag is period authentic. It would be a great find.

I do find it rather interesting that a mere two months after this thread was started you suddenly join the forum claiming to know not only the whereabouts of such a flag but that it's also within your own family. How did you come to join our ranks?

Regards,
Stu