CHILDREN OF ALLIED SOLDIERS IN JAPAN

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 March 1948, Page 6

CHILDREN OF ALLIED SOLDIERS IN JAPAN

LONDON, March 11.. Benters correspondent at Tokio rays that ■ .Australian soldiers in Janan mav marry Japanese girls at the British Consul-General’s office at Yokohama, and. their brides, until the British Nationalisation Bill becomes law, will automatically become British citizens. Thia was learned authoritatively in Tokio today. _ 8.C.0.F. officials stated that it was. known that the number of children already beorn to Allied servicemen by de facto Japanese wives in the Tokio-Yokohama area is 2000. Although, under Army regulations, a soldier is obliged to get his commanding officer’s approval of his marriage, failure to receive this in no way upsets the legality of the marriage, provided that the necessary proof of eligibility is produced. If soldiers genuinely want to marry Japanese, there is nothing in the civil law to prevent them. Officials at the Consulate said that one or two inquiries have been made by members of the Occupation Force, but thus far no marriage ceremony has been performed.

8.C.0.F. officials said that a Shinto marriage—the traditional Japanese ceremony—was _a mock marriage. Unofficial E.C.O.K sources said that scores of such marriages have been celebrated. Usually, the man was not anxiou" for such a wedding, 'but' he acceded to the girl’s wishes.