1939 Japanese expedition to Tibet
Encyclopedia
The Japanese expedition to Tibet was an intelligence mission undertaken by in Tibet
in 1939.
during the 1918-1922 period began realizing secret moves in Xinjiang
area; the Genyosha
agents made undercover operations in Hami and other cities to recover info about the Soviets in Central Asia.
During the 1930s the Imperial Intelligence Services were interested in knowing in depth about Tibet
and Xinjiang
. In Kantogun
headquartes a series of undercover operations were organised and sent Jinzo Nomoto and others on such missions. In a coincidence Germany
sent expeditions to the same areas at around the same time.
and was posted at an Intelligence unit on Central Asian topics of the Japanese Kantogun
Army as a Mongolian language
research student.
In May 1939, during the Second Sino-Japanese War
, Nomoto secretly entered Tibet
by disguising himself as a Mongolia
n and accompanying a Tibet
an monk began a 18-month intelligence-gathering mission. He collected information about the social condition, culture, religion and local policy of the natives by personal interviews with local residents; this was submitted mainly to the Intelligence Army Bureau. He left the area in October 1940.
The Muslim Chinese General Ma Bufang
was also an obstruction to Japanese agents trying to contact the Tibetans, he was called an "adversary" by a Japanese agent.
tribesmen to organize infiltrations, sabotages and disturbances in British India on the North West Frontier in case of a Japanese
invasion of India
. Another alleged interest in the Tibet area was the recovery of all information related to ancient powers related in Tibetan legends.
Later, Jinzo Nomoto composed his memoirs on his experiences in his Tibetan mission during the war under the title of "Tibet Underground 1939".
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
in 1939.
Background
The JapaneseEmpire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
during the 1918-1922 period began realizing secret moves in Xinjiang
Xinjiang
Xinjiang is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. It is the largest Chinese administrative division and spans over 1.6 million km2...
area; the Genyosha
Genyosha
The ' was an influential ultranationalist group and secret society active in the Empire of Japan.-Foundation as the Koyōsha:Originally founded as the Koyōsha by Hiraoka Kotarō , a wealthy ex-samurai and mine-owner, with mining interests in Manchuria, Toyama Mitsuru, and other former samurai of the...
agents made undercover operations in Hami and other cities to recover info about the Soviets in Central Asia.
During the 1930s the Imperial Intelligence Services were interested in knowing in depth about Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
and Xinjiang
Xinjiang
Xinjiang is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. It is the largest Chinese administrative division and spans over 1.6 million km2...
. In Kantogun
Kantogun
The , also known in China as the Guandong Army , was an army group of the Imperial Japanese Army in the first half of the twentieth century. It became the largest and most prestigious command in the IJA...
headquartes a series of undercover operations were organised and sent Jinzo Nomoto and others on such missions. In a coincidence Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
sent expeditions to the same areas at around the same time.
Expedition
In 1935, Jinzo Nomoto, from Kagoshima, was sent to ManchukuoManchukuo
Manchukuo or Manshū-koku was a puppet state in Manchuria and eastern Inner Mongolia, governed under a form of constitutional monarchy. The region was the historical homeland of the Manchus, who founded the Qing Empire in China...
and was posted at an Intelligence unit on Central Asian topics of the Japanese Kantogun
Kantogun
The , also known in China as the Guandong Army , was an army group of the Imperial Japanese Army in the first half of the twentieth century. It became the largest and most prestigious command in the IJA...
Army as a Mongolian language
Mongolian language
The Mongolian language is the official language of Mongolia and the best-known member of the Mongolic language family. The number of speakers across all its dialects may be 5.2 million, including the vast majority of the residents of Mongolia and many of the Mongolian residents of the Inner...
research student.
In May 1939, during the Second Sino-Japanese War
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
, Nomoto secretly entered Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
by disguising himself as a Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
n and accompanying a Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
an monk began a 18-month intelligence-gathering mission. He collected information about the social condition, culture, religion and local policy of the natives by personal interviews with local residents; this was submitted mainly to the Intelligence Army Bureau. He left the area in October 1940.
The Muslim Chinese General Ma Bufang
Ma Bufang
Ma Bufang was a prominent Muslim Ma clique warlord in China during the Republic of China era, ruling the northwestern province of Qinghai. His rank was Lieutenant-general...
was also an obstruction to Japanese agents trying to contact the Tibetans, he was called an "adversary" by a Japanese agent.
Aftermath
Other agents continued secret moves in the area meeting with local AfghanAfghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
tribesmen to organize infiltrations, sabotages and disturbances in British India on the North West Frontier in case of a Japanese
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
invasion of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Another alleged interest in the Tibet area was the recovery of all information related to ancient powers related in Tibetan legends.
Later, Jinzo Nomoto composed his memoirs on his experiences in his Tibetan mission during the war under the title of "Tibet Underground 1939".