Sorge Incident

This was a case in which a large number of people involved in intelligence activities in Japan during World War II were arrested. The central figure, Richard Sorge (a former member of the German Communist Party and a member of the Fourth Headquarters of the Soviet Red Army), was dispatched to Shanghai, China from 1930 to 1932, where he engaged in intelligence activities under the name of American journalist Johnson with the cooperation of Asahi Shimbun correspondent Ozaki Hidemi and others. After returning to Moscow, he came to Japan in September 1933 as a reporter for the German newspaper Frankfurter Zeitung and other publications. His purpose was to find out about Japan's Soviet policy and plans to attack the Soviet Union after the Manchurian Incident, and to prevent Japan from invading the Soviet Union. Sorge reunited with Ozaki, and established an intelligence organization with painter Miyagi Yotoku, correspondent Branko de Boeckerich (Yugoslavia), and photographic engineer Max Clausen (Germany), and began his activities.

Sorge and his teammates' activities intensified after the February 26 Incident in 1936, and thanks to their outstanding abilities and high status, they were able to gather extremely accurate information which they provided to the Soviet Union. Sorge gained the trust of the German Embassy and was appointed as Ambassador Ott's private intelligence officer, while Ozaki, after leaving the Asahi Shimbun Company, became a member of the Showa Research Association, a consultant to the Konoe Fumimaro Cabinet, and a consultant to the South Manchuria Railway Research Department. Through the activities of these two men, they succeeded in obtaining an extremely wide range of information.

On October 10, 1941, Miyagi was arrested on suspicion of international espionage, followed by Ozaki, Sorge and others, the so-called Sorge Group, who were arrested one after another and indicted on charges of violating the National Defense Security Act, the Military Secrets Protection Act, the Peace Preservation Act and the Military Resource Secrets Protection Act. In September 1943, Sorge and Ozaki were sentenced to death and executed on November 7, 1944. Miyagi and Boekerich died in prison. Japanese involved included Mizuno Shigeru, Kawamura Yoshio, Funakoshi Hisao (both died in prison), Kawai Teikichi, Kutsumi Fusako and Kitabayashi Tomo.

[Yamada Takao]

"The Sorge Incident by Hideki Ozaki (Chuko Shinsho)" ▽ "The Sorge Incident: Contemporary History Materials, Commentary by Toshihito Oobi, 4 volumes (1962-71, Misuzu Shobo)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

第二次世界大戦下の日本における諜報(ちょうほう)活動に関与した機関関係者が大量検挙された事件。中心人物のリヒャルト・ゾルゲ（ドイツ共産党出身、ソ連邦赤軍第四本部所属）は1930年（昭和5）から1932年にかけ中国の上海(シャンハイ)に派遣され、アメリカ人記者ジョンソンの名前で、朝日新聞社特派員尾崎秀実(ほつみ)らの協力を得て情報活動に従事していたが、いったんモスクワに帰還したあと、1933年9月ドイツのフランクフルター・ツァイトゥンク紙などの記者として来日した。その目的は、満州事変以降の日本の対ソ政策、対ソ攻撃計画を探知し、日本のソ連への侵入を阻止することにあった。ゾルゲは尾崎と再会し、画家宮城与徳(みやぎよとく)、通信員ブランコ・ド・ブーケリッチ（ユーゴスラビア）、写真技術者マックス・クラウゼン（ドイツ）らと情報組織を確立し活動を開始した。

　ゾルゲらの活動は、1936年の二・二六事件以降本格化するが、その優れた能力と高い地位によってきわめて正確な情報が集められ、ソ連に提供されたという。ゾルゲは、ドイツ大使館の信頼を得、大使オットの私設情報官に就任し、尾崎は朝日新聞社を退社後、昭和研究会のメンバー、近衛文麿(このえふみまろ)内閣嘱託、満鉄調査部嘱託となり、この両者の活動によってきわめて広範な情報を入手することに成功した。

　1941年10月10日、国際スパイの嫌疑で宮城が逮捕され、ついで尾崎、ゾルゲら、いわゆるゾルゲグループが次々に検挙され、国防保安法、軍機保護法、治安維持法、軍用資源秘密保護法違反で起訴される。1943年9月ゾルゲ、尾崎に死刑判決、1944年11月7日に処刑された。宮城とブーケリッチは獄死した。日本人関係者には、水野成(しげる)、河村好雄、船越寿雄（ともに獄死）、川合貞吉(かわいていきち)、久津見房子(くつみふさこ)、北林トモらがいた。

［山田敬男］

『尾崎秀樹著『ゾルゲ事件』（中公新書）』▽『小尾俊人解説『現代史資料　ゾルゲ事件』全4冊（1962～71・みすず書房）』

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