Shindo Renmei (臣道連盟; lit: & quot; League of the Way of the Subjects & quot;) was a terrorist organization made up of Japanese immigrants. She was active in the state of São Paulo during the 1940s.
Refusing to believe the news of Japan's surrender at the end of World War II, some of its most fanatical members used violence against those who surrendered. Shindo Renmei killed at least 23 people, all Japanese-Brazilians, and injured 147 others.
Índice de Conteúdo
Shindo Renmei Foundation
Before the organization existed, there was another organization, made up of Japanese Catholics called Pia, made to help members of the Japanese diaspora.
However, after a conflict between Japanese and Brazilians in 1942, in the city of Marília, Pia was dismantled and, in its place, Shindo Renmei emerged. The organization had its headquarters in the capital of São Paulo and other branches throughout the state of São Paulo, Paraná and perhaps other regions.
Soon after Japan's defeat in Second World War in 1945, the organization refused to accept Japan's surrender to Allied forces and at the same time created a terrorist organization.
Shindo Renmei Activities
In the eyes of the organization, the Japanese-Brazilian community was divided into two groups:
Kachigumi, or “the victors”, who believed that the war was still going on, or that Japan won. They were the majority of the poorest members of the community who still intended to return to Japan.
Makegumi, or "the defeated" pejoratively called "dirty hearts", who accepted the news of Japan's defeat. They were generally the wealthiest members of the community who were most informed and best adapted to Brazilian society.
Compounding the confusion, various deceivers produced fake Japanese newspapers and magazines with news about the "great victory" and began selling land in the "conquered territories".
Others sold the yen, the then-devalued Japanese currency, to those who intended to return to Japan. It took many Kachigumis bankruptcy and even suicide in some cases. The group also wrote lists with names of Makegumis that they should die for surrendering, consequently betraying the Emperor.
Kamegoro Ogasawara, owner of a dye house in São Paulo, coordinated the punitive actions. Many Japanese-owned boarding houses served as hiding places for the killers after their actions.
Shindo Renmei's assassins were young. They sent letters to intended targets before a murder, urging them to seppuku so that they might "regain their lost honor." Those who refused to commit suicide were hunted down and killed by gunfire or by a katana.
Consequences for the Japanese-Brazilian community
As a result of Shindo Renmei's actions, the Brazilian population simply got the impression that all Japanese were nationalist fanatics. despite the organization's actions not having directly affected Brazilians.
The situation only became serious after the murder of a Brazilian truck driver by a Japanese truck driver on July 31, 1946, which led the Brazilian population to form lynching groups to any Japanese that came their way.
The article is still halfway through, but we recommend also reading:
The end of the Japanese terrorist organization
Soon after, the army and the State Department of Political and Social Order (DEOPS) investigated the case in the states of São Paulo and Paraná.
According to São Paulo police, 31,380 Japanese-Brazilians were suspected of having connections with the organization. Soon after, DEOPS also investigated 376 Japanese-Brazilians. Shortly after the investigation, the leaders of Shindo Renmei were arrested.
Currently, members of the Japanese-Brazilian community at that time have declined to comment on the organization. Probably the most recent Japanese-Brazilian generation has never even heard of the organization and its actions.
There is a Brazilian film from 2011 by Vicent Amorim called Corações Sujos that tells the story of the Shindo Renmei. The film was based on a book of the same name, if you want to read the book, let's leave it below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1fbweCoc0o
