The first recorded birth in Japan of a baby born of a Japanese mother and a father who was an American soldier occupying Japan, was announced on Japanese radio, barely more than nine months after the U.S. commenced occupation of Honshu.
The number of such children born during the American occupation from 1945 to 1952 is unknown, but best estimates put it at less than 5,000. Small additional numbers had British and Australian fathers, with their fate being particularly harsh as British occupation authorities strictly prohibited liaisons with Japanese females and marriage was not an option. Many of their children were given up for adoption as orphans. In contrast,45,000 Japanese women became American war brides.
The entire matter was controversial in Japan, as generally it broke a strict cultural taboo regarding interacting with foreigners in this fashion. Cross cultural marriages were enormously looked down upon in Japan at the time and still somewhat are, albeit to a lesser degree. The occupation period is the only instance in which Japanese women breached the taboo on a large scale.
In this case, the extremely rapid nature of the conception raises real questions about the nature of consent in the matter.
Comedian Gilda Radner was born in Detroit.
Actress Antoinette Perry form whom the Tony Awards are named died at age 58 of a heart attack. There were signs that it was coming, but as a Christian Scientist, she refused to see a doctor.
She had been born in Denver, Colorado.
The Family Circle magazine featured a photograph of a cat in a wedding dress on the cover.
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