Kazuo Aoyama

Kazuo Aoyama (靑山 和夫) was a Japanese communist who joined the Republic of China during the Second Sino-Japanese War.

Childhood
According to journalist Edgar Snow, Aoyama was born an Orphan. He was eventually adopted by a family who put him to work at age five. At age 16 he went to work in a factory.

Political Activity in Japan and flight to China
At some point Kazuo served in the "rank and file" of the labor movement in Japan, organizing unions in Japan's heavy industries. Before the war broke out he was sent to Shanghai on a "Special Mission." He then attached himself to the Chinese Army. In Nanjing, he worked in the political department. In Hankow, he was a political advisor for a Korean Volunteer force. By age 40 he was described to have become a leader in the "Japanese revolutionary movement" while operating in wartime China.

Life in Chongqing
Aoyama was on good terms with the anti-communist Kuomintang, despite openly labeling himself a Communist himself. In contrast to Kaji Wataru, a fellow left wing dissident in Chongqing who founded the Japanese People's Anti-War League. Aoyama could freely operate in Chongqinq, unlike Kaji who was closely monitored by the Dai Li secret service. The relationship between Kaji, and Aoyama deteriorated by the time the U.S Army arrived in Chongqing. Koji Ariyoshi, a nisei soldier in the U.S Army was personally approached by Kaji Wataru to help mend the relationship back together, but ultimately ended in failure. Aoyama would eventually replace Wataru Kaji as a "psychological advisor", re-educating captured Japanese soldiers, following Kaji's fallout with the Kuomintang government. While Aoyama was in Chongqing, he successfully sold a printing plant to the Office of War Information (OWI).