Los Angeles, June 10.
Federal authorities yesterday arrested two Japanese national and one American, charging them with "obtaining information regarding national defences for the probable benefit of a foreign nation."
Those arrested included Mr. Toraichi Kono, 55, of Hollywood, Mr. Ttaru Tatibana, 39 and Mr. Ly B. Blake, Mr. Kono claimed that he had been chauffeur and valet for Mr. Charles Chaplin, Hollywood movie star Mr. Tatibana said that he had been registered with the State Department for two years as an agent of the Japanese Government. He was a student at the University of Southern California.
Mr. Blake, a former U.S. sailor, was unofficially reported to have lured the Japanese on to a point where they could be arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Navy.
Mr. Tatibana was reputed to be a commander in the Japanese Navy.
The alleged spies were charged with obtaining confidential reports on target practice by the U.S.S. Phonex, on February 3, 1941.
Mr, Kono's bail was set at US$25,- 000 and that of Mr. Tatibana at US$50,000 when they were arraigned before the U.S. Commissioner Mr. David Head.—United Press,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.