Background
Hotsumi Ozaki was born in 1901 in Tokyo, Japan.
Hotsumi Ozaki was born in 1901 in Tokyo, Japan.
Joined the staff of the Asahi Shimbun (newspaper) and went to China as a correspondent. Studied Chinese affairs and became an adviser of the South Manchuria Railway Company's Research Bureau. Because of his knowledge about Chinese affairs, he became a member of the Konoe Cabinet's brain trust. Made efforts to prevent war with the Soviet Union directly before World War II. Involved in the espionage case of Richard Sorge, a German communist spy operating in Japan, he was arrested (1942) and was executed (1944).