NIPPON HODO COMPANY, Ltd., v. UNITED STATES; FUIJI SANGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA v. UNITED STATES

JONES, Chief Judge.

Plaintiffs are Japanese corporations suing the United States on contract claims. In both cases, the defendant sought and was granted a separate trial on the issue of jurisdiction of this court; namely, whether such jurisdiction extends to suits against the United States by citizens of Japan. These cases were consolidated for trial of this mutual jurisdictional issue.

The plaintiffs proved that American citizens, in suits against the Government of Japan, are treated before the courts of Japan no less favorably than Japanese nationals. It is the defendant’s main contention,…