Subhas Chandra to Japan (1943-45) - Submarine Voyage (contd-1)

Thus began Netaji's long , perilous voyage aboard a u-boat , probably of type IX, which could make 18 knots on the surface and 7.3 to 7.7 knots under water, started from Berlin in the early part of February 1943.
On 20th April 1943, Japanese submarine I-29, a sister boat identical to I-30, slipped out of Penang.

The Japanese submarine reached the position about 400 nautical miles south south - West of Madagascar on 26 April, 1943more than 10 hrs ahead of scheduled time. The sea was quite rough It was out of the question for the two boats to get near, The sun was setting again and two men jumped overboard from the German U-boat and swimming energetically towards the Japanese. When they got near , Japanese sailors threw ropes and hailed up the two dare devil swimmers . The two submarines continued the north easterly voyage for another 12 hrs or so and April 28 dawned on the horizon. A rubber raft was thrown from the German submarine on which Netaji and his adjutant rode the raft and clung to the rope. Through the entire annals of WWII, this was the only known submarine-to-submarine transfer of passengers. This shipment took place on 28April, 1943.
Aboard the submarine were a group of Japanese naval officers , including commander JuichiIzu, who greeted Netaji warmly. The submarine sailed straight for Sabang without returning to Penang.
On arrival at Sabang on 6 May, 1943Netaji was greeted by his old friend Col.Satoshi Yamamoto who was the Military Attache at the apanese Embessy in Berlin. He informed Netaji that the Iwakuro Kikan which had responsible for embroiling Japan's relation with the INA men had been superseded by a new organisation Hikari Kikan ( The Hikari Kikan was the Japanese liaison office responsible for Japanese relations with the Azad Hind Government that replaced the I Kikan. It was initially headed by Colonel Bin Yamamoto, later replaced by Major-General Saburo Isoda.)

It recruited Sri Lankans, Indians and other South Asians domiciled in Malaya and Singapore for spying missions against the Allies.

A plane came to Sabang to pick up Netaji and his aide five days later.  Bose was supposed to be a Japanese VIP named Matsuda.
It took him full 19 days to reach Tokyo from Sabang . He was kept waiting there for five days on the grounds that he must be very tired. Netaji protested that he was not tired and could bear journey. Five days were spent on transporting him to Tokyo in six stages and each of gthe stages he had to stop overnight. He had to stop at Penang, Saigon, Manila, Taipei, and Hemamatsu. For security Netaji's identity was kept secret. during the journey. He travelled under the assumed japanese name Matsuda. On 16th May he reached  tokyo. and proceeded directly to the Imperial hotel.
Netaji wrote, " It was great pleasure to sail aboard this submarin. "  
Tojo finally decided to see Netaji on 19 June 1943.