task resulted in a July 1, 1939 New York Herald Tribune article titled "Japan Believed Still Aiming at South Sea Area", written by Newman. Sorge's spy ring was eventually broken in 1941. Although Sorge tried his best to diminish Vukelić's and Miyagi's involvement, Vukelić was sentenced to life imprisonment along with Clausen. Branko was imprisoned in Sugamo, and was transferred to Abashiri Prison (Hokkaido, Japan) in July 1944. Vukelić did not survive the cold winter, and Yoshiko was informed of his death on January 15, 1945. Their son Hiroshi Yamasaki Vukelić lives in Japan and Belgrade today and works on Japanese-Serbian relations. Soviet recognition Although the activities of Sorge ring members, including Branko Vukelić, were not recognized until the 1960s, Vukelić was posthumously awarded the Order of the Patriotic War (First Degree) on November 5, 1964 by decree of Praesidium of the Supreme Soviet. References External links An interview with Hiroshi Yamasaki-Vukelić Whymant R., Sorge's Spy, on Google books Gannon J., Stealing Secrets, Telling Lies: How Spies and Codebreakers Helped Shape the Twentieth Century, on Google Books New Light on Old Spies: A Review of Recent Soviet Intelligence Revelations, CIA Library 1904 births 1945 deaths People from Osijek Croatian people of Serbian descent Croatian people of Jewish descent Austro-Hungarian Jews Austro-Hungarian Serbs 20th-century Serbian people Serbian people of Croatian-Jewish descent Yugoslav people of World War II World War II spies for the Soviet Union Prisoners who died in Japanese detention Spies who died in prison custody Yugoslav people who died in prison custody People convicted of spying for the Soviet Union Japan–Yugoslavia relations