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INOUYE, Mitsushige S/D (24-27 Aug 48 by Sartiano) 28, Sgt. Major at Western Army Hdqrs Staff Section from 42 to 23 Sept 1945 (in air defense work). About noon 15 Aug. listened to surrender -proclamation, at 1330 entire personnel of Western Army Hdqrs. was summoned to staff section office for surrender ceremony and defendant believes the C/S (INADA) was reading the proclamation. After, when everyone was leaving, defendant overheard some staff officer say that 1-2 officers of tactical operations room were to remain. Defendant left to clean up his file. 1st Lt. Ichiro MAI DA then told defendant that the officers and NCOs of the tactical operations room were ordered to perform the execution of the prisoners, that defendant was to go, but defendant told him that he was busy then. 20 minutes later MAIDA returned and said everyone was waiting to go to the execution, said to hurry, A truck was waiting at the entrance to the Air Defense Building, with 15-16 flyers and TSUCHIYAMA, MATSUKI, KUBOYAMA, NAGAOKA, AKAMINE, HASHIYAMA, one Naval officer, 4-5 prisoners. The Naval officer was HIRAHATA. They stopped at Aburayama, AKAMINE, defendant believes, detrucked, then told everyone else to get off. Defendant left for 20 minutes (stomach trouble), returned, heard loud yells, noticed SATO and ISHIMUEA, three dead prisoners, 2-3 live ones, HASHIYAMA giving a loud yell and beheading a flyer. MAIDA then campe up, asked defendant if he had finished his execution, told him to hurry. Someone then said 1st Lt, Hiroji NAKAYAMA must be well experienced and should perform an execution, and he did so, KUBOYAMA then beheaded one. Several persons, including MAIDA then told defendant to execute the remaining flyers, but defendant said he had no sword, and KUBOYAMA then offered him NAGAOKA's sword. Defendant then slashed at the flyers neck, but the wound was small, the flyer still sitting up, and Sergeant Major SUEKATSU MATSUKI rushed up and completely severed the head. SATO then cautioned everyone to keep the execution a secret (defendant had been under the impression a court martial had been held). The service company personnel then arrived, and second Lt, NAKAMURA received instruction from SATO. They returned to Western Army Hdqrs about 1500. MAIDA was not defendant's direct superior but was in charge of the strategy section, believed he was ordered to carry out the execution. At that time YOKOYAMA had a direct phone line from Yamaie to Fukuoka. Executors of one flyer each; 1st Lt. Noboru HASHIYAMA, Sgt. Maj. Hideto KUBOYAMA, 1st Lt. Hiroji NAKAYAMA, Suekatsu MATSUKI, Other executioners that day: 1st Lt. Ichiro MAIDA, 1st Lt, Teruo AKAMIN35, Ensign HIBAHATA, Cpl. Masaji NAGAOKA Sgt. Maj. TSUCHIYAMA, 4-5 Probationary Officers. In the spring of 46, defendant got a wire from Western Demob, to appear, was interrogated about atrocities; defendant disclaimed knowledge, didn’t want to cause anyone any trouble. In fall of 46 NAGAOKA wired defendant, whom he met with KUBOYAMA in Kurume, where they agreed to flee. |