Statements Concerning Itezono

Case
USA v. Kiyoharu Tomomori et al.
Statement Title Statement of Aihara
Record Type Statement
Subject of Statement Tatsuo Itezono
Statement Provided By Kajuro Aihara

ITEZONO, Tatsuo (Major) Confined Sugamo. 

Statement of Aihara (420, 26 April 47) Heard of July execution at Aburayama, about 10 Prisoners, that guards from guerilla welfare unit carried it out. Major Itezono in charge of unit. 
Statement Title Statement of Sato
Record Type Statement
Subject of Statement Tatsuo Itezono
Statement Provided By Kesao Sato

Statement of Saito (420, 15 May 47) In early August an execution took place at Aburayama. Major Itezono was in charge. 

(or Hayada) Statement of Sota (420, 15 May 47) Sota witnessed execution of American flyers at Aburayama in beginning of August. About 0900 Sota went there to witness execution of a Japanese corporal by firing squad. About 1000 the flyers were brought from Western Army Headquarters by truck, accompanied by Col. Tomomori, Maj. Enatsu, Maj. Itezono, etc...

Tomomori ordered one who was proficient in "Karate" who only succeeded in rendering flyer unconscious, flyer was then beheaded. Col. Tomomori and Maj. Itezono ordered Otsuki from Headquarters Section to fix bow and arrow and hit flyer from a distance of about 5-6 yards. 
Statement Title Statement of Inada
Record Type Statement
Subject of Statement Tatsuo Itezono
Statement Provided By Mazazumi Inada

Statement of Inada (18-22 August 1947) Fukushima or Sato in late Septem­ber or early October told Inada about the 2nd execution at the same time he was told about the first. This was that approximately 8 PCS' were executed at Aburayama on 12 August, that Itezono was directed by Sato to carry out this execution, that Tomomori must have approved of it.

In late December Tomomori told Inada that Itezono had asked him if he would go to the execution,that he went to see the execution after it had already started, that after the execution he told the participants that they did not execute PWs but war criminals who were guilty of indiscriminate bombing, that he had not given permission for the execution.

In late December Itezono told Inada that he was ordered by Sato to carry out the execution of the plane crash survivors, that he thought they were sentenced to death by a military commission and that was why he carried out the executions, that he did not obtain Tomomori permission, but "that he had just told him that he was going to carry out the execution on orders from Sato.

In Oki's report, it appeared that Sato approved the execution, gave the order for it. Inada believes that Itezono told him that Karate was tried on the Prisoners before they were executed.