|
Statement of Inada (18-22 August 1947) Inada could not order Ito to conduct an investigation (of executions) because he was involved. Sato was in charge of PCS' told Inada that Ito was involved. Sato or Fukushima stated that on the afternoon of 20 June, 6-8 PCS were beheaded, that most of the participants in the execution were members of the LS, that the Chief of the Legal Section (Ito) was at the scene of the execution. About 2-3 days after that first conversation, Inada questioned Ito and Sato about the 20 June execution. Ito stated that Wako had told him on 20 June 1945 that there would be an execution of plane crash survivors that day, that higher ups had approved the execution. Ito told Inada that he agfeed with what Wako said and went to witness the execution. Ito said he had not verfied what Wako had said with Yokoyama. Either at that time or a few days later, Ito told Inada that after the 20 June execution he made a report to the CG regarding the execution, that he had not told Inada about the report because Inada was away from the headquarters at that time, that by ’’higher ups” he thought Wako meant the CG (Yokoyama). In mid December Inada sent Akita to the 1st Demobilization Bureau to have him request them to conduct an investigation of WA atrocities, feeling that WA was incapable of handling it. As a result Oki was transferred to Western Demobilization Bureau, replacing Ito, and was to conduct the investigation. |
This book documents the legal proceedings of the December 1949 Khabarovsk trial in which twelve members of the Japanese Army's covert biological warfare Unit 731 were prosecuted for their war crimes. The trial sought to hold key leaders in Japan's bio-weapons program accountable for atrocities after WWII.