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Statement dated(17 Feb 48) ATIS 38140 In the latter part of Apr or latter part of May or beginning of Jun, telegrams were sent by the General Staff stating that only B-29 fliers who may be valuable source of information and all fliers from carrier borne planes would henceforth be sent to the General Staff from the Armies. This was sent to Chiefs of Staff of Northern, Eastern, Tokai, Central and Western Armies, Defendant doesn't know whether sent to 1st and 2nd Armies, but surmises they would be if then formed. No such wires sent to the Kempetai. Defendant believes he drafted the telegram, although Lt. Col. OYA may have asked him to draft it, and he and Col. KOCHI would approve it, plus Lt. Gen. ARISUE, Seizue, and Lt. Gen. HATA. Purpose of telegram was to prevent over-crowding Tokyo except for information still needed. In late Apr or early May, Col. KOKO and defendant visited Western Army Headquarters on matters of intelligence, conferred with FUKUSHIMA and INANAGA. Disposition of fliers was not discussed. 25 Aug 45, defendant was assigned to Chugoku area, but he did not ,ask for it, although his family was in Hiroshima. His superiors did not then know of the case of 9 PWs. The next day AIHARA came to him, pleaded desperately, defendant accepted reluctantly. AIHARA first came to Sec. 6 of the General Staff 16-17 Aug, had formerly gone to the PW Information Bureau. Defendant went to room of Maj. AZUMA, who had adjoining quarters, where AIHARA was waiting for him, inquired who he was, what he wanted, and AIHARA said approximately 40 PWs were killed at Western Army Headquarters at termination of war, that 1 of 7 taken at Kumamoto was sent to the General Staff (Watkins), afraid he would talk, so asked defendant to investigate as to whether dead. Defendant telephoned Oraori PW Camp, found he was there. AIHARA then asked the Gepieral Staff to help, said he had not reported to Army, suggested he so report it to Lt. Col. MAKI. About 20 Aug SATO came to Sec. 6, defendant didn't know him, but he explained that an official investigation of killing of 40 fliers would start soon, asked him to help, but defendant refused, and he left. On 25 Aug AIHARA came, said SATO visited the 2nd Army and went to Col. NAGAMA of Chugoku area who refused. Defendant said when he got to Chugoku he would try to help. About 4-5 Sept SATO came to Chugoku Headquarters. Defendant suggested he see Col. KITANO, and they both went to his billet, and KITANO said he would see the Commanding General on his return. SATO wanted them to take over the 40, but defendant said too many, and SATO suggested they take the Watkins crew. Col. KITANO said if they accepted 6 they would KIKKAWA (38140) - 2 be suspicious, better add 3 to make it 9, which was done. About 13-14 Sept 45 Col. KITANO and defendant went to Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. KAWAMURA, Saburo, reported SATO1® request, and he said too serious to decide alone, so the three saw Commanding General, Lt. Gen. Hisao TANO, who said samurais must help each other and accepted the 9. About 15-16 Sept 45, an officer was sent to Western Army Headquarters with letter of approval to SATO asking for the remains of the 9. Defendant asked the Commanding Officer of the 1st Infantry to fix his records to show they took custody. (Col. SHIMAUCHI) and the two went to the spot where the 5 PWs in their custody were interned, defendant taking the remains of the 3 left to the ruins of the 2nd Company. The bones of the Japs were buried in the Officers Club yard. The officer returned from Western Army Headquarters with the bones of the 9 and one-half were mixed with the Japs in the Officers Club yard, and the other half next to the 1st Infantry. About 15-16 Nov 45 there was a secret meeting of the Commanding Generals in Tokyo re fliers, and reports thereon were to be brought, the memo, then burned. Defendant, under the Commanding General made the report including the 9 from the Western Army. On the return, the Commanding General was angry because NISHIHARA would not discuss the 9, stating he was having great difficulty disposing of many more. On orders of the Commanding General, defendant went to Western Army Headquarters about 10 Jan 46, asked for SATO, who was not present, met AKITA, told him there was no suspicion at Hiroshima. AKITA told him to see INADA, who was handling the American investigations, which he did, FUKUSHIMA coming in, listening, but not talking. INADA said he was worried because the young officer "talked to the Japanese investigator that the American Army does not know the facts, but will inevitable learn. He said that they reported to the U.S.A. that 31 PWs were sent by plane to Tokyo, were missing, that SATO was then at Oita on this matter, that the War Ministry was repeatedly demanding they make a clean breast of the 31. Defendant then, on advise of his Commanding General, went to Tokyo 19 Jan 46 to the 1st Demob, saw Col. Manzo TAKAHASHI, was shown the 18 Jan INADA report showing three executions of the 31. On being apprised of the facts, TAKAHASHI decided to have a meeting. On 21 and 22 Jan 46, there was a meeting of the Chiefs of the General Affairs Dept. (Chiefs of Staff). Defendant did not get there until the PM of the 21st. Defendant went to a meeting with KAWAMURA, YOSHIZUMI, OYAMA, TSUBOSKIMA, ONUMA and INADA. Generals KOZUKI and HARA were then called. KAWAMURA asked them to dispose of the matter of the 9 prisoners. INADA said the matter would be discovered, would like them to arrange KIKKAWA (38140) - 3 that the responsibility would fall on the Western Army. Either YOSHIZUMI or HARA stated it would be better to remain silent until the Americans made their investigation, assented to by KOZUKI, agreed to say that there was some evidence the PWs were found and reported as received by Chugoku, but later found incorrect. Defendant then devised a plan therein they were to say SATO came about 4 Sept 45, said the 9 had been sent 30 Jul, asked for investigation Sas to what happened to them, asked SHIMAUCHI, who didn’t know, but there appeared to be 9 (ashes of those killed by bomb?). They selected guards who were killed on 6 Aug. About mid Feb 46, defendant was ordered by 1st Demob, to report names of escort, based it on WESTERN Army Headquarters document, naming AIHARA and 10 others. In late May 46, defendant went to Tokyo, where at Taketomi of the Judicial Investigation Dept, of 1st Demob, told him of Kyushu Imperial University incident. In late Aug 46, defendant stopped at Western Demob., told Maj. Gen. OKADA he thought they should report the truth. In Sept 46, defendant was summoned to Osaka Legal Section, submitted death certificates of Brisset and Neel and documents re the 12 other PWs transferred from Chugoku to internment camp, said 20 PWs killed in bombing (states he meant to tell the truth, but it just slipped off his tongue). In late Feb 46, 1st Demob, issued an order for a comprehensive report on PWs. Defendant was in Osaka, hastily returned to Hiroshima. KIDA (Adm. Officer) drew up documents in his absence, stated Hiroshima received the 9, which defendant erased, carried ti to TAKETOMI in Tokyo, informed him, OKADA, ONUMA and others of the correction. Document still had numerous faults. In 20 Mar 47, defendant made a new document stating they received no PWs. In late Feb 46, Maj. Gen. ONUMA told defendant that on 18 Jan 46 INADA submitted a report re killing of 31 "for the time being". |