Statement Concerning Kitano

S/D (21 January 1948)

47; now chief of first Management Department of Yamagata City Demobilization Bureau. He made colonel in 1943; was Sr. Staff Officer of the Chugoku A District Headquarters at Hiroshima from 15 August 1945 to about 30 November. Chugeku was under 2nd Gen­eral Army, which also had headquarters in Hiroshima. At Chugoku A, 1st Gen. TANI at that time was CG, Major General MATSUMURA was C/S replaced about 10 September by Lt. General Saburo KAWAMURA. (Defendant states that he read that KAWAMURA was ex­ecuted at Singapore for war crimes, that TANI was so executed at Nanking. The two headquarters at Hiroshima were 2 - 3 kilometers apart.

Col. NAGAKAMA was head of the Hiroshima Kempei Tai on 15 August 1945; Defendant heard that he was executed at Manila for war crimes.

Staff Officer KIKKAWA was head of the investigation of PWs after the war at Chugoku A on his arrival from Tokyo was appointed to act as liaison with OF; was sent from Tokyo without request. He prepared a report read to Defendant who took it to the C/S, which then went to the CG based on an order from Tokyo re the remains of Allied airmen. This report bore Defendant’s handwriting; was approved by the C/G.

The report listed 9; the C/S and the CG knew at the time it was false, since no flyers were killed in the Chugoku jurisdiction; the report was made at the request of WA.

The only report as to Allied personnel remains was made about mid-November. The CG, Defendant and an unknown staff Officer received the International Red Cross when it investigated possible deaths of Allied personnel from the bombing. About the 1st of September Defendant read in a Jap newspaper a report of British origin which said there were no Allied casualties in the Hiroshima bombing, but the true facts were contra, had been given to the Red Cross, and Defendant discussed it with the CG, who told him to telegraph the correct information to the PWIB, which he did; Sop that a copy would go to 2nd Gen. A. Hq. KIKKAWA assisted in preparing this telegram.

About 10 days later a subsequent report was made based on the request of SATO of WA. (Defendant knew SATO at the military academy, knew him during military career, but SATO didn't know that he was at Chugoku A. SATO arrived late in the evening, approached truck on which Defendant had entrucked, asked for KIKKAWA, gave his name, then rode with them to quarters. About 30 minutes later KIKKAWA and SATO came to Defendants room together, and SATO said that WAH was trying to account for the dis­appearance of 6 B-29 flyers which they killed, wanted it made to appear that they died in the atomic bombing.

SATO then said that in late spring 1945 a B-29 crashed in KUMOTO-ken, 7 survivors taken to WAH, the pilot was taken to Tokyo, the rest of the crew killed, the pilot would be released to the OF and report. Later they made the figure 9 flyers.

Defendant stated that Chugoku had already reported; its CG had nothing to worry about, and such change might cause difficulty. SATO pleaded, urged Defendant to

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consult superiors, said WAH would be punished, that he might be hanged, that every­ one at WAH from the CG (YOKOYAMA) down was worried. If Defendant thought this was a personal request he would have turned it down, but agreed to talk to the CG and C/S when they returned.

During this conversation KIKKAWA merely listened. Defendant recalls that SATO was transported to Chugoku A in a 2nd Gen. Hq. car. Later, but not then, KIKKAWA told Defendant that SATO had been to see him at Tokyo about helping him to conceal the WAH incidents. SATO at this time did say that he had been to 2nd Gen Army, but doesn't believe he stated that he asked them to help him.

SATO slept in Defendant’s room that night, left the next morning. The CG returned in about 3 - 4 days, but a new C/S, KAWAMURA, was appointed, arrived about two days after the CG returned. Defendant then apprised KAWAMURA, who told him to return with KIKKAWA (who was the natural Officer to handle such requests) and he did the next day, whereupon KAWAMURA said he would see the CG, and he returned 10-15 minutes later, took them in to see the CG (TANI), KIKKAWA did most of the talking. TANI consented, although he said his headquarter was "clean*'. KIKKAWA gave KAWAMURA the impression that the request came from WAH (thur SATO).

KIKKAWA had been designated to handle the arrangements, made plans, consulted Def­endant and KAWAMURA. They planned to state that these flyers had been sent by WAH to 2nd Gen Army Headquarters, where they were to be interrogated before being sent to Tokyo about the first of August, but that 2nd. General didn’t have cells for them so ordered Chogoku to receive them. Chugoku was to state that they placed them in the barracks of the 1st Inf. Reserve Unit, where quartered at the time of the bombing. They selected the name of a dead Officer as one who was supposed to have received them at the station - staff Officer ENDO.

Defendant believes KIKKAWA was sent to WAH to notify them of acceptance. When Def­endant learned they were to conceal nine, he told the C/S that "WAH was not keeping its word about 6, but that they would agree to ninesince they stated that they would help. A captain from WAH (AIHARA) in late September or early October came to Hiroshima on their request after it was heard that an OF investigating team might come to Hiroshima. KIKKAWA sent for an Officer from WAH; he did visit Defendant’s office, learned later from KIKKAWA that this WAH O was supposed to have escorted the 9 flyers to Hiroshima. Defendant believes this captain was taken by KIKKAWA to the American’s at Kure re Prisoners of War.

No arrangements were made for death certificates. The story was to be that the flyers died in the same barracks with many Jap soldiers, all the bodies were badly burned, impossible to tell which bodies were which, and to later show the OF the intermingled ashes. This was KIKKAWA's idea, and he told this to investigators later.

While ordinarily the Kempei Tai would have taken temporary custody of the Prisoners, it was decided to say that they didn’t have space for them. KIKKAWA and Defendant discussed the possibility that there might be a scientific examination of the com­munal ashes, and KIKKAWA said he had sent a messenger to WAH who had secured some American bones which were mixed with some Jap ashes.

In October 1945 Chugoku HQ,, furnished a report to the American X A of Allied personnel who.had died in its jurisdiction., including the WAH 9, SOP to send a copy to 2nd Gen. A. Just before Defendant left he told TANI and KAWAMURA that they should give up the plan, but they did not agree.

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Defendant was cognizant of the Potsdam Declaration, which warned that war criminals would be punished. About 16—17 November 1945, Defendant went with TANI to a Tokyo meeting of the CGs, where TANI called NISHIHARA, FUKUSHIMA And SATO of WAH to one side, told them they had reported to the War Minister the story of the 9 flyers. SATO said he appreciated this.