Statements Concerning Kusumoto

Statement of Matake (17 July 1947) When Matake visited WAH in early June 1945, he talked with Kusumoto, and others, before going to medical section.

Statement of Koga (7-9 July 1947) While Koga was at Chiba Infantry School, Major Kusumoto did the work of senior adjutant.

When Koga left WA 28 April 1945, the Adjutant Section roster was as follows: Maj. Kusumoto— 2nd in command, security Officer of secret documents, administration Officer of the EM of WA, in charge of the PWs. etc.

After Koga was discharged in December 1945, Kusumoto told him that since the WA had submitted a false report concerning the PWs held there he had been placed in a bad position. This conversation took place between December 1945 and March 1946. Kusumoto said that he was going to tell the truth.

Kusumoto was in charge of circulating these documents. (All documents, letters and orders to be circulated throughout the WA troops.

When the Prisoners were actually removed for the purpose of experimentation, Kusumoto would have been informed immediately of the fact and the reason for removal.

Statement of Minami (2 July 1947) Kusumoto was directly above Minami in rank. Minami's superior was the senior adjutant— Koga-until he went to Infantry School in early April 1945 and Kusumoto held this position until Jin arrived in late April 1945.

2-3 days after the bombing of Fukuoka on 19 June 1945, Kusumoto told Minami that PWs at the headquarters had been executed.

Statement of Oguri (10 July 1947) Oguri talked to Koga and Jin sometimes 20 times a day, sometimes once or twice. Talked to Kusumoto about half that, his business with Kusumoto was usually concerned with promotion and reassign­ment of EM, sometimes about Prisoners. It was after the end of the war that Kusumoto told Oguri about the unfairness of some persons at WA to blame the other persons for the atrocities that occurred at WAH. It seemed as if the Staff Section were trying to blame the adjutant section for the atrocities.

In the latter pert of May Oguri heard Komori tell Kusumoto that he had se­cured blood from PWs and had made a powder form. Komori held the bottle of blood in his hand while he was telling this to Kusumoto. This conversation took place in the Adjutant*s Office at WAH. Komori told Kusumoto that he had taken the blood from PWs that had been operated on at KIU. [Marginal Note: no ]

While Oguri was working at the Demobilization Office at Chikushi Women's Higher School, Fukuoka-Shi, Kego, Kusumoto told Oguri that the staff Officers at WA were trying to run away from the responsibility of killing PWs and had via made 2 devices to deceive the Allied Forces, and that they had also made up various fabrications. He further told Oguri that no matter what order the staff Officers of WA gave Oguri to deceive the Allied Forces he, Oguri, would tell the truth (sic).

Kusumoto's duties at WAH: personnel Officer for NCOs, general affairs of adjutant section, administrative Officer at WAH.