Statements Concerning Morimoto

Statement. of Hirao (28 Aug - Aug 47). In 1945, at. Ishiyama Surgical Clinic were Torisu, Mori, Nishimura (who left in early May 45), and Morimoto, who arrived from the front in early May 1945. The above doctors treated patients.

About 28 or 29 May, Mori left the University to accept a position as Professor at Kagoshima Medical College, and Morimoto took his place.

2 June, about 1300, Ishiyama told Hirao to prepare for operations on Prisoners, on the breast and abdomen, that since Torisu would not be able to come and Mori had left, he should tell Morimoto to assist. Hirao instructed Seriba, Tashiro,Morimoto and Kubo, prepared the instruments at 1320, went to the autopsy training room about 1400 with Morimoto, Seriba, Tashiro and Kubo, each carrying some of the instruments, accompanied by Ishiyama.

The put the 2 dissecting tables parallel with the length of the room, one on the right and one on the left side at the far end of the room. At the hallway end of both of these tables, 2 more tables were placed at right angles and extending to the left of the first 2. The first 2 tables were to be used as operating tables, the second 2 as instrument tables, The operating lamp was attached in the usual fashion, placed near the left hand table looking from the hallway.

2 Prisoners were brought in, one on a stretcher, the other helped by 2 soldiers. The one on the stretcher was placed on the table to the right (lloking from the hallway) the other on the loft table. The Prisoner on the right was hardly conscious, his pants were removed, his right leg shaved above the knee, sterilized with tincture of iodine and washed with alcohol. At the other table Morimoto was preparing the Prisoner for an operation.

During this time, 2 operations were being performed on the other table. Both of the other Prisoners were operated on. Hirao later heard one was a liver resection, the other on the region below the breast bone and between the lungs, the mediastinum. Those who participated in this latter operation were Ishiyama, Komori, Morimoto and Nurse Miki.

In the latter part of January 1946, Ishiyama called Morimoto, Torisu and Hirao into his room, said he was sorry that he had caused so much worry, the responsibility was his, asked them to decide what was best for him to do. In early February he said that since there was no evidence and their memories on the subject were bad, he felt that resigning would make it appear he was afraid of the letter. In late February he said he had decided to leave the University, that he could not be excused for having caused them to worry, that he should have talked the matter over with the rest of them when he was first asked to perform the operations on the army but he didn't resign.

Statement of Senba (2-10 Sept 47). 2 June, at 1300, Hirao stated that there would be performed an experimental operation on an American Prisoner at 1300 the next afternoon, that Senba should be present, bring sea water.

Statemnt of Senba contd... On the next day, Sunday, at 1300, Senba took 2000 cc's of sea water to the autopsy room. Hirao, Suyama, Manabe and Tsutsui were already there, Komori, Morimoto and Ishiyama came in 10 minutes later, then 15 minutes later, 3 guards brought in 2 Prisoners, blindfolded and handcuffed, staggering as they walked.

Komori and Morimoto went to the 2nd table.

The second Prisoner was lying on his back. Ishiyama was on the Prisoner's right near the head, Komori across from him, Torimoto to tie left of Komori, Miki on the right of Ishiyama near the instrument table. The operation was almost finished, Senba believes it was a lung operation. After Senba arrived, Miki, Komori and Morimoto moved the table into the corner, it seemed the Prisoner was dead.

A third Prisoners was brought in by 2 guards. Laid on his back on the 3rd table, which replaced the 2nd table. Nogawa stood at the Prisoner's head, Hirao to the Prisoner’s right, Komori to the left, Ishiyama stood on the right of Hirao, Miki on his right between Ishiyama and the instrument table. Senba stood a little to the rear and left of Komori and Morimoto stood to Senba's left.

Hirao and Morimoto exposed the Prisoner’s abdomen, washed it with iodine and alchohol. A sheet was placed over him. Ishiyama made an incision as in the previous liver operation. Komori tied the blood vessels, Hirao taped the blood, Morimoto retracted the incision, assisted in wiping blood. Ishiyama removed the gall bladder, and on his instructions Senba injected 200 ccs of sea water into the Prisoner. Senba found the blood pressure was normal before and after the injection. Ishiyama then resected part of the liver, That was all Ishiyama did during this abdominal operation.

Hirao and Morimoto then exposed the Prisoner’s chest, washed it with iodine and alcohol. Ishiyama made a 20 centimeter incision on each side of the sternum, cut ribs 3.4.5.6, and 7 on both sides of the sternum, made a horizontal incision of 10 centimeters across rib 3., flapped the chest back expsosing the heart, massaged the heart, Senba believes then made a 5 centimeter incision in the myocardium, then sawed the incision with 4 separate stitches, then said that a heart operation was easily performed, then stopped the blood supply by squeezing the sorts, and after about 5 minutes the Prisoner’s hands became blue and respiratory became difficult.

During the last operation (gall bladder, liver and heart), Morimoto retracted the incision and wiped the blood during the abdominal operation.

On the following Sunday, June 1945, Morimoto told Senba that Ishiyama had said that they were to tell no one about the experimental operations, Senba agreed to comply.

Statement of Torisu (29 Aug-5 Sept 47). At the Ishiyama Clinic, Morimoto was conducting experiments on the appendix.

Torisu never experimented on live humans, during his own research, but

Statement of Torisu contd.... Ishiyama, Mori, Komori, Morimoto, Seriba and Hirao and Torisu used live humans in their experiments.

After the surrender, Ishiyama requested them to keep the experimental operations secret. In Februaryhe called Hirao, Morimoto and Torisu in and sais, "It was regrettable that I did not consult with you about the operations performed on the Prisoners."

Statement of Tsutsui (27 Aug 47). In May, about 100 or 1100, Ishiyama told Tsutsui there would be an operation that day, that she should prepare for it, that it was on an American soldier, that she should bring dong one nurse.

Komori, a Staff Officer, another Officer, Mori, Torisu, Hirao and possibly Morimoto and Senba came in.

Morimoto was absent once or twice because of his duties.

Senba as present at all the operations, was primarily concerned with sea water injections as a blood substitute. Tsutsui thinks that possibly Morimoto assisted in one or more of the operations.

Statement of Ishiyama (13 July 46) Morimoto was still in the Army, returned about August.

Statement of Tashiro (9-24 Oct 47). On a May evening, the First Surgical Clinic doctors had a sake party, which included Ishiyama, Torisu, Mori, Hirao, and possibly Morimoto as the ranking doctors; Tashiro, Nogawa Hirao, Senba and possibly Kubo, Tomoki Tashiro as the younger doctors, at the Doctors' Mess Hall at the University. They had such parties on several different occasions. Most of the doctors were a little drunk.

While Tashiro was some distance away from the head of the table, he heard either Ishiyama or Torisu say that there were to be some operations soon, that someone would bring the patients to the University, believes they were said to be pilots. Before this there was a great deal of noise, then it became quiet and serious.

Several days later, someone in First Surgery (maybe Kubo) told Tashiro there was to be an operation on a Prisoner that day, Tashiro went because he was curious.

Present were: Ishiyama, Torisu, Hirao, Morimoto, Nogawa, Tomoki Tashiro, Semba, Kubo, Mori, Miki, Suyama, Tsutsui and Tashiro believes Manabe. Also present Sha and Tei.

At this first operation, Ishiyama was chief surgeon, assisted by Morimoto.

The next operation, a few days later, the Chief Assistant of Ishiyama was either Morimoto or Mori, thinks Torisu and Hirao helped.

Statement of Tashiro contd ... Tashiro could not see what was being done, stayed about 5 minutes, knows it was a brain operation.

Statement of Hirao (20 Oct 47). Hirao saw Morimoto preparing for a live operation at the other table where a Prisoner lay.

Statement of Kubo (8 Oct 47) Kubo was present at onlythe first series of operations. Doesn’t believe Jiro Tashiro and Morimoto were present, believes Hirako was present.

Statement of Nogawa (21-25 Sept 47). The 3 Prisoners of the last series, appeared to have been previously drugged, Ishiyama told Nogawa to administer anesthesia to the Prisoner in the little room near the autopsy room. There were several soldiers and Morimoto present when he did so. There was also a 2nd Prisoner in this room and one who had been taken in the autopsy room immediately. Nogawa then returned to the autopsy room and about an hour later Ishiyama told Nogawa to administer- anesthesia to the third patient. (Prisoner).

Statement of Semba (31 Oct-8 Nov 47). There was a banquet held in the Doctors’ Mess Hall at the Clinic, and everyone got drunk. The prty broke up around 2130. Present at the party were: Hirao, Mori, Tomoki Tashiro, Jiro Tashiro and Nogawa. Semba doesn’t think that Morimoto was there.

Statement of Mori (6 Nov 47).

At the party Ishiyama leaned forward and said "Komori is going to bring several Prisoners to the University and I am thinking of performing experimental operations on them." While he said this to the higher rank­ing Officer near him, it carried so that everyone present could hear it.

Statemnt of Mori (6 Nov 47). About 10 May, before the first Prisoner operations, there was a farewell party for Mori, Hino and Nishimura, in the doctors Mess Hall at First Surgery, starting about 1700, Ending about 1830. Some people got drunk. Present were: Ishiyama, Torisu, Mukai, Jiro Tashiro, Hirao, Nogawa, Semba, Hino, Nishimura and Lori believes probably Tomoki Tashiro, Kubo, Morimoto and Shiozu, but he is not certain.

Statement of Hino (5 Nov 47). About 15 or 16 May 1945, there was a farewell party on the 2nd Floor of First Surgery from about 1700 to 1800, for Hino and Mori, which included Ishiyama, Hirao, Torisu, Morimoto, Nogawa, Semba, Kubo, Jiro Tashiro, Tomoki Tashiro, Shiotsu and probably Muka. Hino was on the right of Ishiyama, Mori on the left, Hino didn’t hear anything about operations on Prisoners on this occasion.