|
Statement of Ito - 6 Jan 1947 (420) Sato was Staff Officer in charge of the Intelligence Section and who conducted investigation of flyers as to date, place of crash, type of plane, number of survivors, etc. Said flyers being imprisoned in Western Army Hqs. compound. This did not include investigation as to possibility of said flyers being guilty of violation of International Law. Ito believes that in about May, Sato received an order from PWIB that "appropriate measures should be taken locally", and that he reported this to Yokoyama. Sato thought that this meant to kill Prisoners of War. Sato told Ito that he had discussed it with the Commanding General, but agreed "they" would interpret the order as Ito did "investigation and trial" As to the 20 June execution of 8, Ito heard that a soldier had been granted the privilege of execution by Sato, who directed it, although Ito was present. Sato was one of 30 or more Staff Officers. A false report was sent to Tokyo that the flyers of 20 June execution were killed in the Fukuoka air raid. This report, which was sent by Ito, was composed by Sato under the CGs name. Sato told Murata that the Staff Section was sending a report on the flyers to PWIB under the name of the Commanding General regarding the 20 June execution, that the Legal Section should send a report to the GHQ, Legal Section stating that the four men to be tried were on that list (Fukuoka air raid). Ito believes that Sato carried out the 20 June execution because Sato was in charge of the survivors. After the war Ito heard from Murata that Sato and others were excited over the remains of the 16 prisoners purported to have been killed in the 19 June bombing. Sato was in charge of plane crash survivors and assistant in charge of prisoners under Yokamaru. Sato had to file a report to superiors of the disposition of the prisoners in any event. Sato and Fukushima said that Inada had stated that the atom bomb alibi might be accepted, but objected to the part about turning over prisoners to the Special Attack Corps. Sato and others agreed on the atom bomb story and Sato went to tie up the alibi at the Second Central Army Hqs. As to the other phase, Sato was a party to the disagreement, including the story that the other flyers had been unavoidably killed at Western Army Hqs. |