Statement Concerning Yoshinao Sato

SATO, YOSHINAO

Statement of Sato (30 October - 8 November 1947)

On 15 August 1945, when the executions were about over, there being about only 3 more to go, Sato arrived, although he didn't have to go, but learned that the executioners were all young and he felt that he should see that they performed the executions in a proper manner. This was on the day that Fuku­shima had given permission to execute the flyers. At 1430 the Emperor broad­cast his surrender speech, and at 1500-1600, someone, believes Kusumoto, said that the Prisoners and executioner had left, told him that the Air Defense Section men were to perform the execution (all under Sato). They had been sent without permission or knowledge of Sato.

1st Lt. Nakayama and Ishimura (LS female secretary) went with Sato. Sato did not see Yamanaka at the execution. The executions were performed in 2 places about 150-200 meters apart. Sato went to the execution area nearest the road with another series going on in the 2nd area.

There was a false report on 16 Prisoners that was sent to LS of the War Ministry from WAH LS on about 28 June 1945. In May 1945 8 American PS were sent from WAH to KIU where experimental operations were performed on them and they died. No effort was made at that time to make any report or take any action to conceal. On 19 June there was an airraid and 8 more Prisoners were taken out and executed. Sato believes plans had been made to try those men, but it had not been done.

Ito got the idea of concealing the executions after the airraid by making a report to Tokyo that the 8 Prisoners had been killed in the airraid. Sato suggested to Ito that the 8 men who had been taken to the University for operations be added to the list and reported as killed in the airraid. Ito said he would do it. Murata came to get the names and Sato sent him to Aihara, who had the list and gave them to Murata to put in the report. Aihara had a separate list of his own that was not part of the official record, in a thick notebook. Sato first saw this book between 10 and 20 June. In September Aihara brought the book to Sato and said, "I will burn this. Do you want the names?" Sato said he did not. Later, in Fukuoka Prison, Aihara told him he had burned it.

Murata brought the completed report to Sato with his and Ito's hans in the right hand corner. Murata brought only one copy, but Sato knows that at least 2 were made since Murata brought a copy of it after the war and said he was going to destroy it. Sato noticed that it was addressed to the Chief of Legal Section when he got it out of files after the war.

On 12 August 1945 8 were executed and on 15 August 15 or 16. No report was made to Tokyo concerning these executions and it was determined that WA would hide these executions. The first report on the 12 and 15 August executions was given to the CIC in the fall of 1945. Tomomori, Murata and Sato decided together on about 20 August 1945 that their previous false reports would break down by reason of personnel telling the Occupation Forces that no Pri­soners had been killed in the 19 June airraid if questioned. Thus, now about 40 Prisoners would have to be accounted for.

Wako and Ito may have been at this discussion, were told about it, probably by Murata and Sato.

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Since the report on the 1st 16 flyers had already been sent to Tokyo, it was necessary to destroy it. On about 15 August 1945 Fukushima told Sato he would take the responsibility for making the false reports, told Sato to go to Tokyo, was in favor of saying that the Prisoners had been sent some­place by air, but Sato dissented, stating that there would have to be further plans, so was told to go to Tokyo for advice. They had thought of stating that the Prisoners were sent to Hiroshima,

Sato saw Oya and Kikkawa in the #6 Intelligence Section of GHQ, asked their advice, giving them the story. Oya suggested that Sato allege that the Pri­soners had been sent to Tokyo since there was much confusion there and many Prisoners had been killed in raids, and if that was no good to say they had been sent to Hiroshima, (in the meantime a telegram had been sent to the WAR Department telling them to destroy the report.)

Sato returned, went to Hiroshima a few days later, but an unknown Headquarters colonel did not want to be involved, suggested Sato see the Kempei Tai Chief, Col. Nakahama (now dead), who refused to help saying it was difficult. Fuku­shima then told Sato to go to Tokyo again.

Sato and Aihara went to Tokyo about 25 August, saw Oya and Kikkawa again. Kikkawa said he was being transferred to Hiroshima, told Sato to stop by there, that he would help. Sato stayed in Tokyo a few days, saw Kikkawa at Hiroshima on the way back, he bing liaison officer between the Japanese and Occupation Forces, who said that a report had been sent to the Occupation Forces that about 10 Prisoners had been killed in the atomic bomb attack and that it would not be possible to report more than 9 - 10, that he had already told Aihara about the plan, who had told Fukushima, Sato learnred.

Aihara was told to make the plans reporting that 9 Prisoners had been sent to Hiroshima, made the detailed plans that they had been sent by plane, gave Sato a copy, which he threw away. Fukushima told Sato to devise a report as to the other 31 Prisoners. Hiroshima Headquarters was not given any names, only a description of how the Prisoners were captured. This was done in September. In November Hiroshima asked for a list of names, which Sato sent.

In November Fukushima told Sato that he heard that the June report of 16 sent to Tokyo was still there, that it must be recovered, so Fukushima, Nishihara, and Sato went to Tokyo immediately, Fukushima and Nishihara having to attend a meeting concerning the revealing of atrocities. The report was sent to the Tokyo LS, which transmitted it to the Prisoner of War Information Bureau, where Sato went, saw Maj. Takada, told him that they wanted the report des­troyed. Takada said something was wrong with it, so he kept it, intended to ask WA about it.

They looked at the report, then Sato saw Tamura, chief, told him about his mission, and he told Sato to see the Chief of Administration, an unknown colonel, who said he had already notified Takada, that Sato should get the report from him, who did give him the original copy, which included many hans. Takada said he would have to change the records to hide the fact that this report was taken from the file, he being responsible for the section keeping

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the records. The report had the hans of Ito and Murata and about 18 others. Sato recalls that the WA copy had the han of Wako on it, should have had Kusumoto's han since it would pass through the adjutant section; it was burned after the war. Such a report copy would be kept at WA Legal Section.

Sato apprised Nishihara and Fukushima of the fact he had the original false report, returned to Fukuoka, told Ito and others of fact, then told everyone he had destroyed the report. Sato had returned about 17 November, kept the report about a week, then burned the first sheet, but kept the 2nd sheet of the report with the names, since nothing in this sheet suggesting anything wrong, gave Esposito of CIC the names in late 1945, told him they had been executed at WAH, not that some had been sent to KIU, not knowing which were vivisected and which were beheaded.

Sato worked in the investigation section of the Demobilization Bureau, duty to find out what happened to the flyers captured on Kyushu, but all records had been destroyed; Yakumaru was in charge of the Investigation section, was supposed to take over the flyer phase when Sato was ill, but he wouldn’t do so, so in January 1946 told Nonaka all he knew of the flyers, made a copy of the original list of names, gave it to him. In March 1946 Sato gave Yaku­maru all the papers he had, showed him the list, said it was secret. In Kay 1946 Yakumaru left, returned the memoranda to Sato. 20 May Sato was told by Fukuoka LS to make an investigation, turned over the list of 16 to it, added name of Watkins.

About 10 June 1946 Sato gave the original list to Nonaka, who kept the files at the Bureau (comparable to an NCO). 2 copies were made, one by Nonaka, one by a clerk. Nonaka's had black lines, the clerk’s red lines. Sato then wrote on both copies in the margin "Jack Shaly, Sgt 24". Sato gave the copy Nonaka made to Tsutsumi of the Liaison Section of the Bureau and other memoranda.

On being shown a copy of the list, Sato recognizes it as Nonaka's, states it was in pencil and that the following ink additions have been made: (1) "In the early part of January 1946, I discovered from Staff Officer Sato's notes; (2) "Kumamoto ken, Aso-gun, Minami Oguni-mura, Watkins; (3) several check marks, X's, and circles in ink. Sato states it is a true and accurate copy of the original.