Statements Concerning Sato

Statement of Fukuda (17 Nov 47). The Legal Section (Investigation) including Sato, Yamamoto, Yakumaru, Nonaka and Tokashiki, was merged with Liaison Section in June 1946.

In October 1947, Fukuda heard Nonaka and Tsutsumi talking as to a list that SCAP, LS wanted, and which was then turned over, of 16 American flyers written in Japanese, with the names of Sato (and witnessed by Capt Miller) not the original copy.

Statement of Nakayama (15 Jan 48). Nakayama did not have contact with Sato, Yakumaru, Akita, Tomomori, Fukushima and Inada, in the Staff Section.

About 1000, 15 August, Nakayama reed a copy of the Emperor's speech, took it to Kusumoto. While there, Sato told Kusumoto that orders for the executions of the flyers were out. Shortly after 1200, Nakayama was told by Sato that he was to be an executioner that day.

About 1400, Sato came into the propoganda office. Said to Nakayama that he should come along to the execution, that the others seemed to have left at about 1400. Sato told Nakayama to get in the back of the car, then told Ishimura a girl clerk, to get in, and Sato sat in the middle. In answer to Nakayama's question, Sato said that the authority of courts martial continued until ordered, otherwise Gen Staff Hq.

They arrived at Aburayama about 1515 (Sato didn’t know the way).

Either Akamine or Hashiyama reported to Sato that the executions were being carried out. Sato said to continue. Akamine and Hashiyama then beheaded the two flyers, and one of them asked Sato to permit Nakayama to take part, whereupon Sato said "Let 1st Lt Nakayama perform the executions."

After Nakayama executed the first, Sato then told him to continue and he executed the second in like manner.

Nakayama believes that Maida then came out of the woods, and he or Akamine or Hashiyama reported that the executions were finised to Sato, who then made a short speech asking them to be complete and careful in the final details of the executions, evidently referring to cremation. Sato, Ishimura and Nakayama then started back to the care, on the way they met 2nd Lt Nakamura, and Sato told him about the same he had previously told the others.

Statement of Nakamura, Minoru. Nakamura went back to Aburayama, and Sato told him he would let the matter of cremation up to Nakamura. Several Oper. Rm Officers and one Naval Off were with him.

Statement of Motomura. In the middle of Aug 1945, about 1400-1500. 6 or 7 2nd and 1st Lts, 3 POs, 2 M/Sgts got on the other truck with Col. Sato, and they then went to the scene. Motomura believes there were 12 or 13 flyers.

Sato and Nakamura told Motomura not to allow anyone about the scene of the execution.

Oki Report. Second Report correcting First Report- Hostility by bombing 19 June) of some staff members was arounsed to point where they felt flyers should be given death without courts martial, Including Sato, who instructed Capt Wako, member of judicial Section and CO of the Fukuoka Army stockade, to have members of Judicial Section (Gen Ito) kill 8 flyers interned in the Fukuoka Amy Stockade and at the internment camp, for enemy flyers at Hq on 20 June, the 19 June bombing to be given as a reason for the deaths, and such was carried out.

After the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, about 12 August, Sato ordered Itezono and his raiding unit to Aburayama to execute about 8 flyers.

On 15 August, with rumors rife, Kusumoto asked Sato about the sisposition of about 15 flyers. He thought they should be killed, asked 1st Asst C/S Fukushima for approval, altho hot definite whether he did approved, the Sato took it for granted that he did. On that afternoon of 15 Aug, Sato had Officers of the Oper Rm kill about 15.

Statement of Murata (15 Oct 46). About 20 August 1945, Sato went to the Tokyo War Min, heard his purpose was to burn all documents re B 29 crew­ members sent previously from WA as well as the false reports on 16 men.

On his return, Sato said that he extracted from the War Min, document files the report which stated that 16 men had burned to death in the 19 June airraid and returned with them, intended to him them in Fukuoka, that he had requested by telephone, that the "copies" of these documents sent from WA Judicial Sec (Gen Ito) to the War Min Jud Bur, be burned since he had no opportunity to go there, that he talked to a Col (only Col in the Jud Bur at that time was Oki) who answered that all documents at the Jud Bur pert­aining to Prisoners had already been burned.

Murata heard that Sato went to Toky for theme reasons:

Prior to 19 June, the names of all flyers were reported to the War Min by the Oper Dept, but not after. Thus, if the 16 previously reported, were accounted for by 19 June airraid, and the rest had been sent to Hiroshima (atomic bombings), the fact of executions wo Id remain undiscovered. Thus, thought best to have the remains of the 16 buried in the military cemetary.

However, some airmen were sent to WAH after the Hiroshima bombing, and Hiroshima would not comply with the WAH request to claim they had received a large number of crew members.

Murata then states that Sato returned about 20 Aug from Tokyo. About 25 August, Murata went to Kan oya, as a member of a Liaison Team, to arrange for Occupation of Kanoya by the OF, returned 7 Sept at thieh time Demob orders had been issued and Murata didn't go to Hq and didn't know in detail the plans of concealment subsequently formed. At the time of Demob "they" had been instructed to state that they heard that all the Prisoners died at Hiroshima, if questioned.

On Report on Tracing of the Ashes(5 Nov 47). On 10 Sept 1946, Yukino maintained the ashes were of unknown Japanese from the Aburayama Crematorium, buried according to Sato's instructions.

Statement of Toji. At the 20 June execution, present were Gen Ito, Sato, Wako, 1st Lt Murata, Cpl Kenichire Kawai, Air Intell Unit.

Since the execution was public, before Ito, Sato and others, Toji decided. it was the result of a formal military court. Later that date, a PO asked for his name, saying that the executions were carried out thru a military court and the executioners must be recorded.