Statement Concerning Komori

Statement of Goiyama (1-8 July 1947) Every day Goiyama inspected the Pri­soners and counted them— inspected them in case any were sick, and if so, he would himself tell the Adjutant and call the medical doctor, Komori.

In the first part of May 1945 Goiyama called Komori to treat a B-29 flier who was injured when his plane crashed and smother Prisoner who had a bad cold.

Komori treated (in May) 3 prisoners,who were injured in the crash, at the compound in the headquarters, said something about taking them to the hospi­tal at the University to treat them, this in the early part of May 1945. One or two weeks later he did take the wounded Prisoners to the University Hospital for treatment.

Aihara from the staff section told Goiyama that Komori was going to take some Prisoners to the University Hospital for treatment and to release them to him— verbally, not by order.

The next day, Goiyama believes that he released 2 Prisoners to Komori— the one with a shoulder injury and the one with a back injury. Komori picked them out when he came for them—

The Prisoner with the bad injury to his back needed hospital attention. Someone, Goiyama believes Aihara, must have called Komori since he came over at once to treat the wound. Goiyama went with him to see the Prisoner. The Prisoner was lying on his back with his feet on Komori left. Komori had him lay on his right side, and he removed the bandage. The injury was just below the left shoulder blade, about at the level of the armpit. There was a ragged wound, running up and down, about 4 W in length. Goiyama doesn't believe it was deep enough to hit the bone.

Komori cleansed the wound, put some medicine on it, put on a new bandage, wrapping it around his chest and over his right shoulder. The flier said something to Komori, but all Goiyama could understand was, "Thank you*" Komori said that he wanted to treat him at the hospital.

Komori did not have the authority to take Prisoners to an outside hospital, such as the University, without approval of the chief of medical section, Horiuchi. Goiyama doesn't know whether this permission was ever granted or whether Komori, with his University contact, arranged it himself.

Aihara and Goiyama met Komori in front of the building where the Prisoners were kept (1st experiment), went into the building and Komori pointed out the 2 Prisoners he wanted, which included the Prisoners with the wound that Goiyama described above.

At the truck before it left for the University were a truck driver, Komori, Aihara, Goiyama, Sato of the staff, who just watched, did speak to Komori. The truck took off with the 2 Prisoners, 3 guards behind, and the driver in the cab and Komori. Goiyama is almost certain that Sato got into the truck and left with Komori.

Statement of Goiyama Cont'd . On seeing picture of Teddy J. Ponczka, Goiyama states that he thinks this man was dark complected, tall, well built, that he was the man wounded on the back and treated by Komori, that he was taken to the University by Komori the first time that Prisoners were taken there and was killed.

Picture of Dale E. Plambeck looks familiar to Goiyama. States he was taken to the University the 2nd time by Komori.

The following day Komori came to the Headquarters and told Goiyama that the Prisoners had died at the University during medical experiments.

Komori told Goiyama about this in the Medical Section.

Either that same day or the next day Goiyama went into Kusumoto's office to get his approval on a document pertaining to Goiyama' s section, and Komori was talking to Kusumoto, stated that he was experimenting on an anti-toxin for bed bugs, using the Prisoners blood. This was after Goiyama told Kusu­moto what Komori had told him.

The first floor of the Headquarters was occupied by the staff at the time. Komori told Goiyama about the first operations, and the room Komori called Goiyama into to tell him of the operations was occupied by the Intelligence Operations.

2-3 days after the first operations Aihara called Goiyama into his office, said that in about a week Komori would take more Prisoners to the University.

About 1300 the next day, Komori, Aihara, and Goiyama went to the building where the Prisoners were kept, went into the building, Komori pointed out 2 PWs and the guards which Nakamura and sent took them out and helped them into the truck. One Prisoner had a cold and a temperature and the other Prisoner had a bandage on his head. Before this, Komori had treated both these Prisoners several times.

After the first operation Aihara told Goiyama that Komori would take more Prisoners to the University.

Around the truck before it left were Aihara, Komori, Goiyama, 3 special guards, a truck driver, and Col. Sato. Komori had something that looked like a box wrapped in white cloth that was about 8" x 8" x 12". He handed this to a guard and said, "Be careful— do not break this." Komori, Nakao got on the truck with the Prisoners and left.

Goiyama now remembers that the day after the 1st operation Komori told him that, after the Prisoners had stopped breathing, they had probed the heart and it was still beating.

The next day(day after 2nd operation) at about 1300, Aihara and Goiyama went from lunch to the building where the Prisoners were kept, waited outside and Komori and Sato came, the guard opened the door, Komori pointed at 2 Priso­ners, and the guards brought them outside.

Statement of Goiyama Cont'd. Goiyama doesn't remember whether it was this time, but there was one time when Komori did inject something into the Pri­soners in the morning before he took them to the University. At that time the Prisoners were not in pain; at that time Komori said "When we take the Prisoner to the University, it is better that they are asleep.

The 4th time Goiyama recalls when they took 2 Prisoners to the University in a staff car. The arrangements were made as for the other times. Komori the 2 Prisoners, 2 guards, and a driver went this time. Komori had a glass jar this time also. Goiyama was present when Komori pointed to the Prisoners he was to take to the University.

Each time Goiyama would receive from Aihara a slip of paper with the names of the Prisoners who were to be released written in Japanese. Komori did not see the slips Goiyama had, but seemed to know beforehand which Priso­ners were to go. He knew in which cells they were kept because he had visited the prisoner building about 2-3 days to treat the Prisoners.

Goiyama thinks he heard Komori talking to Kusumoto about using the Prisoners' blood in experiments for a bed-bug exterminator.

About 0830 on the morning of the 4th time, Goiyama believes, that the Priso­ners were taken to the University for medical experiments, Komori came to Goiyama's office and gave Goiyama two papers with a white powder in each. He told Goiyama it was a sleeping medicine and that, at about 1000, Goiyama should give it to the Prisoners, dissolved in a glass of water. Komori gave Goiyama the names of the 2 Prisoners that he was to give the drug to and said that the drug should put the Prisoners to sleep by the time they were to be taken to the University. Goiyama followed Komori's instructions. When Komori came at 1300 he remarked that the medicine had not taken effect.

Once Komori gave 2 Prisoners an injection in the arm and this time when Goiyama gave them the powdered drug. Komori