Statements Concerning Maekawa

[Marginal Note: about Wako 28 ]

MAEKAWA, TOZO  [Marginal Note: (KIU) ]

Statement of Maekawa (taken between 23 May and 3 June 1947)

42, a medical doctor, now head of Oita-ken Medical Section. Entered army in 1938, discharged same year, worked as health Officer at Kockhi-ken, then at Fukuoka-ken, reentered army in 1941 as P.0, in Medical Corps., assigned to Kokura Army Hospital, then assigned to Meji QM Unit, in 1942 made medical officer of Fukuoka BW Branch Cp #4 at Moji; in 1944 transferred to Fukuoka PW Cp Headquarters, advisor to Col. Sugazawa, C6 as to sanitation and health, who was replaced by a CoJ. Fukumoto in 1944, made 1st Lt., 20 April 1945, Maekawa transferred to WA Medical Section, made Capt. 20 August, demobilized 20 November. Graduate of Nagasaki Medical College 1933, re­mained there doing work under Professors Tsugi and Kageura after graduation.

At WA Medical Section Maekawa was an administration Officer, including general administation, charge of NCOs and civilians in WA Medical Depart­ment, supply accounting, reviewing reports from PW Camp Headquarters, in charge of outgoing and incoming correspondence except top secret and highly confidential. Worked directly under Horiuchi, Yoshimura when Horiuchi not there.

The 2nd or Chikushi Army Hospital was under the direct supervision of the WD; the WAMedical Section did supervise its personnel, assign personnel to it. Its head would confer with Horiuchi about twice a month.

The KIU Medical College professors were employed by army as advisors and conducted research as requested by army medical section, aided by WA Medi­cal Section, which helped supply them scarce materials, this research di­rected by Horiuchi and Yoshimura. Capt. Tsurumaru was in charge of adminis­tration work connected withe the research of KIU, called professors to WAH for meetings. The Army Medical Section was interested in the research con­cerning synthetic blood of Tomoda. The medical department sent a mimeo­graphed bulletin to its smaller units, which included on article on blood substitute.

Maekawa believes orders regarding research to WA Medical Section would come from Medical Bureau of War Department who at time was Lt. Gen. Kambayashi.

M/Sgt. Yamagata was aide to Horiuchi, did messenger service, would occasion­ally write orders under Horiuchi's direction. Secretary of Yoshimura was W.O. Tomoharu Furukawa, assisting him in his business, including secret orders, personnel, and formation of units. Yoshimura's assistant at this time was Maj. Honjo, who was concerned with medical training of EM and of Medical Officers. Believes Yoshimura had charge of research program. Be­lieves Honjo also had access to secret documents. Yamagata, Horiuchi's messenger, was Maekawa's secretary.

Such top secret medical documents concerned strength of tactical and medi­cal units - and secret research.

The following officials of the Medical Bureau visited WAH. Maj. Matsunaga in the latter part of May, for supplies, Maekawa believes. Maj. Hoshiko in

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middle July, in which he related his experiences treating air raid victimes. A Lt. Gen., chief of 2nd Centred Army Medical Section, came in early June, inspected sanitation.

Maekawa believes Horiuchi was at headquarters all of April. During early and middle May he might have made a one or two day trip 2-3 times, the interval between trips would have been between 7-10 days. During the last part of May until early June he remained at the headquarters. During this time his wife was operated on for a tumor by Professor Maebara at KIU. During late June and late July, Horiuchi went on inspection trips of about 10 days in length. 2 days after atomic bombing of Nagasaki, he went there for about 2 days. Most of the time he spent in his office, but frequently went to the staff officer in the headquarters building. After Fukuoka air raid, Medical Section moved to Yamaie.

Maekawa talked to Horiuchi about once every 3 days. Maekawa doesn't re­member Yoshimura making any trips longer than 10 days, believes he accom­panied chief of 2nd Central Army Headquarters on his inspection trip in early June 1945.

All incoming correspondence was addressed to and received by the CG, then distributed to the various departments. If top secret to medical depart­ment, would go from CG directly to medical department executive officer. Out going top secret would be taken by Yoshimura directly to the Adjutant Section and sent out.

KIU Professors Misao and Kusonoki of Internal Medicine Department, Hirohata (not sure) of Medical Chemistry Department visited WA Medical Section in Fukuoka; Tomoda visited it at Yamaie, Misao visited Horiuchi for 30 minutes- 1 hour in May, probably for research. During this time, Yoshimura, Kubo, Tsurumaru entered and left office. Kusonoki's visit was for the same length, probably for research, doesn't recall time. Believes Hirohata visited in May, probably for same purpose, about same length of time. Tomoda .visited in July, for 2-3 hours, probably regarding synthetic blood research. He also talked to Horiuchi, Tsurumaru being there at the time. Maekawa believes that the only persons let in Horiuchi's office during these visits were persons having buAiness with the visitors. Here, Yoshi­mura was connected with research, Kubo was in charge of medical supplies, Tsurumaru, Maekawa thinks, was in charge of communicating with the army employees.

Maekawa went to the KIU Hospital about 4 July 1945 with Tsurumaru to visit Komori, who was in the hospital at the time. Maekawa visited Chemistry Institute in October 1945 to return some borrowed desks.

Maekawa has met Ishiyama once at Tanomachi Hospital treating injured per­sons— he was there 30 minuts— the area around WA badly bombed, KIU was not, and Tanomachi Hospital served as an aid station. Has never spoken to Ishi­yama.

Komori was 2 grades ahead of Maekama at Kumamoto City Schoo, went to KIU when Maekawa went to Nagasaki medical college. After graduation they met several times. Komori studied tinder Professor Akaiwa, in charge of

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surgery clinic at KIU. Komori then became chief of surgery at Wakamatsu Hospital, in Wakamatsu City, which Maekawa knew about in 1941 and 1942, when be met him several times. Later he went to Miyagi Hospital in Fukuoka City, operated by Dr. Miyagi, who has died. He was then drafted into army, assigned to Beppu Army Hospital. About March 1945 he was transferred to the Kaikosha Hospital At WA. The Kaikosha Hospital was operated by a Japan­ese Army Officers Club named "Kaikosha," treated Officers and their families within Fukuoka area, was directly controlled by adjutant section, and WA Medical Section assigned and supervised its personnel, through Yoshimura, who was a member of the staff.

There were 3 medical officers assigned to Kaikosha Hospital, 4 around May 1945. These were Matake, a civilian with reserve rank of 2nd Lt., from March until early May when he was drafted; 2nd Lt. Kanehisa, from about March until end of war; 2nd Lt. Kishi, from about May to end of war; Komori Mataki, Kanehisa came to Yoshimura to make reports bn the Kaikosha Hospital work and for consultation. There was also there a civilian dentist named Ito who was there when Maekawa arrived and stayed until end of war, a Civilian pharmacist, and an assistant pharmacist P.0. There were 3-4 nurses.

Maekawa went to Kaikosha Hospital about twice a week during May. In June he went there about twice. On 19 June the hospital burned down; port of personnel went to Futsukaiichi to use the Musashiay Hotel part to Yamaie to use another hotel as a hospital.

Maekawa visited a friend patient at Kaikosha, named Shlmokawa. He also went there to see Komori or to take a bath, would usually see and talk with Komori on each visit, about the operation of Kaikosha Hospital, improve­ments to it, about Komori's research in neuralgia treatment, about the operations he had performed, and the patients.

Komori was a brilliant doctor, a good friend. According to what Komori told Maekawa, he would inject sea water or a table salt solution directly into the artery for neuralgia treatment, if neuralgia below the waist into the artery between the legs, if above, into the neck artery, that it was 90% effective in first stage, that 10-15 cc's sufficient.

Komori's duty hours were 0800-1600, but was not usually busy in P.M. Maekawa usually talked to him 20-30 minutes — he was very talkative.

On or about 20 May 1945, Maekawa visited Komori at Kaikosha Hospital, and he discussed his friend's treatment, the neuralgia treatment, then told him that he had been asked by Ishiyama to use the 6-29 survivors for ex­perimental operations, that he had then talked to Sato, and that they were going to proceed with it. Sato gave permission; Ishiyama had asked Komori to secure the 6-29 survivors. Komori said that Ishiyama had told him that he wanted to perform experimental operations, i.e., an unnecessary opera­tion performed for the purpose of research in medicine for surgery.

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No one else was present at this conversation; it took place about 1500. Maekawa asked Komori if Horiuchi knew about it. He replied that Horiuchi should know about it because Sato had told him to go ahead with the experi­mental operations, because it was a decision of the Army. Maekawa cau­tioned Komori not to get involved since it was a bad thing. Komori said that he had not gone directly to Horiuchi for permission, had not told him about it. Maekawa said that he should, Komori answered, "Is that so? All right." Maekawa then said that even when an autopsy was performed on Prisoner who died from illness, they had to be authorised by the highest Officer in camp.

Komori told Maekawa that he thought Horiuchi knew of plan because Sato said it was a decision of the CG and his staff. Maekawa did not tell Horiuchi because he thought he knew about it.

2-3 days later, about 1600, while going from medical building to administration building, met Komori, who was going into Medical Building, asked Maekawa if Horiuchi was in his office, wanted to see him, was not, so Komori said he would see him again, said he was just returning from KIU, carrying a small container wrapped in a cloth, and upon being questioned what it was, - "at first Komori hesitated in answering, but then said, in a low voice, that it was blood.” that lt was the blood from the operation he had performed on the American Prisoner. He said that lung, heart, and liver operations were performed, that the Prisoners were told that they were going to be treated and were given ether, that for that reason the operations were easy to perform.

Komori told Maekawa that "he was going to do something with it (the blood)" Quite a while before, Komori told Maekawa that human blood could be used to kill bed-bugs, that if a chemical named ”Gelan” (a Japanese Name) were placed in a saucer and a drop of human blood was placed on the chemical, all the bed bugs would crawl into the saucer and the ”gelan” would kill them.

On 10 June 1945, right after Komorivs funeral, Maekawa told Tsurumaru what he had heard from Komori. In March or April 1946, when visiting Tsurumaru at KIU Hospital, he told Maekawa that it seemed that Ishiyama and the per­sons under him were involved in the operations. About October 1946, in Tokyo, Maekawa discussed the operations with Professor Katsuki of KIU. About same time Maekawa talked to Dr. Ohno, of Fukuoka Prefecture Health Department about it, who said such operations had taken place.

Komori and Horiuchi were friendly. Komori would frequently go into Horiuchi office. Komori made the arrangements for Horiuchi's wife's operation. Such visits to Horiuchi's office were about 2-3 times a week. Maekawa believes these visits concerned the business of the Kaikosha Hospital, or it might have been personal business. Komori was acting chief of surgery, but be­cause he was formerly the assistant chief of Miyagi Hospital, he was sort . of acting chief of Kaikosha Hospital.

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On the evening of 19 June Horiuchi had a dinner party thanking Professor Maebara and Assistant Professor Kihara of the Obstetrical Section of Kaikosha Medical Hospital for treatment of his wife. Komori attended.

Komori went to Yoshimura concerning some business about the Kaikosha, but Maekawa doesn't know what it was.

It was unusual for a PO to see a Maj. Gen, but Maekawa believes that Horiuchi and Komori were personal acquaintances. Maekawa believes that

Komori had Horiuchi's permission because: (1) Komori told Maekawa he would obtain his permission; (2) Horiuchi and Komori were friendly; (3) when Komori asked for him on way back for operation, believes that he talked to him prior to carrying out the plan for the operation.

Statement of Kanehisa (28 May 1947) Ikeda and Maekawa occasionally came to the Officers Club Hospital on business, but Kanehisa doesn't know for what business.

Statement of Tsurumaru (20-25 May 1947) 1st Lt. Maekawa was in charge of mall and supplies.

Oguma was at a sake party with Komori, Maekawa and Kanehisa when Tsuru­maru met him.

Tsurumaru and Maekawa were good friends.

Shinohara, a girl, and M/Sgt. Yamagata worked under Maekawa.

Statement of Honjo (18 June 1947) Maekawa was in charge of the visitors at WA Medical Section. Honjo saw Ishiyama at the WA Medical Department 4-5 times between May and the latter part of June. Honjo believes that he was one of the army employees. Sometimes, after exchanging greetings with Maekawa, he would go directly into Horiuchi's office.