Statement Concerning Maekawa

MAEKAWA, TOZO .......

Statement of Maekawa (between 20 and ___ June 1947, 2nd statement)

Maekawa used to visit Mitsue Honda and not Mitsuo Shimokawa at Kaikosha Hospital. Maekawa "believes" that in November 1945 he asked Horiuchi whether he knew anything about operations at KIU, and then he told Horiuchi all that He, Maekawa, knows about it. Then he recalls more definitely that he did talk to Horiuchi about the operations in November 1945 while they were waiting for a bus in front of the Chikushi Girls School in Fukuoka City. At that time there were many con­versations about the WA atrocities against the B-29 survivors among members of WA Demobilization Office. Horiuchi told Maekawa that he did not know about the B-29 survivors operated on at KIU Hospital.

Because Horiuchi and Maekawa were in the same office at WA he talked to him quite often, but talked more to Yoshimura. On some days he didn’t talk to Horiuchi at all; on others, maybe once or twice a day, 3-4 times a week. This concerned billets for Medical Section visitors, moving of medical section to Yamaie, duties of servants and medical corpsmen, arranging for meetings with medical Officers from detachments and also civilian employees, such as those from KIU.

Maekawa "has a feeling" that he told Horiuchi, at the time of Komori’s funeral, 10-11 July 1947, what Komori told him about the operations on the PWs. Most of members of the medical department attended Komori’s funeral, including Horiuchi.

As to the November 1945 incident, Maekawa asked Horiuchi if such a thing had happened, and he said that he did not know about it, then said that Maekawa should not talk about it.

Komori went to Horiuchi's office 2-3 times a week, Komori attended a party with Horiuchi 19 June 1945, at Kiku-ume, near West Park, Fukuoka. Both Horiuchi and Komori told Maekawa that this party was given by Horiuchi to celebrate the re­covery of his wife by inviting the doctors who had operated on her plus Komori, who had assisted in getting these doctors to operate on her. Maekawa was in­vited to the party since he was ordered to get the supplies, make the arrange­ments. Also present: Umayahara, Kihara, Oguma, the latter a medical officer at Hakata QM Depot who arranged far the food.

During the period the B-29 survivors were being brought to WA from all over Kyushu, there was quite a bit of conversation all over the headquarters concern­ing the fliers— whether they would be tried by a military commission, what would happen to them. During one of these conversations Maekawa told Wako and Murata about the operations as to what Komori had told him. They made no comment; Maekawa judged they hadn’t previously heard about them.

Either 2nd Lt. Nakamura or 1st Lt. Nishida handled medical correspondence going to the Adjutant Section there.

About the middle of May 1945, 2 Lt. Colonels also visited WA Medical Section from the Medical Bureau for about 2 days, on an inspection trip; conferred with Horiuchi and Yoshimura.

Maekawa arranged meeting of temporary civilian employees who acted as advisors to WAMS in late May 1945, which meeting lasted from about 1000 to l£00, with an

Maekawa -2 -

hour off for lunch. There was a 2nd meeting the next day, which was a little shorter, perhaps 3 1/2 - 4 hours. Those attending the first meeting were surgeons and doctors; at the second meeting professors of bacteriology. Horiuchi was in charge of both meetings. Maekawa was there. At the first day meeting there were 12-13 persons. Misao, Jinnaka, Ishiyama were there from KIU.

In the morning Horiuchi discussed the gravity of the war situation, the expected invasion of Kyushu. In the afternoon there was a discussion among the profes­sors. One professor, whom Maekawa believes to be Ishiyama, said that salt water could be used as a substitute for Lingel's Solution and Rock's Solution when a large amount of blood was lost by a patient.

He further stated that he was conducting experiments with this. He talked per­haps 5-6 minutes, with about 3 minuts of discussion thereafter. Maekawa changes his statement; now says that it was around 10 May 1945 when he first heard about the operations from Komori, not 20 May.

A professor Imanaga of Kumamoto Medical College also talked on a medicine called Koha; 2-3 others also spoke.

The 2nd meeting was to ask the professors to cooperate with WA in preventing epidemics; each professor made a report concerning control of diseases in his area. Toda of KIU attended.

Maekawa further states that while ordered to transfer to WAMS on 20 April 1945 he did not arrive until 24-25 April.