Statements Concerning Murata

Statement of Yoshinao SATO (30 Oct - 8 Nov 47):

SATO suggested to ITO that the 8 men who had been taken to the U for operations he added to the list and reported as killed in the airraid. MURATA came to get the names and SATO sent him to AIHARA who had the list and gave it to MURATA to put in the report. MUBATA brought the completed report to SATO with his and ITO's hens in the right hand corner. MURATA brought only one copy, hut SATO knew that at least 2 were made since MURATA brought a copy of it after the war. In the fallof 1945 TOMOMORI and MURATA and SATO decided that their previous false reports would break down by reason of personnel telling the OF that no prisoners had been killed in the 19 June airraid. The report had about 18 hans on it besides MURATA's.

Statement of Minoru NAKAMURA (20 Oct 47):

NAKAMURA applied a match to the pile; galvanized sheets of iron were then placed over the "bodies to retain heat. 1st Lt. MURATA then told NAKAMUARhe was going home. He returned at 5:30. MURATA and NAKAMURA took a piece of skull, hand, rib, pelvis, spine and leg to represent the hones of each Prisoner from 13 remains, put them in separate envelopes to represent the 13 executed on 15 August. NAKAMURA told MURATA that KUSUMOTO had told him to "bury the remains of the 15 August execution inthe nearby hills; MURATA suggested they 'bury them in the military cemetery near Ropponmatsu; did “bury the-smaller "box on the way back, then drove hack to HQ, with the large gox at about 0900, and MURATA said he would take care of the boxes from then on.

1-2 days later someone from LS told NAKAMURA that MURATA was going to get rid of the large "box of ashes, wanted him to go along as witness. MURATA, NAKAMURA and others drove to Nagahama on Hakata Harbor and dumped the ashes a little at a time into the water next to the breakwater.

Statement of Kentaro TOJI (15 April 1946):

Of about 15 witnessing the execution TOJI remembers MURATA, among others.

Statement of Kiyoharu TOMOMORI (20 Jan 47 - 20 Mar 47):

MURATA suggested the dirt from the place of burning he dumped from the pier, since if story were bona fide human oil would he in the ground. TOMOMORI never told MURATA to dump the ashes in the sea.

OKI report (Statement of MURATA):

MURATA disposed of the corpses of the executed, took care of the remains after the war, according to orders of FUKUSHIMA and SATO.

Statement of Hiroshi KAMURA (20 Nov 47):

WAKO was in charge of investigations of captured American flyers, but MURATA did the actual investigating.

Statement of Kentaro TOJI (2 Jan 48):

WAKO and MUEATA were present at the 20 June execution.

Statement of Minehiro OHNO (23 Dec 47):

At WA OHIO was a courts martial prosecutor in cases involving Jap soldiers; also took WAKO's and MURATA's cases to the CG- for approval. About 10 June 45 MURATA and others interrogated 3—4 enemy airmen. OHNO heard from MURATA in Sugamo power to try flyers was passed on to various armies.

MURATA was in front of the prison when OHNO announced the executions.

MURATA -2

Statement of Tamotsu ONISHI (24 Nov. 47):

ONISHI listened to a MURATA interrogation of 3 flyers with. SAITO of LS. When the Staff Sec. interrogated the flyers, ENATSU of the KT was present. ONISHI listened in, went with MURATA, heard that all 8 flyers were from the same B-29. MURATA interrogated 3, determined they had performed indiscriminate ‘bombing. ONISHI doesn’t know for certain, but thinks WAKO, ITO AND SATO and perhaps Lts. MURATA and YOSHIDA discussed the results of the investigation.

Also present at 20 June execution was Lt. MURATA.

STATEMENT OF Minoru NAKAMURA:

At 5:30 PM MURATA of the Judicial Department came and assisted': NAKAMURA in gathering the ashes. Two or three days later MURATA decided to throw the ashes in the large box into the sea And requested NAKAMURA to be present with him, and he went along.

Report on Tracing of the Ashes:

32-33 corpses were cremated on the night of 15-16 August in one pile. MURATA joined NAKAMURA there about 0500 and the two of them took a piece of skull, hand, rib, pelvis, spine and leg to represent each of the Prisoners executed on 15 August. MURATA Confirms this in 31 December 46 statement. On the way hack NAKAMURA and MURATA stopped at the Ropponmatsu Military Cemetery and buried the small box rep­resenting the Americans executed 15 August. At headquarters MURATA took charge of the large box of ashes, which he and NAKAMURA later dumped into Hakata Bay.

Statement of Kentaro TOJI 

Present at the execution were 1st Lt. MURATA and others.

Statement of TOJI: 

MURATA and others were present at the execution of 20 June.

Statement of Tokuji ENATSU:

In April or May ITO told ENATSU it was decided at staff meeting that all B29 Flyers would be tried by military tribunal. That afternoon or the next day, ENATSU was called to ITO's office. Also present was MURATA and others. They discussed punishment of flyters.

Statement of Yusei WAKO (11 Feb 48):

MURATA drew up charges to prosecute the enemy Flyers for their criminal acts of indiscriminate bombing.

Statement of Matsuzo SHIMASAKI (26 Sep 48):

MURATA investigated the Flyers for violation of military law. SHIMASAKI believes MURATA and others were at the 20 June execution. At meeting on 18-19 August, which MURATA attended, they discussed responsibility and possible concealing of facts.