Statement Concerning Minoru Nakamura

Statement of Nakamura, 30 June - July 2, 1947 - no report yet.

32, at Tokyo IU from 1939 to 1941 in economies, inducted in WAHq in 1942, went to OCS, became PO at 46th Butai, Fukuoka, then Kurume Division, transferred in 1944 as 2nd Lt. to WAHq, remained to Septem­ber 1945.

Assigned under Kusumoto, had duty of teaching morale and discipline to soldiers— led drills, exercises, bayonet, etc. Also investigated soldiers recommended for promotion. Kusumoto was directly in charge of all KM, while Nakamura worked out his training programs under him. Kusumoto replaced b y Capt. Yukino in July 1945 as to some duties.

Adjutant Section: Lt. Col. Inosuke Jin was "Kokyu" adjutant, kept records regarding Officers, was senior adjutant and in charge of whole adjutants section. Kusumoto was "Jikyu" adjutant— in charge of all EM. Minami was "Senzoku" adjutant, an aide de camp, assistant to Commanding Officer.

The Staff Section was concerned with defense and troops. The Adju­tants' Section handled administration matters, including secret documents. If a matter pertained to Staff, it would probably go from staff Officer concerned to Fukushima, vice Chief of Staff to Yoshinaka, Chief of Staff (?), to Yokoyama, Commanding General. Col. Akita was senior staff Officer under Fukushima. If the matter con­cerned the adjutants' section it would have gone from Jin to Akita and then up.

Kusumoto or Jin kept the secret correspondence files and the main files of headquarters. All matters of any Importance passed through Fukushlma's office, who was Jin's immediate superior.

The Adjutant Section fed, clothed and transported Prisoners, with Goiyama in charge. The staff section interrogated them, this done mostly b y Lt. Yamanaka, staff section intelligence Officer, assisted by unknown Lt. who had been in Am. Staff Section. (Nakao ?) had res­ponsibility to decide what was to be done with Prisoners. If staff section wanted anything requiring EM, they had to go to adjutant section to get them, thus involving Kusumoto and Nakamura.

Nakamura had the responsibility of disposing of American Prisoners of War after executed, when he was ordered to send guards to one of the executions.

First heard about experimental operations about March or April 1946 when Yamamoto, former WA officer, called Nakamura to help him prepare a report on the disposition of ashes of executed American flyers. On going to his office at Western Demobilisation Office, encountered Sato, who was in Yamamoto's office. Sato called Nakamura out to hall told him to keep quiet about the University ease. He subsequently read about it in the newspaper.

Nakamura -2-

Nakamura then recalls that sometime before the first Prisoners were executed at WAH, Goiyama, the Lt. in charge of American Prisoners, came to Nakamura after dinner, stated he needed 2 men to take some Prisoners out. Goiyama did not answer as to where they were taking Prisoners. Nakamura sent 2 EM, including a PFC Takahashi, who was gone about 2 hours, then told Nakamura that Goiyama had told him it was secret.

2 weeks later Goiyama telephoned for 2 guards. When they returned, they told Nakamura they could not tell him their activity since Noiyama instructed them that it was secret.

Goiyama normally got his guards from the special headquarters guard unit, later commanded by Lt. Tanabe, but in May and unknown officer. Nakamura as headquarters company executive officer was in command of guards when they were off duty.

Goiyama was not of high enough rank to order Americans to University. Such would have to come from the Staff Section, probably the Chief of Staff of vice Chief of Staff and it would then have to go to the adjutant's section, through either Jin or Kusumoto, since adjutants office made all the arrangements after execution of administration details and plans requested by Staff Section. In this case Goiyama was probably given orders by Kusumoto or Jin. [Marginal Note: no ]

Tanabe may possibly have come to WAHq in April or May 1945, on 2nd thought. He was directly under Kusumoto, want with 16th Army to Yamaie after June airraid.

If a secret medical matter, Nakamura conjectures it would go from - Horiuchi to Akita to Fukushlma dad through Chief of Staff to Commanding General. [Marginal Note: no ]

Kusumoto and Minami worked quite independently in own section, but Jin was in charge and got informed as to both offices.

Lt. Col. Yakumaru of Staff Section had charge of Prisoners as far as staff was concerned with them, Goiyama as to Adjutant Section, but Goiyama was not under Yakumaru. Lt. Yamanaka of intelligence section probably kept names of Prisoners. Lt. Nakao worked with Yamanaka, Nakamura believes.