|
Statement dated (14-19 Jul 47 by Chedester) Lt. Gen. from 41, Commanding General Western Army Headquarters from 25 Oct, Commanding General with Demob, from 1 Dec 45 (to 15 Apr 46?) Attended meeting of all Army Commanders under Western Army Headquarters about 17 Aug to discuss demob., meeting including Commanding Generals of 56th, 57th and 40th Armies (Defendant, Commanding General 57th, from Apr to Oct 45) and Kurume and Kumamoto Military Administration Districts. Nothing re PW atrocities was mentioned. Defendant attended meeting of Army Commanders in Tokyo about 17-18 Nov 45, called by SHIMOMURA, where a ll received orders to report any atrocities on PWs. Defendant asked HARA to explain matter to FUKUSHIMA, which meeting included YOSHIZUMI, Defendant and SATO. HARA said Western Army atrocities must be reported; FUKUSHIMA disagreed, unnecessary and not good for future relations between U.S. and Japan. FUKUSHIMA "seemed" to agree with HARA at end of meeting. INADA,in late Nov 45 told Defendant that SATO, ITO and FUKUSHIMA had something to do with the atrocities, that 31 PWs were killed between Jun and Aug. Defendant immediately sent AKITA to Tokyo to send down investigators, OKI arriving at the end of Dec, and Defendant ordered OKI and INADA to investigate atrocities and at end of Jan, defendant had report sent to Tokyo and advised CIC of Fukuoka. |