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OKI (Colonel) Statement of Yokoyama (18 August - August 1947). Yokoyama heard from Inada, in January 1946, that Sato said he had his permission and executed the flyers. In the middle cf February 1946, a masked person entered Yokoyama's home, said he should say that he gave the orders for the executions and die. He was an Air Corps Officer, armed with a pistol, said he should take full responsibility for"the executions of American flyers since he was WA CG, that if be did this, none of his subordinates would be held responsible. Yokoyama's wife was with him. In January 1945, Oki told Yokoyama that Sato had said he had acted according to the Japanese Army Field Manual, on "Operations for the Decisive Battle." Which states that in event of invasion, all enemies will be annihilated and that Sato thought this also applied to captured enemy airmen. They had received instructions from the Chief of Staff of the General Staff in Tokyo. |
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Statement of Sato (ATIS translation of S/D. Until March, last year (46?) Col. Akita (Sr. Staff Officer who supervised others) had said that permission had .been granted in early May to execute Prisoners without a courts martial, Oki’s investigation brought out the fact that court martials were unnecessary. About 30 December 1945. Oki - Fukushima. Colonel Oki of the War Ministry, representing Inada, questioned Fukushima in late December, and Fukushima told him of the executions and plans of concealment, but not the University case. Even though he told Inada and Sato he wanted to tell the truth, he knew they were worried, so he didn’t mention the University phase. Early January 1946. Oki - Fukushima. Oki returned in early 1946, to question Fukushima about the 15 August executions, said that Sato had told him that he had asked Fukushima for permission, that he, Fukushima, remained silent, which Fukushima took for approval. Fukushima told him about their conversation and that Sato had said that he didn't even see Fukushima. Possible Report to CIC by Inada, Akita and Oki. Inada, Akita and Oki were making the investigation, and Fukushima thinks they made a report to the CIC before Suzuki's visit in March 1946, Fukushima having heard their talking, although they kept this secret to him. |
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Statement of Kusumoto ( In February 1946, when Oki was investigating the case, Kusumoto heard from Oki that the authorization for the executions had come from Tomomori, that the directing Officer at the scene was Major Itezono, that he, Itezona used NOCs of his unit to perform the executions, that they were performed by the sword, karate and other means, that Itezono had told him this. About 10 days later, Tomomori came down from Tokyo to the Fukuoka Demobilization Bureau. Yakumaru told Kusumoto he was being investigated by Oki regarding the 12 July executions, that Tomomori denied he ordered Statement of Kusumoto contd... the executions, that he and Itezono were brought together and it was determined that Itezono had lied and that Sato had ordered Itezono to state this and that it was further determined that Sato had ordered the executions on 12 July. |
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Statement of Honjo (25 July 47). Genzaburo Oki headed the Legal Department from 1 December 1945, to 31 March 1946. |