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Statement of Saito (420, 15 May 47) Age 25, now a Tokyo District Court Judge. Entered army in 1944 as private, transferred to LS 10 June 1944, then in January 1945 to Western Army Headquarters, an Officer candidate with rank of Sgt. Maj., his superior being Shoshin Ito, chief of LS, immediate superior Capt. Yusei Wako, staff officer and 2nd in command of LS. Saito a prosecutor as to military criminal law, consulted with Wako, could so act as prosecutor only on permission of Wako, Ito, or GHQ. Wako assigned cases to Saito. Saito studied international law in college, familiar with rules of land warfare. LS was responsible for investigating and preparing cases vs. PWs, personally never prosecuted a flier. Kempei Tai investigated such cases. Saito familiar with June 1942 directive "Measures Concerning Plane Crash Survivors," stating flyers suspected, of violating international law would be tried by a military commission. Members of LS Ito, Shoshin Wako, Yusei Murata, Toiyu Yoshida, FNU Ono, Minehiro Soda, Ryozo (Sota,Ryuzo - Hayada ??) Shimomitsu, Gunji Onishi, Tamotsu Saito, Heigo Zushi, FNU Nunyram, FNU.. LS located in same building as Western Army Headquarters, Prisoners con fined in same building. (???) When Saito was a prosecutor vs. a Japanese soldier, saw fliers confined in another room - 8 or 9. These fliers were all executed within Western Army Headquarters area on 20 June, which Saito witnessed. Isamu Yokoyama, CG, would have authority to order execution. No trial. Present at executions Capt. Wako 1st Lt. Murata Officer Candidate (OC) Shimomitsu Saito Several LS NCO's Execution took place about 1300-1400, when fliers brought to Western Army Headquarters area where they removed all but shorts, blindfolded, led one by one to pit and made to squat with head bent toward pit, where beheaded. Saito 12 yards away. Wako beheaded 2-3 fliers. A Capt. or 1st Lt. Toji of another section executed 3. A Headquarters NCO executed one. Two others unidentified who executed one each. Saito -2- Toji volunteered. Wako could have stopped execution. Usual procedure would be for Kempei Tai (KT) to investigate, bring charges before military commission appointed by CG. Saito never saw any higher echelon directive stating flyers not to have trial. 29-30 flyers confined at Western Army Headquarters until about 5-6 August, at which time Saito, with part of LS, was moved to Hirao Mt. to escape air raids. Saito saw no captured flyers at 2nd headquarters. CG (Yokoyama) moved to Yapaie Headquarters. Saito after war heard a rumor that flyers were sent to KIU for medical experiments. Saito didn't believe it at time. Knew Komori, talked with him in June 1945, not about experiments. In early August an execution took place at Aburayama. On a return visit to former headquarters saw truck leave headquarters with 10 flyers, 30-40 people on truck. Persons present who went to execution. 1st Lt. Yoshida 2nd Lt. Ono Maj. Takami 2nd Lt. Nakamura OC Hayada OC Shimomitsu OC Otsuki Saito did not see this incident, heard that after the execution of some Japanese criminals the flyers were beaten and shot at with bow and arrows and then beheaded. Hayada (Sota) and Otsuki told Saito of this. Maj. Itezono was in charge. Saito heard that Sato gave orders at the execution. Heard that there was another execution on 15 August from Tamotsu Onishi on that date, that about noon the remaining flyers were executed and that a guard stood watch over the bodies because they were to be cremated that night. Wako warned Saito that if anyone interrogated him, he should say he knew nothing of the executions. |