Statements Concerning Sato

Statement of Kishi (10 July 1947) About the end of Sept, or early Oct. 45, when part of the Officers Club Hospital had moved to Futsukaichi, Shiokawa and Kishi were waiting for a bus in the street after they had finished taking  a bath. Sato stopped his car, picked them up, said to Kishi, "After the war (he mentioned the date but Kishi doesn’t recall it) a Prisoner from a B-29 was executed. At the time of his capture, this Prisoner was very weak and probably would have died anyway. However, since he was executed, won’t you write a death certificate stating that he died of sickness? I have asked some persons from the Medical Section and the head of this section,(Horiuchi) but they have said that they would not writ it. Of course, if Komori were alive he would write it at once, but, since he is dead, won’t you write it?" Kishi refused because he didn’t see the person who died. Shiokawa did not hear this conversation, was some distance away. However, Kishi may have told her about it.

Statement of Inada (18-22 August 1947) In September or October 1945, Sato or Fukushima told Inada that on the afternoon of 20 June 1945, from 6-8 plane crash survivors were beheaded within the WAH compound. Inada believes that at that time Sato told him that Yokoyama had approved of this execution. Inada then told Sato that if the CG had approved, he, Inada, would have known about.it. Sato then said that he might have obtained Yokoyama's approval after the execution was carried out while Inada was away from Headquarters. Sato and Fukushima were then conducting an investigation, and it was during this conversation that Inada first learned of the investigation. Inada then ordered Sato and Fukushima to conduct an intensive investigation. Sato and Fukushima had been investigating on their own.

Sato told Inada that he ordered the execution of the PCS on 20 June and that he secured the permission of the CG. Sato was the only one who knew the true facts tho implicated. Sato was in charge of PCS, told Inada that Ito was involved.

Sato or Fukushima stated that on the afternoon of 20 June, 6-8 PCS were beheaded, that most of the participants in the execution were members of the Legal Section, that the Chief of the Leg. Sec. (Ito) was at the scene of the execution. Further, the bodies of the fliers had been buried near the scene of the execution. Either Sato or Fukushima at this later date told Inada that he did not receive a report of this execution because he was away from head­quarters.

About 2-3 days after that first conversation, Inada questioned Ito and Sato about the 20 June execution.

Inada cannot clearly remember if Sato said that he went directly to Yokoyama or that he went to Akita and Akita went to Yokoyama. At first Sato said that the CG (Yokoyama) gave his approval on the day of the execution, later he said it was 2-3 days before, later that it was quite a bit before the execution. Inada told Sato then that Akita was absent from the headquarters on the day of the execution and 2-3 days prior.

In early December, Sato’s chart showed none of the PCS’ killed in its receipt

Statement of Inada Cont’d. ...... and disposition;quite a few of them, it stated, were sent to Tokyo by air, including those killed on 20 June. In late October Akita told Inada the results of his conversation with Sato, that Sato kept re­peating that he had asked Akita to get Yokoyama's permission for the execution, that Sato was lying.

Inada believes Sato told him that the bodies were dug up, cremated, and some of the ashes buried and some thrown away.

Fukushima or Sato in late September or early October told Inada about the 2nd execution at the same time he was told about the first. This was that approxi­mately 8 PCS's were executed at Aburayama on 12 August, that Itezono was directed by Sato to carry out this execution, that Tomomori must have approved it. 2-3 days later Inada asked Sato if the CG (Yokoyama) had given approval; Sato said no, that Itezono must have gotten Tomomori1s permission. Inada then ordered Sato and Fukushima to conduct an intensive investigation of this execution.

In early December Sato explained the chart as to the receipt and disposition of PCS'.

In late December Itezono told Inada that he was ordered by Sato to carry out the execution of the plane crash survivors, that he thought they were sentenced to death by a military commission and that was why he carried out the executions, that he did not obtain Tomomori's permission, but that he had just told him that he was to carry out the execution on orders from Sato.

In Oki’s report, it appeared that Sato approved the execution, gave the order for it.

In late September or early October in Futsukaiichi, either Sato or Fukushima told Inada that on the afternoon of 15 August, 8-9 PCS' were executed at Aburayama, that Yokoyama did not approve this execution. Either Fukushima or Sato stated that the execution was carried out by the young officers attached to either the staff or adjutants section. 2-3 days later, Sato told Inada that he had dis­cussed the execution with Fukushima and that Fukushima had given him permission. Fukushima had told Inada in a conversation earlier that day that he had not given Sato permission. Inada then told Sato this, who replied that he would not have carried the execution out if Fukushima had not approved.

In December 1945 Kusumoto told Inada that because the war had just ended, he went to Sato to ask him what should be done with the PCS’, who then entered a room where Kusumoto thought Fukushima was. Kusumoto said that upon leaving the room Sato told him that the PCS' would be executed and to make arrangements for the execution.

Then in late December Fukushima told Inada that Sato had come to him and discussed the execution, but that he did not give him his approval.

Inada was at Futsukaiichi from about 17 September until 8-9 October working on demobilization problems. It was during this period that either Sato or Fukushima came to him and told him of the 20 June execution of 6-8 PCS' and the 2nd and 3rd executions.

Statement of Inada Cont’d . Inada went to see Yokoyama about this, believes he already knew about them, believes that he said that Sato had already talked to him about the executions. Yokoyama denied any knowledge,approved Inada's re­quest to have Sato and Fukushima conduct the investigation.

In December, Sato asked Inada to recognize his chart as official, which Inada refused. It was at this time that Sato told Inada that 5-6 PCS' were sent to KIU.

Sato was responsible for trying to hide the University incident.