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Statement of Akita (21-22 August 1947) 45, Col. and Senior Operation Staff Officer at WAH from 13 April 1945 to end of war duty the preparation for the defense of Kyushu. Yokoyama was CG, Lt. Gen. Yoshinaka was Chief of Staff until 5-6 May 1945, then Lt. Gen. Inada until the end of the war. Between 18 and 23 May 1945 (is sure of time period) Sato asked Akita to get permission from Yokoyama to execute the flyers held at WAH without a trial by court martial, saying "Captured flyers up to the present time have been sent to Tokyo. Tokyo has reported that they are no longer interested in captured B-29 crew members. Therefore, the disposition of these flyers must by made by WAH. Among these flyers there are many who have come for the purpose of indiscriminate bombing. If these persons were to be tried by court martial they would naturally be executed. For these numerous flyers who have participated in indiscriminate bombing raids, and who would naturally be found guilty by court martial and executed anyway, I would like to have a policy established by the CG by which these persons couid be executed without a trial by court martial." Akita went to Yokoyama, told him what Sato had said, inquired, "Will you approve that which Sato has requested?" (Akita had seen the telegram report from Tokyo as to flyers on his return to Fukuoka on 5 May from a trip begun 1 May. ) Yokoyama said, "It is approved.” Before he answered he looked at Akita for awhile as though he were thinking. Akita spoke in a clear voice, and believes that Yokoyama understood the request thoroughly. Akita then went back to his office, informed Sato that Yokoyama approved his request; Sato nodded. Akita believes that Sato told him in his conversation that the LS also wanted the policy established. Akita doesn’t believe that he told Inada about this. In the latter part of October 1945. Inada was investigating the 20 June execution, and Ito, Sato, Inada (and Fukushima?) were at the Futsukaichi dormitory. Inada called Akita there. Sato said he had obtained permission from Yokoyama through Akita for the 20 June execution. Akita was in so. Kyushu at the time, so he told Sato: "It was in May when you came with the request which Yokoyama approved." Sato only came to Akita this one time regarding the CG’s approval. Akita believes that this October date was the first time he had told Inada about Yokoyama approving the policy of executing the fliers without trial, when Akita was talking directly to him and Sato. The policy approved in May by Yokoyama was the general policy which was followed from then until the end of the war. However Akita believes that direct approval for each execution would have to be obtained from Yokoyama. In late November or early December 1945 Sato showed Akita a chart containing a list of the number of Prisoners sent to Tokyo and Hiroshima and the total number captured, by montk. Akita on inquiry was told by Sato that those Prisoners listed as being sent to Hiroshima in July were in reality sent to KIU. AKITA, HIROSHI AKITA -2- Akita heard from Sato or Fukushima that they were going to say that 21 flyers had been sent to Tokyo by plane, but that the plane crashed. Akita heard of this plan in October and the number -21- in November. In February 1946 Sato had requested that he wanted to see Yokoyama and Yokoyama asked Akita to go along, they meeting Sato at Futsukaichi, where they had dinner. Yokoyama told Sato about a masked man who came to his home at night with a gun and asked him to commit suicide. There was no reference made to the atrocities; if there had been, it must have been on the way home. |