Japanese Trials

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ansata1976
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Re: Japanese Trials

#16

Post by ansata1976 » 12 Jul 2009, 19:41

Singapore Cases: No. 235/819
Terada et al


Accused:
(1) S/Sjt TERADA Takao
(2) W.O. HIRAZAWA Atsusi
(3) S/Sjt SHIN Shigetoshi
(4) Cpl HASE Ryosoku
(5) Pte MURATA Yoshitaro

All of the Japanese Army

Place and Date of Trial: Singapore, 8-9,11-16, 18-19 Feb 46

Finding and Sentence:

Accused Charge - Not guilty Charge - Guilty Sentence
1 1st charge Acquitted
2 - 1st, 4th charge Death by hanging
3 - 1st, 3rd charge Death by hanging
4 - 1st, 2nd charge 5 years imprisonment
5 - 1st, 2nd, 4th charge 14 years imprisonment

There was no printed finding and sentence passed by the judges in the court.

Charges: First charge (Against each accused)
Committing a War Crime in that they together at Singapore on and after 20 Oct 44 in violation of the laws and usages of war, being in the service of the occupying Power, conspired and acted towards and were concerned together in the unlawful arrest and confinement and in the beating, torture and maltreatment of LAM KEONG KONG, WONG PIN and LAM NAI FOOK, civilian residents of Singapore, in consequence whereof the said WONG PIN died.

Second charge: (Against Accused No. 4 and No. 5 only)
Committing a War Crime in that they together at Singapore on and after 20 Oct 44 in violation of the laws and usages of war, being in the service of the occupying Power, conspired and acted towards and were concerned together in the unlawful arrest and confinement and in the beating, torture and maltreatment of LAM NAI PENG, a civilian resident of Singapore in consequence whereof the said LAM NAI PENG died.

Third charge: (Against Accused No. 3 only)
Committing a war crime in that he at Singapore on and after 5 Nov 42 in violation of the laws and usages of war, being in the service of the occupying Power, conspired and acted towards and were concerned in the unlawful arrest and confinement and in the beating, torture and maltreatment of SEAH NGHEE KHAY and Madam LIM GUET KEOW wife of the said SEAH NGHEE KHAY died on or about 8 Jan 43.

Fourth charge: (Against Accused No. 2 and No. 5 only)
Committing a war crime in that he at Singapore on and after 19 Nov 44 in violation of the laws and usages of war, being in the service of the occupying Power, conspired and acted towards and were concerned together in the unlawful arrest and confinement and in the beating, torture and maltreatment of LOW KIANG PIN, a civilian resident of Singapore.

Facts relating to the several charges:
All the accused were members of the same Kempei Tai HQ at Singapore and the Chinese civilians mentioned in the charges were interrogated at that HQ at various dates in 1942 and 1944.

a) On 20 Oct 44 Lam Keong Kong, Wong Pin and Lam Nai Fook were arrested in Singapore and taken to the YMCA, the Kempei Tai HQ. They were accused of the anti-Japanese activities. Lam Keong Kong was tortured by beating, the water treatment, and kicking for a period of 5 days.
Later he was interrogated by the accused Nos. 2, 3 and 4, tortured and beaten. At the same time Wong Pin was tortured and beaten by accused Nos. 3, 4 and 5. Wong Pin died at the YMCA. Lam Nai Fook was also tortured by the accused No. 2.

b) When Lam Keong Kong was at the YMCA, Lam Nai Peng was brought into his cell. He had been tortured and his body was covered with weals. The accused Nos. 4 and 5 came into the cell, beat him viciously and attempted to quieten him. This man died the same night.

c) On 19th Nov 44 Low Kiang Pin was arrested and for a period of 3 weeks was tortured continuously by the accused Nos. 2 and 3.

d) On 5 Nov 42 Seah Nghee Khay was arrested and about one month later was brought to his house in Singapore by the accused No. 3 and another member of the Kempei Tai. With his wife, Lin Guet Keow, he was taken to the YMCA where they were tortured by accused No. 3. Lim Guet Keow was released but Seah Nghee Khay was subjected to further maltreatment and died in consequence thereof about 8 Jan 43.

Accused handling of the charge:
All the accused were subjected to cross-examination and during which all admitted to some of the allegations against them and denied others. They alleged that the evidence of the prosecution witnesses was in most cases exaggerated and in other cases untrue.

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Re: Japanese Trials

#17

Post by ansata1976 » 12 Jul 2009, 19:42

Singapore Cases: No. 235/918
Usuki Case


Accused:
(1) Lieut. USUKI Kishio
(2) Sjt/Maj. HIRAMATSU Aitaro
(3) Korean MOTOYAMA Kinzo
(4) Korean MATSUMOTO Meizan
(5) Korean TOKUYAMA Mitsui
(6) Korean IWAYA Taikyo
(7) Korean TOMOTOMA Yugei
(8) Korean MORIMOTO Kinei
(9) Korean MINAKA Shyunshyaku
(10) Korean KUMOI Eiji

All in the service of the Imperial Japanese Army

Place and Date of Trial: Singapore, 12-13, 19, 22 August 1946

Finding and Sentence:

Accused Charge - Not guilty Charge - Guilty Sentence
1 5th, 6th charge 1st, 3rd charge Death by hanging
2 7th, 8th charge 1st, 2nd charge Death by hanging
3 8th charge 1st, 4th, 6th charge Death by hanging
4 - 1st, 3rd (w/ exceptions), 5th, 6th, 8th charge Life imprisonment
5 - 1st, 7th charge Death by hanging
6 1st charge 3rd, 5th, 6th charge Death by hanging
7 6th charge 1st charge 10 years imprisonment
8 5th charge 1st, 6th, 8th charge Life imprisonment
9 - 1st, 6th, 8th charge Life imprisonment
10 6th charge 1st, 3rd (w/ exceptions) charge 15 years imprisonment

Exception for 3rd charge: words "thereby causing death" (applicable to Accused 4 and 10)

Note: The Comd of the Singapore District later commuted accused 3 and 5th's death sentences to Life Imprisonment sentences after the D.J.A.G. reviewed the case.

Charges: First charge: (Against all the accused)
Committing a War Crime in that they at TAMUANG POW Camp Siam between 1 March 1944 and 31 January 1945 while employed as members of the staff of the said POW Camp in violation of the laws and usages of war were together concerned as parties in the ill-treatment of British, Australian and Dutch PsOW interned in the said camp.


Second charge: (Against Accused No. 2 only)
Committing a War Crime in that he at TONCHAN POW Camp Siam between 1 October 1942 and 31 July 1943 while in command of the said POW Camp in violation of the laws and usages of war was concerned in the ill-treatment of British and Australian PsOW interned therein thereby causing the deaths of some of the said PsOW and physical suffering to others of the said PsOW.

Third charge: (Against Accused Nos. 1, 6, 4, 10 only)
Committing a War Crime in that they at KANU POW Camp Siam between 1 October 1942 and 31 July 1943 while employed as members of the staff of the said camp in violation of the laws and usages of war were together concerned in the ill-treatment of British and Australian PsOW interned therein thereby causing death to some of the said PsOW and physical suffering to others of the said PsOW.

Fourth charge: (Against Accused No. 3 only)
Committing a War Crime in that he at PUNGYISHO POW Camp Siam between 1 February 1943 and 31 July 1943 while in command of the said camp in violation of the laws and usages of war was concerned in the ill-treatment of British and Australian PsOW interned therein causing physical suffering to many of the said PsOW.

Fifth charge: (Against Accused Nos. 1, 4, 6, 8 only)
Committing a War Crime in that they at TARSOA POW Camp Siam in or about the months of August or September 1943 while employed as members of the staff of the said camp in violation of the laws and usages of war were together concerned in the ill-treatment of British, Australian and Allied PsOW interned therein.

Sixth charge: (Against Accused Nos. 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 only)
Committing a War Crime in that they at KINSAYOK and KRIAN KRI POW Camps Siam between 1 August 1943 and 31 March 1944 while employed as members of the staff of the said camps in violation of the laws and usages of war were together concerned in the ill-treatment of British, Australian and Allied PsOW interned therein.

Seventh charge: (Against Accused Nos. 2, 5 only)
Committing a War Crime in that they at RIN TIN POW Camp Siam in or about the month of September 1943 while employed as members of the staff of the said camp in violation of the laws and usages of war were together concerned in the ill-treatment of British and Australian PsOW interned in the said camp.

Eighth charge: (Against Accused Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9 only)
Committing a War Crime in that they at PRATCHAI POW Camp Siam between the 1st May 1945 and 30th September 1945 while employed as members of the staff of the said camp in violation of the laws and usages of war were together concerned in the ill-treatment of British PsOW interned therein thereby causing physical suffering to many of them.

Facts relating to the several charges: The abstract of evidence was missing and therefore facts of the case can only be inferred from the charges and the closing addresses of the defence and prosecution.


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Re: Japanese Trials

#18

Post by ansata1976 » 12 Jul 2009, 19:43

Singapore Cases: No. 235/843
Yamaguchi Case


Accused:
(1) Lieut YAMAGUCHI Akuni
(2) Sjt Maj IKEDA Saiichi
(3) Sjt MATSUMOTO Mitsugi
(4) Sjt UEKIHARA Susumi
(5) Sjt SHIMOMURA Tomohei

All of the Imperial Japanese Army (Kempei Tai unit)

Place and Date of Trial: Singapore, 21-23, 25-26 Feb 46

Finding and Sentence:
Accused 1, 3, 4, 5 - Guilty - Death by hanging
(with the exception of the words "and/or failed to prevent supervise or control" and "and/or contributed to")
Accused 2 - Not guilty - acquitted
The finding and sentence stated by the court during the proceeding is found following the prosecution's closing address.

Charge: Committing a war crime, in that they together at Singapore between 1 Jan 44
and 29 Feb 44 in violation of the laws and usages of war planned, prepared, aided and took part in and/or failed to prevent, supervise or control the arrest confinement, beating, torture and other maltreatment of Lee Keok Leong, Lee Tee Tee and Lee Eng Tong civilian residents of Singapore in consequence whereof the said persons suffered permanent injury and were weakened in health and body and the said Lee Tee Tee and Lee Eng Tong were so injured and weakened that their deaths were caused and/or contributed to thereby.

Facts relating to the charge:
The accused were members of the Kempeitai stationed at Oxley Rise, Singapore. In January 1944 information was received that a POW had escaped in a boat and that certain Chinese civilians had assisted the escape. Acting on orders from accused 1, who were then the senior NCO and 2 i/c, accused 3 and 5 arrested Lee Keok Leong, Lee Tee Tee and Lee Eng Tong and brought them to Oxley Rise Police Station. There they were interrogated, tortured and beaten in an effort to compel them to give information relating to the escape of the POW.
The interrogation and torturing lasted for a period of 3 weeks after which the Chinese were taken to Outram Road Gaol and later to the Supreme Court where they were sentenced to terms of imprisonment. Subsequently Lee Tee Tee and Lee Eng Tong died, the former in July 1944 and the latter in Feb 1945. The survivor, Lee Keok Leong, related to the Court the various methods of torture to which the 3 Chinese were subjected and evidence was given of the recovery from Outram Road Gaol of the body of Lee Tee Tee showing signs of such ill-treatment and torture.

Accused handling of the charge: Accused 1 admitted that he was in charge of the Kempeitai at Oxley Rise but denied all knowledge of or participation in the ill-treatment of the Chinese.
Accused 3 admitted having taken part in the beatings of two of the Chinese.
Accused 4 and 5 denied taking part in the incidents forming the subject of the charge.
All these accused were vague and evasive in their evidence. They blamed one another and other members of the Oxley Rise Staff. It was contended that the story of Lee Keok Leong was a fabrication, that their methods at Oxley Rise Police Station were humane and that all interrogations were carried out without ill-treatment except for an occasional beating by accused 3.

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Re: Japanese Trials

#19

Post by ansata1976 » 12 Jul 2009, 19:53

Hong Sa-ik

Hong Sa-ik was born in Anseong, Gyeonggi-do, Korea. He entered the Korean military academy in 1905. In 1909, the academy was disbanded as the result of the Eulsa Treaty that made Korea a protectorate of Japan, and in the following year Korea was fully annexed into Japanese borders. Hong entered the Central Military Preparatory School in Tokyo, Japan together with Korean Crown Prince Euimin per orders of former Emperor of Korea Gojong. He moved on to the Japanese Army Academy and graduated with the 26th class in 1914. In 1923, he graduated from the Army War College.

In the early 1920s, Hong was contacted by Ji Cheong-cheon, a leader of Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea based in Shanghai, China. Hong refused to defect, but maintained contact with members of the group for years to come.

Between 1939 and 1940, Hong served with the China Expeditionary Army and fought in the early stages of the Second Sino-Japanese War that began in Jul 1937. Between 1940 and 1941, he served with the 1st Depot Division. In 1941, he became the commanding officer of the 108th Infantry Brigade at the rank of major general. In Mar 1944, he was transferred to the 14th Area Army and was given charge of all prisoner-of-war camps in the Philippine Islands. In Oct 1944, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general.

After WW2, Hong was imprisoned by the Americans and tried before an Allied military tribunal. On 18 Apr 1946, he was found guilty as a war criminal as he was found responsible for prison guards under his command, both Japanese and Korean in ethnicity, who committed numerous acts of atrocities against American and Filipino prisoners. He was given the death sentence. He was executed by hanging in Sep 1946 in Manila, Philippines shortly after he requested a minister to read to him Psalm 51 from the Christian bible.

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Re: Japanese Trials

#20

Post by ansata1976 » 12 Jul 2009, 19:56

In 1946, the Chinese government held a series of trials against Japanese Army officers for crimes committed in occupied China. In the Nanjing Trials, one of a total of thirteen trials held by Nationalist China (the communists held their own trials against the Japanese), the following four Japanese officers were found guilty and sentenced to death in 1947.

Lieutenant General Hisao Tani
Captain Gunkichi Tanaka
Second Lieutenant Toshiaki Mukai
Second Lieutenant Tsuyoshi Noda


Between 1945 and 1951, over 2,200 trials were held outside of Japan against 5,600 Japanese nationals and Japanese collaborators accused of various crimes. More than 4,400 were convicted, and about 1,000 were sentenced to death.

Between 29 Oct and 7 Dec 1945, an American military tribunal tried General Tomoyuki Yamashita in Manila, Philippines for war crimes. The trial was publicized greatly in the Philippines; Yamashita symbolized the Japanese officers that the Filipinos came to blame for the war time atrocities, and the press build up swayed the public opinion against the Japanese general. He was found guilty and was executed by hanging on 23 Feb 1946 at Los Banos Prison Camp 30 miles south of Manila. His responsibilities for the atrocities as the commanding officer later came to be known as the Yamashita Standard, which set precedence for future war crimes rulings.

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Re: Japanese Trials

#21

Post by ansata1976 » 12 Jul 2009, 20:58

Already in May 1945 there were 1,481 suspects in detention were negotiated in Wewak (2 processes, each with 1 accused), Morotai (25 procedures, 148 defendant, submitted Feb. 1946), Rabaul, and Labuan (Borneo, 16 processes, 145 defendants , submitted 31 Jan. 1946), other Australian tribunals met in Darwin (3, March-April 1946), Singapore (23, 68 defendants, 1946-47), Hong Kong (13, Nov. 1947-December 1948) and of Manus Island (1950-51).
The first procedure, because Menschenfresserei, was held in Wewak with a death sentence on 4 December 1945 to the end.
In Labuan, the conditions in the camp of Miri (Sarawak) trial. Of 1,250 prisoners (mostly British and civilian) nearly 592 died from hunger or any deficiency diseases. The officers of the camp were given the death penalty, but for the junior officers in the 5-year prison sentences were converted. Furthermore, 6 accused officers, 2 interpreters and 37 men, almost all received prison sentences. Because of the indiscriminate killing of 51 prisoners who are on 10 June 1945 outside the camp were at work, a sergeant and 20 members of his guard to death.
Ten of the eleven defendants were due to the crucifixion of Australian pilots on Talaud in February 1945 by a court in Morotai convicted. In Labuan, in December 1945 began a process with 70 defendants, which was accused of, civilians in Kuching (Sarawak) to have abused.
Even bigger was a process (started in Ambon on January 2, 1946), in which 93 camp guards and their officers, the prisoner of war camp Tan Toey between February 1942 and summer of 1945 had abused the process was made. There were 55 acquittals and four death sentences for the Lagerkommandenten as the verdicts on 15 February in Morotai were spoken.
Most tribunals occurred between March 1946 and December 1947 in Rabaul together. Many were denied fair trials to (Denial of Fair Trial), while the Japanese were accused that they had accused improperly executed quickly. The most common accusation against Japanese officers was however, the lack of control over subordinates (command responsibility). In cases where the defendant stated that "at higher command" acted, it was often detected on mitigating circumstances.
In the negotiations against Baba Masao Gen.-Lt. Others dealt with the killing of prisoners of war. Of 2200 mostly Australian prisoners in the camp Sandoekan (Sandakan) to the summer 1944 was a year later, six alive. Many were starved, or on death marches into the 260 km distant Ranau died, there died of 183 arrived within 150 days, the rest was for the sake of simplicity executed. Baba was sentenced to death. Several camp guards (mostly from Formosa) received prison sentences.
All Indigenous residents of Ocean Iceland were on 20 August 1945 slaughtered. After the Japanese surrender them had, was split into five groups, the victims were bound and blindfolded them. Then they were led to cliff and shot. Nine officers were sentenced to death. The others received prison sentences of 20 years. Two teams 7 years, there was an acquittal.
Almost one third (99) of all Australian proceedings dealt with the circumstances under which Indian prisoners of war, of which approximately 32,000 in the case of Singapore in Japan's hands were, had to exist. In 22 processes focused on the fate of Chinese prisoners of war, by the regime of Wang Ching-wei as the Japanese workers in New Britain have been released.
In 1949 found no trials, partly because of disputes with the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers (SCAPE) in Tokyo, although there are about 800 suspects were in custody. About four years detention infringed British legal principles. There were, therefore, between June 1950 to May 1951, the last 113 defendants on the island of Manus spent and trial. This island had been chosen because they are part of Australian territory was the closest to Japan was. Many defendants were from the Sugamo prison convicted after SCAPE had threatened to 1 Nov. 1949, those which do not release them as soon as possible the process would be made. There were 26 Procedures, with 113 defendants instead. It came to 69 convictions, including 13 death sentences, of which 5 were executed.
Of the 644 convicted persons (69.5% of 924 defendants) of all 296 Australian war crimes trials were 496 sentences, 148 death sentences have been like. The majority of procedures (188) were carried out in Rabaul. Of 390 defendants in 266 convicted and 124 acquitted. The prison sentences were all convicted first in Rabaul, and later placed in Manus. The Japanese were there in June 1953 in the Sugamo prison convicted. The Statuory Rule No.. 11 of 1951 allowed the adoption of a quarter of the sentence for good conduct. Since 1955, detainees who are 10 years or one third of their sentence had (which was always less) redundant. All remaining prisoners were at 4 Released in July 1957.When the Japanese surrendered in 1945, Lieutenant General Shimpei Fukuei (also spelt as Fukuye) was the first to be tried for war crimes. He was found guilty for ordering the execution of the four POWs. On 7 April 1946, he was executed, by shooting, at the same spot where the four POWs died.

The Men put on trial in 1947 and 1948 were the first of 20,000 civilian and military former leaders who had either killed prisoners or had participated in the vague crime of instigating the war. While many would endure prison sentences of varying lengths, 900 were executed in trials around Asia.
Nanjing War Crimes Tribunal was established in 1946 by the government of Chiang Kai-Shek to judge four Japanese Imperial Army officers accused of crimes committed during the Second Sino-Japanese War. It was one of thirteen tribunals established by the Nationalist government.
The accused were Lieutenant General Hisao Tani, company commander Captain Gunkichi Tanaka and Second Lieutenants Toshiaki Mukai and Tsuyoshi Noda, made famous by the contest to kill 100 people using a sword.
General Yasuji Okamura was convicted for war crimes in July 1948 by the Tribunal, but was immediately protected by the personal order of Nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek[1], who retained him as a military advisor for the Kuomintang (KMT). [2]
While he was questionned by the investigators, he however testified about the Nanking massacre :
"I surmised the following based on what I heard from Staff Officer Miyazaki, CCAA Special Service Department Chief Harada and Hangzhou Special Service Department Chief Hagiwara a day or two after I arrived in Shanghai. First, it is true that tens of thousands of acts of violence, such as looting and rape, took place against civilians during the assault on Nanking. Second, front-line troops indulged in the evil practice of executing POWs on the pretext of (lacking) rations."
[3]
As Iwane Matsui had been judged by the Tokyo tribunal; Prince Kotohito Kan'in, Kesago Nakajima and Heisuke Yanagawa had been dead since 1945; Isamu Cho had committed suicide and Prince Asaka had been granted immunity by General Douglas MacArthur as member of the imperial family, Hisao Tani was the only officer prosecuted for the Nanking massacre. He was found guilty on 6 February 1947 and executed on 10 March by a firing squad. All the accused were sentenced to death in 1947.
According to the verdict of the Tribunal for Tani, on 10 March 1947, there are «more than 190,000 mass slaughtered civilians and chinese soldiers killed by machine gun whose corpses have been burned to destroy proof. Besides, we count more than 150,000 victims of barbarian acts buried by the charity organisms. We thus have a total of more than 300,00 victims.» [4] This estimate was made from burial records and eyewitness accounts.
The death toll of 300,000 is the official estimate engraved on the stone wall at the entrance of the Memorial Hall for Compatriot Victims of the Japanese Military's Nanjing Massacre in Nanjing.
Between 1946–51, the United States, the United Kingdom, China, the USSR, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, France, the Netherlands, and the Philippines all held military tribunals to try Japanese indicted for Class B and Class C war crimes. Some 5,600 Japanese personnel were prosecuted in more than 2,200 trials outside Japan. Class B defendants were accused of having committed such crimes themselves; class C defendants, mostly senior officers, were accused of planning, ordering, or failing to prevent them.
The judges presiding came from the United States, China, the United Kingdom, Australia, the Netherlands, France, the Soviet Union, New Zealand, India and the Philippines. Additionally, the Chinese Communists also held a number of trials for Japanese personnel. More than 4,400 Japanese personnel were convicted and about 1,000 were sentenced to death.
Last edited by ansata1976 on 14 Jul 2009, 20:15, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Japanese Trials

#22

Post by ansata1976 » 12 Jul 2009, 20:59

In proceedings in the Philippines were more likely than elsewhere to be witnesses, because the country itself had been occupied. There were several cases in which prosecutors, defenders and flogged, for example in the case of the (later acquitted) Kempeitai commanders of Luzon Lt. Matsuta Junzo.

The first negotiations Filippino director began in Manila in November 1947. Including negotiating the first mass of the 13 officers at the devastation of two villages in Cebu 1944 was accused of. The judgments were delayed until February 1949 the Review Board the twelve death sentences confirmed.

The Japanese higher batches were almost all under the command concept resposibility accused. So the crew commander of Manila Lt.-Gen. Yokoyama Shizuo the 35,000 under his command killed civilians have been charged, and the head of Kempeitai Gen.-Maj. Maska Kenshichi.

The predecessor Gen. Yamashita's Shinegi Kuroda, after a 11monatigen negotiated guilty, but to be responsible, that his troops 2800 Filipinos killed and several others were tortured and tormented. Surprisingly, he was only sentenced to life imprisonment.

After 113 days of negotiations, 14 members of Marine convicted because they Infania (Quezon) had committed atrocities. In a separate process was against the responsible Admiral Furuse Takesue negotiated. He was one of the few defendants are "guilty" known. To The 152 deaths to atone, he was hanged.

American troops in Mindanao in February 1947 had a group of Japanese soldiers taken prisoner. 31 of them were accused Menschenfresserei, twelve defendants had confessed. Although the case in June was ready to negotiate, was negotiated in September 1949. Ten defendants were sentenced to death, four were given life imprisonment. Furthermore, there were three acquittals on the whereabouts of the others is unknown.

The final verdict was on 31 December 1949 spoken. Overall, against 169 defendants in 72 cases have been negotiated. 133 (78.7%) were found guilty, while there were 25 death sentences and 17 times for life. The first executions took place under local director in August 1948 instead. Not been negotiated against local collaborators. There were 11 free spells, in 25 cases there was formal reasons no conviction, 182 were also accused for lack of evidence without hearing released and repatriated. The implementation of the procedures was confirmed by the national fiscal crisis and shortly after independence and the beginning of the fight for freedom of Hukbalahap (Huks) is often delayed and hampered.

Until 21 May 1949 found the conclusion of their processes. In a total of 47 negotiations, together against 123 defendants, there were 113 convictions and 10 acquittals. Among the convicted were 30 (26.6%) sentenced to death. Ten of these death sentences have been executed without the death sentences converted There were 16 convictions to life imprisonment
Last edited by ansata1976 on 12 Jul 2009, 21:06, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Japanese Trials

#23

Post by ansata1976 » 12 Jul 2009, 21:01

In preparing the indictments shared much with the Dutchman's services as the British War Crimes Section - SEAC or with her in New Guinea and Borneo, working Australian colleagues. By the end of 1945 was a list of over 200 suspects have been created, mostly camp guards, of which 43 were in detention.

The first procedure in September 1946 ended with a death sentence against a Japanese captain, who had tortured detainees. The brothel operators Washio Awochi was for forced prostitution in the operation of his house under the auspices of the Kempeitai to 10 years in prison.

One is already in Guam sentenced to life Japanese General was the Dutch for further proceedings delivered.

A procedure to Ambon raised legal questions. Motosuke Suske was indicted, the Dutchman Barend executed without a fair trial to have. Since, however, Barend voluntarily to the Japanese side was converted, he had lost his Dutch nationality and was no longer the definition of war crimes to the FEC records. Motosuke was still accused of "incitement to murder by abuse of authority 'imprisonment. In addition, there were still convictions for the death of three Indonesians.

The Vice-Admiral Kamada Michiaki was in Pontianak (Borneo) for the murder of 1,500 inhabitants to death. For the 14 guard to a prisoner camp in Flores DEM 2,000 inmates died, there were four death sentences and prison sentences of three o'clock-15 o'clock years. Colonel confessed Akira Nomura, $ 30 million from the state treasury to have stolen - and unfortunately, he had forgotten where the amount is hidden. He was not only for war crimes, but also because of embezzlement convicted.

Held to have been 16 members of the Marine Police Tokkeikai, Macassar in the mass arrests and torture were carried out. They were not individual acts charged, but the conviction was because they belonged to a criminal organization.

1947 there has been a case against Japanese soldiers who, after the ceasefire on the part of the Indonesian freedom fighters were beaten. They were the accused of breaking the ceasefire.

A total of 448 procedures in 1038 accused persons. Of the 969 convicted persons (93.4%) were 236 (24.4%) sentenced to death. The death penalty in 226 cases was also enforced. Furthermore, there was 28mal life. The courts judged in NI is much stricter than elsewhere.

The trials came in March 1949 for completion, death sentences have been enforced by year end. Condemned Japanese were beginning of 1950 to serve their sentences at the Sugamo Prison in Tokyo over.

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Re: Japanese Trials

#24

Post by ansata1976 » 12 Jul 2009, 21:04

War crimes trials in China against Japanese

The first suspect, usually soldiers or members of the gendarmerie, were in the room Beijing / Tianjin arrested, when the Chinese national government control over these territories won back. Soon it became clear that an enormous number of crimes had taken place. The District Court gave Shanghai on 3 March 1946 announced that 11,889 cases in his area alone were registered for the region was nine days later from 30,000 cases expected.

The first hearing began in Beijing on 10 April 1946 and ended eight days later with four death sentences and even 5 years imprisonment against five Japanese assassins.


Lieutenant General Isogai RensukeIn Nanking was against the former governor of Hong Kong Gen.-Lt. Isogai Rensuke negotiated. He was accused of public health through the sale of opium to undermine it. Moreover, he was accused, that his troops had to move to Nanking. These crimes against the peace wore him a life imprisonment punishment.

Under the principle of responsibility of a commander, which is still wider than in the trial of General Yamashita was designed, it came to sentencing by Takashi Sakai, who as commander in China since 1931 for a variety of crimes has been made. His public execution took place on 30 September 1946.

Gen.-Lt. Tani Hisao (谷寿夫; 1882-1948) was launched in March 1947 as alleged perpetrators of the Nanking massacre and indicted after a month of negotiations to death.

The process in Shanghai against the Army General Chief Okamura Yasutsugu and in China from January 1945 there was special attention. He was not only a stripping of the puller behind the government of Wang Ching-wei, but it also breaches Article 46 of the Hague Regulations by his subordinates accused. The prosecutor demanded the death penalty. The proceeding was postponed because of a serious illness of the accused stopped for several months. At the sentencing in January 1949, Okamura surprisingly acquitted for lack of evidence, as the responsibility of the court-Chief (command responsibilty) not wanted to see. It is not excluded that this is a politically motivated act acquittal, since Japan at that time by the will of its American occupiers already become a bulwark against communism should be developed.

Chinese prosecutors appeared before the courts of other Allied on. In Yokohama, they sat as judges in several military commissions, if for crimes against Chinese victims was negotiated. The final process took place in March 1949, in Hankow, Peking and Canton, they were due to the liberation of these cities earlier terminated.
In 605 procedures was tested against 885 defendants negotiated. Of these 504 were convicted, while 149 death sentences (29.7%) and 83 times for life existed. What is striking, with 350 the high number of acquittals, against 29 defendants, the procedure is not completed, since these can not be found or had fled, or the indictment was withdrawn.

In February 1949 were 260 prisoners at SCAPE shipped and in the Tokyo Sugamo Prison over.

In August 1952, ratified the Japanese and the Chinese national government, since 1949 only the province of Taiwan dominated a peace treaty in which "China" on its peace treaty in San Francisco warranted privileges and renounced reparations. The remaining 88 convicts were immediately released.

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Re: Japanese Trials

#25

Post by ansata1976 » 12 Jul 2009, 21:05

War crimes trials of Guam

Principle was not recognized the defense, "at higher command" acted, she could be considered as mitigating factor taken into account. The Marine Minister ordered 1946 that each death sentence for the offenses "to higher command" were done in a lifelong prison sentence was converted.

The first court met on 7 December 1945 on Guam, but on the U.S. naval base from Kwajalein (Marshall Islands) together. Was negotiated against five Japanese naval officers for the murder of three prisoners of war. Rear Admiral Masuda Nisuke committed suicide before negotiations start and left a farewell letter in which he stated that the executions of the three to have ordered. Three of the remaining defendants were sentenced to death, a prison warder was 10 years forced labor.

In the case against Lieutenant General Yoshio Tachibana and eleven other because of the beheading of a prisoner of war in February 1945 on Chichi Jima (Bonin Islands) was the indictment on murder. The general was also accused of cannibalism on executed, what this also acknowledged. One conviction was therefore not, as the "Procedures" - in contrast to the in Wewak for Australian current processes - the jurisdiction over such a "primitive" crimes not included. The defendants were only due to "forgotten obligation against the fixed rules of international humanitarian law 'imprisonment. The officers were particularly accused that they are superior than their responsibility only are insufficient to fulfill.


As war criminals sentenced to death a soldier in the Japanese sentence by military commission of the two-time U.S. NavyNach went in December 1947 the trial of the former commander of the naval hospital on the Truk Islands at the end. Hiroshi Iwanami Hauptangeklagten the accused was that he have received eight American prisoners of war, by attempts on the cruelest people tortured to death. He was shot to death by convicted, the verdict also enforced. 18 other defendants received prison sentences of 10 years, even life imprisonment.

The largest process on Guam, 20 military personnel accused of Babaelthuap on the island (Palau) ten civilians "slaughtered barbaric" to have. There were two acquittals.

In the case against Rear Admiral Shigematsu Saikaibara Others there are eleven death sentences and five prison sentences for the defendants involved in the murder of 98 civilian employees of the Pan Am on the Wake Island 1943 were involved.

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Re: Japanese Trials

#26

Post by ansata1976 » 12 Jul 2009, 21:08

War crimes trials in Indochina

As the Court has determined Saigon. Crimes such as driving a war of aggression " and" crimes against humanity "were not indicted, but individual (mass) murder, rape, mistreatment of prisoners of war, etc.

Documentation on individual processes in order to reflect the evolving situation of civil war barely received. Expected end of December 1949 will have many more suspects their process. Executions still took place in March 1951 instead.

If known, were in 39 procedures of 230 accused 198 (86.1%) convicted. It came to 63 death sentences of which 26 were executed. The convictions of 37 defendants were in absentia.

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Re: Japanese Trials

#27

Post by ansata1976 » 14 Jul 2009, 20:17

Marquis Tadashige Daigo (Daigo Tadashige?, 15 October 1891 – 6 December 1947) was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.

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Born in Chiyoda, Tokyo into a kuge family of court nobility related to the Fujiwara aristocracy, Daigo was a graduate of the Gakushuin Peers' school. He went on to graduate from the 40th class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1912. His rank on entering was only 126th out of 150 cadets, but he improved his scores, so that he graduated at 17th out of 144. Daigo served as midshipman on the cruiser Azuma and battleship Shikishima. As an ensign, he was assigned to the cruiser Tokiwa.After his promotion to sub-lieutenant in 1913, he took time out to attend a session of the House of Peers as was obligatory for members of his social class. He then returned to active service on the battleship Kongō and destroyer Urakaze.Daigo was promoted to lieutenant in 1918, and after taking courses in torpedo warfare, was assigned to submarines, serving on SS-26, and then becoming captain of SS-27, followed by SS-57. He also served on the Aso in 1924. After promotion to lieutenant commander in 1924, he was captain of Ro-64 in 1926, and chief torpedo officer on the Yamashiro later the same year.In the 1930s, Daigo was captain of a large number of ships in rapid succession: Yubari, Naka, Kuma, Iwate, Tokiwa, Yakumo, Ashigara. He was promoted to rear admiral on 15 November 1940.Daigo commanded Submarine Squadron 5 (Subron5 with flagship light cruiser Yura, and submarines I-59, I-60, I-62, I-64, I-65, I-66) at the start of the Pacific War. At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Subron5 was covering the first wave of the Malaya Invasion Force south of the Cape of Camau, French Indochina.On 9 December 1941, Subron 5 was ordered to pursue and sink the Royal Navy Force Z (the Royal Navy battleship HMS Prince of Wales, battlecruiser HMS Repulse and supporting destroyers). Although Yura received word from I-65 that the British ships were spotted, due to poor wireless reception, the signal was unclear and the British vessels were overwhelmed by torpedo bombers of the 22nd Air Flotilla from bases in Indochina before Yura and her submarines could take action.Subron5 was then assigned to the invasion of Sarawak from 13 – 26 December 1941, covering landings in Brunei, Miri, Seria, and Kuching. The 2,500 men of the "Kawaguchi Detachment" and the No. 2 Yokosuka Special Naval Landing Force (SNLF) quickly captured Miri's airfield and oil fields. The operation was completed, and Yura returned to its base at Camranh Bay, Indochina by the end of the year.Subron5 was also part of the advance screening force for the Battle of Midway.Daigo became vice admiral on 1 November 1943. He was assigned command of the Eastern Attack Group which carried out midget submarine and merchant shipping attacks on the east coast of Australia.[3]Vice Admiral Tadashige Daigo, seated in uniform, with members of his staff and kaiten pilots (with bandanas) of I-36Daigo was Commandant of the Naval Submarine School from 23 August 1944 and final Commander in Chief of the IJN 6th Fleet from 1 May 1945. During these assignments, he was involved in the kaiten human-torpedo program.After the end of the war, Daigo was arrested by SCAP authorities at the request of the Netherlands government, and was extradited to Batavia in the Dutch East Indies, where he was charged with war crimes in connection with the Pontianak Incident. After being held for several months under severe conditions, he was found guilty in a closed military tribunal at Pontianak after only three hours of testimony, during which time he was not allowed to speak in his own defense, and was executed with a rifle shot to the stomach on 6 December 1947. As Daigo was commander of submarine forces, (although from 8 November 1943 the 22nd Special Guard Division based at Balikpapan, Borneo fell nominally under his command), his connection (if any) with the events in Pontianak from 23 April 1943 – 28 June 1944 remain very unclear. Whereas other "Class B" war criminals found guilty of professional negligence for atrocities committed by junior staff under their nominal command were sentenced to several years in prison, the speed and secrecy surrounding his trial, and the severity and brutality of his punishment, have created questions which remain unanswered.


Takashi Sakai ( Sakai Takashi, 18 October 1887 – 30 September 1946) was a lieutenant general in the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II, known for his brutal conquest of Hong Kong in late 1941.

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Sakai was born in Kamo District, Hiroshima, now part of Hiroshima city. He was educated in military preparatory schools in Kobe and Osaka and graduated from the 20th class of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy in 1908, whereupon he was as assigned to the IJA 28th Infantry Regiment. He graduated from the 28th class of the Army Staff College. He was promoted to major in 1924 and lieutenant colonel in 1928. In 1928, Sakai was stationed in Jinan, Shandong Province, China with the IJA 12th Infantry Regiment during the Jinan Incident and is believed by some Chinese historians to be responsible for the murder of Kuomintang army emissaries during negotiations on 4 May 1928. He was transferred to the Tientsin Garrison from 1929-1932.In 1932, Sakai was promoted to colonel and was assigned to the 5th Section military intelligence of the 2nd Bureau of the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff from 1932-1934.As Chief of Staff of the Japanese China Garrison Army from 1934-1935, Sakai orchestrated a series of armed conflicts, which resulted in an armistice with the Chinese government which essentially gave Japan control of Hebei Province. He became commander of the IJA 23rd Infantry Regiment in 1936.Sakai was promoted to major general in 1937 and was appointed commander of the IJA 28th Infantry Brigade. He became a lieutenant general in 1939, and was assigned to the Coordination Bureau, Asia Development Group, Mengjiang Board from 1939-1940. He was also assigned to the Mongolia Garrison Army at this time.Recalled to Japan in 1940, Sakai was briefly appointed commander of the Imperial Guards Depot Division. Sakai was commander of the IJA 23rd Army stationed in Canton in November 1941. He was ordered to use the IJA 38th Division, which was normally under the Southern Expeditionary Army Group to capture Hong Kong, and was given a 10 day time limit.On 8 December 1941, a few hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese forces commanded by Sakai, and his chief of staff Tadamichi Kuribayashi, invaded Hong Kong. However, the subsequent Battle of Hong Kong did not proceed as quickly or as smoothly as Sakai had planned, and he was forced to request an extension to his deadline. British governor Mark Aitchison Young surrendered all British forces in Hong Kong on 25 December 1941 after 18 days of fighting. Sakai’s frustrations over the unexpectedly strong British resistance may have been reflected by the extreme brutality which characterized the campaign and subsequent occupation. Sakai served as Japanese Governor of Hong Kong until 20 February 1942. He was recalled to Japan, and retired from active service in 1943.After the end of the war, Sakai was accused of war crimes at the Chinese War Crimes Military Tribunal of the Ministry of National Defense in Nanking, and sentenced to death on 27 August 1946. Sakai was executed by firing squad on 30 September.
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Re: Japanese Trials

#28

Post by ansata1976 » 14 Jul 2009, 20:18

Michiaki Kamada ( Kamada Michiaki, January 15, 1890 - October 18, 1947) (surname often written as Kamata) was a Vice-Admiral of the Imperial Japanese Navy and saw service in the Pacific Theatre of World War II.

Kamada was a native of Ehime prefecture in Shikoku island, Japan. He graduated from the 39th class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1911, ranked 95th out of a class of 148. His fellow classmates included future admirals Takeo Takagi, Chuichi Hara, Shigeyoshi Miwa, and Sadamichi Kajioka. He served his midshipman duty on the cruisers Aso and Iwate, and as a sub-lieutenant on Shikishima, Izumo, battlecruiser Tsukuba and destroyer Katsura. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1918, serving first on the battleship Mutsu before being assigned to the survey ships Musashi and Yamato. He became chief gunnery officer on the battleship Ise in February 1924. After his promotion to lieutenant commander in December 1924, he served on Kiso and Abukuma before receiving his first command, the destroyer Hozu on November 30, 1929. .[2]After his promotion to commander in December 1930, Kamada served as executive officer on Hiei from November 1934. He was promoted to captain in November 1935, and became captain of Tenryu. He subsequently commanded the Izumo, Kako, Ashigara and Yubari. Appointed to the Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff from October 1940, he was stationed on Japanese-occupied Hainan island.Kamada was promoted to rear admiral on October 15, 1941. He served on the staff and commanded forces of the Japanese 8th Fleet in New Guinea from October 1942 to December 1943. On August 23, 1944 Kamada took command of Japanese naval forces, designated the 22nd Naval Special Base Force, based in Balikpapan, Borneo, making him the military governor of Dutch Borneo. Kamada's forces were subsequently involved in the Borneo Campaign of 1945. He was promoted to vice admiral on May 1, 1945.Kamada surrendered his forces to Australian Major General Edward James Milford aboard the Burdekin on September 8, 1945.After the surrender of Japan, a Dutch military court in Pontianak convicted him of war crimes for the executions of 1,500 west Borneo natives in 1944 and the ill treatment of 2,000 Dutch POWs held on Flores Island. Kamada was sentenced to death and was executed on October 18, 1947.



Seishirō Itagaki (Itagaki Seishirō, 21 January 1885 – 23 December 1948) was a General in the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II and a War Minister.

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Itagaki was born in Morioka city, Iwate prefecture into a samurai class family formerly serving the Nanbu clan of Morioka han. He graduated from the Imperial Japanese Army Academy in 1904. He fought in the Russo-Japanese War in 1904-05.From 1924-1926, Itagaki was a military attaché assigned to the Japanese embassy in China. On his return to Japan, he held a number of staff positions within the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff during 1926-1927 before being given a field command as commanding officer of the IJA 33rd Infantry Brigade based in China. His brigade was attached to the IJA 10th Division from 1927-1928. Itagaki was then transferred to command the IJA 33rd Infantry Regiment in China from 1928-1929, under the aegis of the Kwantung Army.After the war, he was taken into custody by the SCAP authorities and charged with war crimes, specifically in connection with the Japanese seizure of Manchuria, his escalation of the war against the Allies during his term as War Minister, and for allowing inhumane treatment of prisoners of war during his term as commander of Japanese forces in Southeast Asia. He was found guilty on counts 1, 27, 29, 31, 32, 35, 36 and 54 and was condemned to death in 1948 by the International Military Tribunal for the Far East. Itagaki was hanged on 21 December 1948 at Sugamo Prison, Tokyo.
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Re: Japanese Trials

#29

Post by ansata1976 » 14 Jul 2009, 20:20

Moritake Tanabe (Tanabe Moritake, 26 February 1889 – 10 July 1949) was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II.

A native of Ishikawa prefecture, Tanabe graduated from the 22nd class of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy in 1910 and from the 30th class of the Army War College (Japan) in 1918.After serving as instructor at the Toyama Army Infantry School from 1933-1934, Tanabe served as Chief of the Economic Mobilization Section in the Ministry of War. He returned to the field to command the IJA 34th Infantry Regiment from 1936-37, before returning to the Toyama Army Infantry School as its Commandant. With the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937, Tanabe was appointed Chief of Staff of the IJA 10th Army. He served as commandant of the Tank School in 1938, and returned to the field as commander of the IJA 41st Division in 1939 and as Chief of Staff of the Japanese Northern China Area Army in 1941.Tanabe was recalled to Japan from 1941-1943 to serve as Vice Chief of the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff, and was in this position at the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, which he had strenuously opposed. Once the war began, he favored a defensive strategy of luring the Allies into campaigns in areas away from their bases in hopes of stretching their supply lines to Japan's advantage. He was instrumental in helping put an end to the disastrous attrition of Japanese forces at Guadalcanal. As conditions began to deteriorate for Japan along its southern front in the Pacific War. Tanabe was dispatched to Japanese-occupied Sumatra in the Netherlands East Indies to take command of the 25th Army under the Japanese Seventh Area Army at Fort de Kock, in April 1943. He remained at this post for the remainder of the war.At the end of the war, he was arrested by Dutch authorities in Medan and faced a military tribunal which accused him of war crimes in connection with the treatment of Allied prisoners of war. He was sentenced to death on 30 December 1948 and executed in 1949.


Masaomi Yasuoka ( Yasuoka Masaomi, 21 July 1886 – 12 April 1948) was a lieutenant general in the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II.

Yasuoka was a native of Kagoshima Prefecture, and graduated from the 18th class of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy in 1906 and from the 26th class of the Army Staff College in 1914. After serving in a number of staff positions, he was assigned to the IJA 51st Infantry Regiment, rising to become its commander by 1922. The following year, he became Chief of Staff of the IJA 9th Division, and that of the IJA 16th Division in 1927.After having served as commander of the IJA 49th Infantry Regiment from 1930-1932, Yasuoka was transferred to be Chief of Staff of the IJA 5th Division in 1932. In 1935, Yasuoka was promoted to major general and given command of the IJA 30th Infantry Brigade. After having served two years (1936 and 1937) as Commandant of the Armored Warfare School, Yasuoka was promoted to lieutenant general and was made commander of the IJA 1st Independent Mixed Brigade.With the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War, Yasuoka's expertise in armored warfare was recognized when he was made commander of the Yasuoka Detachment, an armored task force of the Kwangtung Army, organized for the Japanese July 1939 offensive of the Battle of Khalkhin Gol. However, the battle proved to be a disaster for Japan, and Yasuoka was relieved of command on 9 July 1939 and his detachment was dissolved.Yasuoka was assigned command of the 3rd Depot Division to 1941, whereupon he resigned from the Army and officially retired.However, from 1942-1945, Yasuoka agreed to accept the post of military-governor of Surabaya in Japanese-occupied Java, Netherlands East Indies. He held the post until the surrender of Japan, whereupon he was arrested by Dutch authorities and tried before a military tribunal for war crimes. He was condemned to death, and executed on 12 April 1948.
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Re: Japanese Trials

#30

Post by ansata1976 » 14 Jul 2009, 20:21

Shigematsu Sakaibara ( Sakaibara Shigematsu?, December 28, 1898 - June 18, 1947) was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy and the Japanese garrison commander on Wake Island during World War II.

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A native of Yamagata prefecture in northern Japan, Sakaibara was a graduate of the 46th class of the Imperial Japanese Navy Academy in 1918, placing 36th in a class of 124. He served his midshipman tour on the cruiser Tokiwa, and after commissioning as an ensign was assigned to Hirado. He later served on the destroyer Kaba and battleship Mutsu.As a sub-lieutenant he served on the Iwate and after his promotion to lieutenant on December 1, 1924, he was assigned to the Hiei, Yura, and Sendai. He was chief gunnery officer on the Tatsuta. Promoted to lieutenant commander in 1930, he served as chief gunner officer on Takao in 1934, followed by Mutsu in 1935. He was executive officer on Chikuma in 1939. After his promotion to captain in 1940, he served on a number of staff positions.After the Battle of Wake Island on December 23, 1941, Sakaibara was appointed garrison commander of the Japanese occupation force. Fearing an imminent attempt by American forces to retake the island, Sakaibara ordered the American prisoners of war to build a series of bunkers and fortifications. However, instead of attempting an amphibious invasion, the United States Navy established a submarine blockade, causing the Japanese garrison to starve. United States forces bombed the island periodically from 1942 until Japan's surrender in 1945.On October 5, 1943, aircraft from USS Yorktown bombed Wake Island. Two days later, fearing an imminent invasion, Sakaibara ordered the execution of the 98 civilian prisoners remaining on Wake Island. They were taken to the northern end of the island, blindfolded and machine-gunned. One prisoner (whose name has never been discovered) escaped, but was recaptured and personally beheaded by Sakaibara.Sakaibara was promoted to rear admiral a year later, on October 15, 1944. The Japanese garrison on Wake Island formally surrendered to the United States on September 7, 1945.After the war, Sakaibara was taken into custody by the American occupation authorities, extradited to Guam, and sentenced to death by a military tribunal for war crimes in connection with his actions in the "Wake Island Massacre". He was hanged on June 18, 1947.


Kōsō Abe ( Abe Kōsō, 24 March 1892 – 19 June 1947) was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.

A native of Yamagata prefecture in northern Japan, Abe was a graduate of the 40th class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1912. He ranked 73rd out of 144 cadets. He served as midshipman on the cruisers Azuma and Yakumo from 1912-1913, and after commissioning as an ensign in 1915, was assigned to the cruiser Izumo. He returned to naval artillery and torpedo school later that year, and did not graduate until late 1917, so he was unable to participate in combat operations in World War I. As a lieutenant from 1918, lieutenant commander from 1924, and commander from 1930, he served as chief gunnery officer on the destroyers Yamakaze, Akikaze, battleship Yamashiro, cruiser Asama, and battleship Nagato, cruisers Naka, Ashigara, battleship Haruna and Hyūga. He was promoted to captain on 15 November 1934.Abe was given his first command on 15 November 1935, the cruiser Jintsu. He subsequently served as captain of the Naka, Tenryū, Mikuma, Myōko, Hiei in the 1930s.Abe was promoted to rear admiral on 15 November 1940. He commanded the transport division for the Port Moresby Invasion Force in abortive Operation Mo during the Battle of the Coral Sea. From 27 December 1943 until 25 April 1945, Abe was Commandant of the Tateyama Naval Gunnery School in Tateyama, Chiba, Japan. Until the end of the war, he served as a commander of base units at Sasebo Naval Base in Kyūshū, Japan.After the war, Abe was arrested by SCAP authorities and charged with war crimes, largely based on witness testimony regarding the Makin Raid Incident. Abe was extradited to Guam, where a military tribunal convicted him of "violation of the law and custom of war and the moral standards of civilized society." Abe was executed by hanging on 19 June 1947 on Guam.


Hisakazu Tanaka (Tanaka Hisakazu, 16 March 1889 - 27 March 1947) was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army, and head of the Japanese occupation force in Hong Kong in World War II.

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Tanaka was a native of Hyōgo Prefecture, and graduated from the 22nd class of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy in 1910 and from the 30th class of the Army War College (Japan) in 1918. He served in various bureaucratic staff positions within the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff from 1919-1920, and was sent as a military attaché to the United States from 1923-1924.After his return to Japan, he continued to serve in various staff positions, except for a brief stint as commander of the 1st Imperial Guards Regiment from 1935-1937. He was promoted to major general at the end of 1937, and briefly assigned as Chief of Staff of the Taiwan Army in 1938.However, with the increase in activity in China due to the Second Sino-Japanese War, Tanaka was quickly reassigned to become Chief of staff of the Southern Expeditionary Army in 1938, and Chief of staff for the Japanese Twenty-First Army from 1938-1939.Tanaka returned to Japan briefly from 1939-1940 to serve as Commandant of the Toyama Army Infantry School, but soon returned to the field as a lieutenant general and commander of the IJA 21st Division from 1940-1943. He became commander in chief of the Japanese Twenty-Third Army in China from 1943-1945.Concurrently, from 16 December 1944 to the end of the war he was Governor-General of Hong Kong during the Japanese occupation.At the end of the war, he was arrested by the American occupation authorities and tried before an American military tribunal held in Shanghai in 1946 for his role in the extrajudicial execution of Allied prisoners of war. He was found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging. However, he was then turned over to a Kuomintang military tribunal at Nanjing for war crimes in connection with his command responsibility for the IJA 23rd Army in China. Found guilty, he was executed by firing squad in 1947.
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