Page 16 - MaterialsTrial-JapaneseArmy-1950

(Vol. 4,p. 43.) Accused Nishi Toshihide, who had himself seen at the quarters of Detachment
731 a secret documentary film showing the Japanese bacteriological unit in action against
Chinese troops, testified:

". . . The following scenes were shown on the screen: special receptacles being attached to
the planes, with a caption explaining that these receptacles contained plague-infected fleas. ...
An aircraft flying over the enemy's positions. On the ground could be seen Chinese troops in
movement and an inhabited place." Nishi further stated that the film showed the
bacteriological attack itself, and also its conclusion:

"A plane is seen returning to the airfield. This is

followed by the caption 'Operation Concluded.' Ishii

and Ikari alight from the plane. Then comes the caption,

'Results.' A Chinese newspaper is shown on the screen,

with a Japanese translation. The Chinese paper says

that a severe plague epidemic has broken out suddenly

in the Nimpo area." (Vol. 7, p. 58.)

Apart from this testimony of the accused Karasawa and

Nishi, the fact that a special expedition was sent to the theatre

of hostilities in Central China is corroborated by documents

found in the archives of the Japanese Kwantung Army. One

of them was Order No. 659-Hei issued on July 25, 1940,

by General Utnezu, formerly commander of the Japanese

Army, in which the Chief of the Field Railway of the Kwantung Army was directed to
transport a number of personnel of Detachment 731 and a special top-secret freight to Central
China. Another of the discovered documents was Order No. 178 issued in pursuance of this
order on July 26, 1940, by Lieutenant General Kusaba, Chjef of the Field Railway of the
Kwantung Army, which also stressed the especial secrecy of this freight, prescribing in view
of this that its specifications should not be entered in the waybill, and in which the route was
indicated to be Pingfan-Harbin-MukdenShanhaikwan and Tientsin. (Vol. 15, pp. 35-39.)

In 1941, Detachment 731 sent an expedition to theChangteh area in Central China. In the

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