Page 28 - MaterialsTrial-JapaneseArmy-1950
P. 28

weapons. While inspecting the work of this detachment, I was amazed at the scale on which
               the work was proceeding for the purpose of producing huge quantities of bacteria intended
               for use as bacteriological weapons. After inspecting this work, I approved of it and thereby
               sanctioned its continuation. Thus, while I was Commander-in-Chief of the Kwantung Army,
               detachments 731 and 100, with my knowledge, continued to devise the most effective types
               of bacteriological weapons and to produce lethal bacteria on a mass scale to be used as war
               weapons. I received reports about the progress of this work from my subordinates and in this
               way  was  constantly  informed  about  all  the  preparations  that  were  being  made  to  conduct
               bacteriological warfare. I received these reports from the chiefs of the medical and veterinary
               administrations  to  which  I  have  already  referred,  from  the  Chief  of  Detachment  731,  and
               from  my  subordinate  staff  officers  who  were  directly  connected  with  the  activities  of
               detachments  731  and  100  in  preparing  to  conduct  bacteriological  warfare.  As  regards
               questions concerning the tactical employment of bacteriological weapons, I received reports
               on these from the Chief of Staff, and from the competent officers of the Operations Division.


                  Being informed about the work of these detachments I, as Commander-in-Chief, took the
               necessary measures to ensure that they were in a constant state of preparedness for action.


                  In June 1945, on my instructions, Chief of the Personnel Division of the Headquarters of
               the Kwantung Army, Tamura, inspected the work of Detachment 731. His inspection was
               called for by the necessity of taking proper measures to ensure an increase in the output of
               bacteriological weapons. On the results of this inspection, Tamura submitted a detailed report
               to me.


                  As Commander-in-Chief of the Kwantung Army I, personally, on reports submitted to me
               by the Chief of Detachment 731, approved two of the most effective methods of employing
               bacteriological weapons.


                  In November 1944, the Chief of Detachment 731 Kitano delivered a report to me in the
               presence  of  Chief  of  Staff  Kasahara  Yukio,  Chief  of  the  Operations  Division  Matsumura
               Tomokatsu, and staff officer of the Operations Division Lieutenant Colonel Miyata (Prince
               Takeda).


                  Kitano delivered his report at Headquarters of the Kwantung Army. Kitano, in his report,
               summed  up  the  results  of  the  experiments  made  in  employing  plague-infected  fleas  as  a
               bacteriological weapon. Kitano's report was illustrated with various charts showing the results
               of  the  experiments,  and  with  a  special  cinema  film  demonstrating  experiments  in  causing
               plague infections with the aid of fleas.


                  I approved this report, and the method of using plagueinfected fleas proposed by Kitano
               was regarded as accepted for practical use as one of the types of bacteriological weapons.


                  In the same year, 1944, at the end of July, I read a written report from Chief of Detachment
               731 Ishii, in which the Ishii bacteria bomb and the method of employing it were described. I
               approved this report too and recognized the method proposed in it as effective.


                  In  the  spring  of  1945,  after  the  work  of  devising  the  most  effective  methods  of  using


                                                           28
   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33