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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
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