Page 29 - MaterialsTrial-JapaneseArmy-1950
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bacteriological weapons had been completed, orders were received from the Ministry for War
to increase the output of bacteriological weapons. I, accordingly, took all the measures
necessary to carry out these orders.
I remember that in this connection I instructed the Chief of the 1st Operations Division
Matsumura to take measures through the Strategical Division to ensure the production of
various kinds of bacteria in conformity with the orders received. At the same time I ordered
that Detachment 731 be supplied with the necessary number of specialist officers and with
the necessary equipment.
With reference to the work of Detachment 100 in preparing to conduct bacteriological
warfare, I must say that Detachment 100 was charged with the duty of carrying out sabotage
measures, i.e., infecting pastures, cattle and water sources with epidemic germs. In this part
of its work, Detachment 100 was closely connected with the Intelligence Division of the
Kwantung Army Headquarters. Bearing in mind the general function of Detachment 100, I
knew that the detachment was conducting the necessary work in producing bacteriological
weapons, and was also studying methods of employing them.
I did not, however, know how this work was proceeding practically, as all these questions
were directly dealt with by the Intelligence Division under my command. In particular, I do
not remember having received reports about the bacteriological reconnoitring operations
carried out in the districts of the North Khingan Province bordering on the 5oviet Union. I
affirm that all this work was conducted by or-. der of Headquarters of the Kwantung Army
and I do not deny responsibility for it, as these operations were conducted at the time that I
was Commander-in-Chief of the Kwantung Army. I do not deny that Detachment 100, the
aims and objects of which were also to prepare for conducting bacteriological warfare,
conducted researches to devise concrete methods of carrying out sabotage measures and
made active preparations to carry out this sabotage against the Soviet Union, which followed
logically from its practical functions; but I was not fully informed about this part of its work.
With the object of testing the effectiveness of the bacteriological weapons produced by
Detachment 731, the detachment performed experiments in using these weapons on human
beings under laboratory conditions and also under field conditions approximating to combat
conditions. Detachment 731 conducted the experiments under field conditions on a proving
ground especially equipped for the purpose at Anta Station.
I learned about the experiments on living people from the reports submitted by Kitano and
Tamura. Furthermore, I also learned from the cinema film I saw that experiments in testing
the action of bacteriological weapons were performed on living people. From the report
submitted to me by Kitano in November 1944 I learned that experiments on living people
were being made in the proving ground at Anta Station. From the report submitted to me by
Tamura in June 1945 I learned that experimentees were confined in a special prison under the
charge of Detachment 731.
Experiments on living people were sanctioned by my predecessors General Umezu, or
Ueda. On this point, I plead guilty to the fact that, knowing that experiments were being
performed on living people, I permitted them and thereby virtually sanctioned the killing of
Chinese, Russians and Manchurians who were sent for experimental purposes by the
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