Page 30 - MaterialsTrial-JapaneseArmy-1950
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Kwantung Gendarmerie and the Japanese Military Missions which were subordinated to me.
The sending of prisoners to be experimented on, or the so-called "special consignments,"
was also sanctioned by one of my predecessors, Ueda or Umezu. I did not cancel this
sanction either, and the established system of "special consignments" continue-d to operate
while I was in command.-I do not know how many people were killed as a result of these
experiments as I did not enquire.
As regards the training of special cadres to be employed in using bacteriological weapons,
I must say that such cadres were indeed trained by detachments 731 and 100. As these cadres
became trained they were distributed among the branches of the afore-mentioned
detachments and among the units and formations of the Kwantung Army. These cadres were
to be used in wartime for the formation of special bacteriological combat units, which were to
use bacteriological weapons. I do not know how many of these cadres were trained, but I
believe that their number was quite sufficient for the practical employment of means of
bacteriological warfare. •
When hostilities broke out in August 1945, in conformity with my orders, bacteriological
detachments 731 and 100, and their branches, were completely liquidated with the object of
wiping out the traces of the preparations that had been made for conducting bacteriological
warfare. The personnel of the afore-mentioned detachments were withdrawn to Korea.
Question: How was it intended practically to employ bacteriological weapons against the
Soviet Union in the event of the outbreak of hostilities?
Answer: Questions concerning the employment of bacteriological weapons were not
included in plans of operation. However, in connection with the preparations that were being
made for using bacteriological weapons, these questions were studied by the Operations
Division of Headquarters.
I, as Commander-in-Chief of the Kwantung Army, was of the opinion that, in the event of
the outbreak of hostilities against the Soviet Union, bacteriological weapons ought to be used
against the Soviet Union with the aid of aircraft with the object of infecting the rear districts
of the Soviet Union, and by means of sabotage measures to be conducted by Detachment 100.
If hostilities against the Soviet Union had not broken out, the bacteriological weapons
could have been used against the U.S.A. and other countries.
Question: With what object were the 97th and 3rd infantry regiments formed?
Answer: I do not know anything about the existence of these regiments among the units
under my command.
Question: With what object was Ishii reappointed to Detachment 731 in 1945?
Answer: Detachment 731 was of Ishii's making, and that is why he was reappointed chief
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