Page 308 - MaterialsTrial-JapaneseArmy-1950

personnel of the detachment's branches to teach them the methods of breeding fleas on a mass
scale?

Answer: Yes, that's right.

Question: What were your functions at the time you served in the 3rd Section of the
Mutankiang Branch?

Answer: I served in the 3rd Section as office clerk, and my function was to calculate the
number of rodents required for breeding fleas, and also to keep account of the quantity of
fleas bred.

Question: Tell us, witness, do you know how the fleas were bred?

Answer: Yes, I often had occasion to be in the basement where these fleas were bred, and I
myself saw the equipment with which the fleas were bred. For this purpose they used 18-litre
cans in which the rats were kept.

Question: Where did the 3rd Section send the fleas that were bred?

Answer: The first time, July 24-25, 1945", these fleas were sent to the Harbin Detachment
731, and the second time, on August 4 or 5 of the same year, they were also taken to
Detachment 731 by civilian employee Suzuki.

Question: This, the fleas bred by your branch were sent to Detachment 731 at Pingfan
Station, is that right?

Answer: That's right.

Question: Please tell us now how many cans were used at one time to breed fleas?

Answer: In the 3rd Section 200 benzine cans were prepared for use as cultivators. The first
time 60 cans were used, but this was an unsuccessful attempt. The second time 120
cultivators were used, and the third time 30.

Question: From where did Branch 643 obtain the rodents?

Answer: In June and July 1945, nearly all the privates of Detachment 643 were mobilized
for catching.rats.

Question: How was the catching of rodents organized by the branch?

Answer: Rat catching was most successful in the town of Mutankiang itself. Although the
branch was situated outside the town, soldiers were sent to Mutankiang with the special
assignment to catch rats. I myself saw soldiers who engaged in catching rats in Mutankiang.

308