Page 48 - MaterialsTrial-JapaneseArmy-1950

In the same year, on the orders of former Chief of the Detachment, Kitano Masazo, I
myself visited the detachment's branches in Sunyu, Hailar, Hailin and Linkow for the purpose
of investigating on the spot the possibility of installing at these branches equipment for
cultivating bacteria on a mass scale. In briefing me before my departure on this tour, General
Kitano told me that it was necessary to organize the production of bacteria at the branches,
firstly, in order to increase bacteria output capacity, and secondly, to prevent the stoppage of
bacteria production in the event of the detachment's equipment being put out of action by
enemy aircraft.

As a result of my report, in the same year equipment was sent to the detachment's branches
in Sunyu, Hailin, and Linkow, but what kind of equipment I do not know, nor do I know
whether the equipment was installed.

As a bacteriologist physician and a specialist in the cultivation of bacteria, I attended the
conferences of the officers and scientific personnel that were convened in the detachment,
and at these conferences I reported on methods of cultivating bacteria on a mass scale and of
employing already utilized media.

For the purpose of improving the qualifications of the personnel under my command, I
conducted classes, and in the beginning of 1940 I was a lecturer on bacteriology at courses
organized for new civilian employees who joined the detachment.

Question: What do you wish to add to your testimony?

Answer: I fully realize that Detachment 731 was a criminal organization which
manufactured means for exterminating human beings by barbarous methods prohibited by
international rules.

Serving in the detachment, I was a participant in these criminal activities and committed a
crime against humanity, for which I must pay the penalty.

Realizing this, I have tried from the very beginning of the investigation earnestly and
objectively to reveal the detachment's criminal activities and the part I myself played in them.

I have nothing further to add to my testimony, as in the course of the investigation I have
related all the facts known to me about the detachment's criminal activities.

This record of my statements is correct. The Russian text of the record was read to me in
Japanese.

Kurosawa

INTERROGATORS

Military Prosecutor, Member of the staff

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