Page 75 - MaterialsTrial-JapaneseArmy-1950

Upon his return from abroad Ishii became an instructor of epidemiology at the Military
Medical Academy of the Japanese Army in the city of Tokyo.

From this post he was appointed Chief of Detachment 731 in 1936 by an order of the
Japanese Minister for War. His rank at the time was Lieutenant Colonel of the Medical
Service.

In 1931, after returning from his mission abroad, in the circle of his comrades at the
Military Medical Academy, of whom I was one, as well as among authoritative and
influential officers of the Japanese General Staff, Ishii began to propagate Japan's need to
prepare for bacteriological warfare. . . .

Beginning with 1933 Major General Nagata, Chief of the Military Affairs Division of the
Japanese Ministry for War, supported Ishii's idea, and beginning with 1935, also Colonel
Suzuki Yorimichi, Chief of the 1st Section of the Strategical Division of the Japanese General
Staff.

All these circumstances, as well as the fact that Ishii was a big specialist, led to his being
appointed Chief of Detachment 731, and upon taking up this post he began research on
weapons of bacteriological warfare.

As head of a division in the Medical Administration of the Japanese Ministry for War I
went over the order drafted by the Appointments Section of the Personnel Division
appointing Ishii Chief of the above-mentioned detachment. I agreed with this draft order and
visaed it.

Soon after this there followed an order of the Japanese Minister for War appointing Ishii
Chief of the detachment. . . .

Military Prosecutor, Member of the staff

Lieutenant Colonel of the Office of the Ministry

of Jurisprudence DUBTSOV for Internal Affairs

for the Khabarovsk Territory, Lieutenant Colonel PAPKOV

Interpreter TSVIROV

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