Page 89 - MaterialsTrial-JapaneseArmy-1950

of the Office of the Ministry

for Internal Affairs

for the Khabarovsk Territory,

Senior Lieutenant KORSA KOV Interpreter PAKHOMOV

RECORD OF INTERROGATION
OF WITNESS MATSUMURA TOMOKATSU

November 16, 1949 City of Khabarovsk

Witness Matsumura was warned of the penalty for giving false testimony under Art. 95 of
the Criminal Code of the R.S.F.S.R.

Signed: Matsumura

The interrogation is conducted through interpreter Plyachenko, P. P., who was warned of
his liability to prosecution for deliberately false interpretation under Art. 95 of the Criminal
Code of the R.S.F.S.R.

Signed: Plyachenko

Question: When was Detachment 731 formed?

Answer: The detachment headed by General Ishii was formed approximately in 1934 and
was stationed in Harbin.

Question: For what reasons was Detachment 731 formed precisely on the territory of
Manchuria?

Answer: Detachment 731, being a big bacteriological works for research in, and the
preparation of, bacteriological weapons, was formed on the territory of Manchuria because of
strategic considerations, since Japan was preparing for war with the Soviet Union and the
entire activity of this detachment resolved itself into preparing for bacteriological warfare
against the U.S.S.R. Secondly, the expenditures J involved in the formation of this
detachment and with its j researches in evolving bacteriological weapons came under the
general extraordinary war budget of the Kwantung Army; special reports on this budget did
not have to be rendered to parliament, which made it possible to maintain the detachment's
activity in secrecy from persons sitting in parliament and not versed in military matters.

Question: What organizational measures did Detachment 731 carry out in preparing for
bacteriological warfare against the Soviet Union?

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