894.00/11–2645
Report by Mr. Robert A. Fearey, of the Office of the Political Adviser in Japan8
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V. War Criminals
The arrest of 39 war criminals suspects, headed by General Hideki Tojo and including the entire “Pearl Harbor” Cabinet, was ordered by General MacArthur on September 11. General Tojo was placed under the care of the U.S. Army Medical Corps after attempting suicide. Others on the list who were immediately arrested or gave themselves up shortly after were: General Masaharu Homma, commander in the Philippines at the time of the Bataan death march; General Shigenori Kuroda, successor to General Homma as commander-in-chief in the Philippines; Colonel Suzuki, formerly in command of the Shinagawa War Prisoners Camp; and Colonel Kingoro Hashimoto of Panay Incident fame. Among others later ordered apprehended were General Kenji Sawada, Major Hata and Lt. Wamitsu, arrested October 15 reportedly because of their connection with the execution near Shanghai of three Doolittle9 flyers, and Genki Abe, Home Minister in the Suzuki Cabinet, arrested on October 22. A spokesman for the Legal Section of General Headquarters stated on October 22 that the total number tried for war crimes committed in the Pacific might reach 4000.
On November 17 the Japanese Government was ordered to arrest and deliver to the Sugamo Prison Camp the following major Japanese war criminal suspects: Sadao Araki, Shigeru Honjo, Kazunobu Kanokogi, Kuniaki Koiso, Fusanosuke Kuhara, Yoshihisa Kuzuu, Yosuke Matsuoka, Iwane Matsui, Jinzaburo Mazaki, Jiro Minami and Toshio Shiratori. These men, believed to have been among those primarily responsible for the aggressions of 1931, 1937 and 1941, will be held (except Shigeru Honjo who committed suicide on November 20) with others earlier arrested, or who may be apprehended in future, for trial by an international tribunal.
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- Copy transmitted to the Department by the Acting Political Adviser in Japan in despatch 73, November 26; received December 6. Mr. Atcheson described the report as a review of developments in Japan from time of entry of U.S. forces to November 20, prepared principally for the record, together with a chronological appendix.↩
- Brig. Gen. James H. Doolittle commanded squadron which raided Japan, including Tokyo, on April 18, 1942.↩