740.00116 PW/1–2246
The Acting Political Adviser in Japan (Atcheson) to the Secretary of State
No. 222
[Received February 1.]
Sir: I have the honor to refer to this Mission’s despatch No. 117, December 20, 1945,7 and previous despatches enclosing lists of Japanese war crimes suspects detained or ordered detained by General Mac-Arthur’s Headquarters, and to enclose copy of the text of a directive issued to the Japanese Government on January 17, 1946,8 ordering the arrest and delivery to Sugamo Prison of 110 additional war crimes suspects, including seven generals.
It will be noted that five of these generals, Wachi Takaji, Isogai Rensuke, Sakai Takashi, Kagesa Sadaaki, and Tani Hisao, were named by the Chinese Foreign Office in the list of 12 major Japanese war criminal suspects which it submitted to the United States Government through the Embassy at Chungking last October. Of the Chinese list, nine are detained or have been ordered detained by American forces in Japan; Honjo Shigeru committed suicide after having been ordered arrested last November; and Itagaki Seishiro and Kita Seiichi were last reported in British and Russian hands in Singapore and Manchuria respectively.
Respectfully yours,
- Foreign Relations, 1945, vol. vi, p. 986.↩
- Not printed.↩