Press translations [Japan]. Social Series 0094, 1945-12-18.

Summary:

The following is the story told by Mrs. CHIHANA, Harn, of KOKUTO-Mura, OKINAWA-Ken, upon her arrival at KAMOI reception center at URAGA the other day. It concerns the atrocious conduct of Captain AOKI, a commander of Japanese troops in CEBU, who was so brutal as to slaughter over 20 children in front of the young mother's very eyes. An atrocity shameful to relate, particularly to the mothers of the world.

"My husband was engaged in the shipping business in PAIAU. I was ordered to leave in August last year, so leaving my husband, I went to CEBU with my four children, all under eight years of age, and an elder sister. There I worked at a military goods depot, and shouldering my youngest child, who was two years of age, I dug trenches day and night with soldiers and other Japanese residents. When the enemy landed at CEBU on 6 April, Japanese troops fled deep into the mountains and we were obliged to join the troops of a goods depot under the command of Captain AOKI, although we were a nuisance to them. The Captain gathered us, mothers numbering over ten, on 16 April and said, 'all children under ten years of age will be disposed of tonight, as they are hindrances to battle'. Mothers of over twenty such small children appealed to save them, even at the sacrifice of their own lives, but he obstinately refused to comply. As I could not answer to my husband in PALAU if all the children were killed, I managed to conceal the eldest son in the jungle with the help of my sister and was very uneasy over the fate of the remaining three youngsters.

"The children were aroused at midnight and were given milk, their favourite food. Then we were ordered to go out at the point of a bayonet, so we had to peep into the tent with utmost anxiety. After about one hour cries "Mother" were heard, followed by screams and groans. Forgetting themselves, mothers tried to rush into the tent, but were prevented at the point of bayonets. Glittering in the light of the moon and stars, the faces of the soldiers resembled those of devils. The horrible night was ever.

"Bidding farewell to the young ones in the tent, we started on our journey. It was my sole consolation to see my eldest son Takeo walking through the jungle with eight other children who survived, only because of the kind intervention of sergeant FUJINO, a squad commander. But alas, the tine came when all this was to end. At the beginning of June, Captain AOKI decided to murder these eight children because of food scarcity, saying that the order came from

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ITEM 1 (Continued)

the commanding general, Lieutenant-General ASAMA. At this, Miss MORIGUCHI, Kii, who fled from PALAU with me and later was by force made a concubine of Captain AOKI, together with some soldiers were so kind as to appeal to the Captain for the salvation of these children, but it was in vain; these soldiers were severely punished because they went against an order. While we were secretly conspiring to leave the troops and act independently, we were found, and the eight children were all killed with swords directly in front of the mothers. We tried to approach the poor children, but we were prevented by soldiers, and the children were hurled into a hole and covered with sand. The act was committed so hurriedly that small hands were raised from the sand as if crying for help, showing that some of them were buried half dead.

"Seized with terror and becoming unconscious, I dug with ray own hands, tearing myself away from a soldier's grasp. Soldiers themselves also seemed to be standing aghast with swords smeared by blood. Dead bodies of eight children were dug out, and the mothers threw themselves down in tears."

Full Translation:

The plan for a 50% curtailment in passenger train operations has already been enforced due to the present coal shortage. This affects both express and local trains on the IOETSU and TOKAIDO Lines as well as all the branch line sections. This plan, however, will be extended to all the lines of the Government railway, including the TOKAIDO Line on and after 15 December, according to the Transportation Ministry. Changes will be made as soon as the impending coal situation is improved. For the present, the new time table will be effective until the end of next January. With the busy season of the New Year close at hand, the issuance of tickets will be reduced by approximately 50%. In accordance with this, the restriction on trips by rail and on return tickets will be stricted.

The trains affected in TOKYO are as follows:

• 1.TOKAIDO Line: (from TOKYO) No. 101 train (O93O) for OSAKA, No. 31 train (0910) for MOJI, and No. 241 train (2155) for TOBA have suspended operation.
• 2.TOHOKU Line: (from UENO) No. 133 train (1325) for SHIRAKAWA, No. 403 train (2215) for AOMORI vie OU Line, No. 511 train (0640) for UTSUNOMIYA, No. 515 train (1100) for UTSUNOMIYA, and No. 517 train (1605) for UTSNOMIYA are suspended; Ho. 525 train (1820) for UTSUNOMIYA will change its destination to KOYAMA; No. 527 train (2110) for KOYAMA will be suspended.
• 3.JOETSU Line: (from UENO) An express has already been suspended, No. 719 train (1210) for MINAKAMI will be suspended; No. 707 train (2230) for NIIGATA will be suspended as far as NAGAOKA; No. 717 train (0735) for TAKASAHI will be suspended.
• 4.SHIH-ETSU Line: (from UNNO) No. 317 train (O5CO) for NAGANO will be suspended; No. 303 train (1003) for NAGAOKA will be suspended as far as NAGANO; No. 331 train (2200) for NAOHZU will be suspended - 2 -

•   SOCIAL SERIES: 94 (Continued) ITEM 2 (Continued) as far as NAGANO; 3 trains will change their destinations.
• 5.JOBAN Line: (from UENO) No. 223 train (0550) for SENDAI will change its destination for TAKAHAGI; No. 225 train (0700) for TAKAHAGI, No. 231 train (0940) for TOMIOKA, No. 235 train (1305) for HISAHAMA, No. 245 train (1835) for TSUCHIURA, and No. 205 train (2145) for SENDAI will he suspended respectively; 3 trains will change their destinations.
• 6.CHO Line: No. 415 train (leaving ASAKAWA at 0837) for KOFU will be suspended; No. 417 train (from SHINJUKU at 0810) for NAGANO will be changed and will leave from ASAKAWA for KOFU; No. 401 train (from SHINJUKU at 2230) for NAGANO will be suspended; No. 421 train (from SHINJUKU at 1230) for NAGANO will change its destination for KOEU.

Changes in locals from TOKYO - The curtailment on local trains nearby TOKYO will be enforced on and after 13 December:

• 1.On and after 13 December: KAWAGOE Line from OMIYA at 2210 for KAWAGOE.
• 2.On and after 14 December: TOHOKU Line: from KOYAMA at 0610 for OMIYA, JOBAN Line: from UENO at 0700 for TAKAHAGI; from TAKAHAGI at 1325 for UENO. TAKASAKI Line: from UENO at 0735 for TAKASAKI; from TAKASAKI at 1535 for UENO. KAWAGOE Line: from OMIYA at 0848, 1236, 1420, and 1600 are all for KOMAGAWA; from KAWAGOE at 0535; KOMAGAWA at 1130 and 1420; from HANNO at 1505 are all for OMIYA.

Summary:

In view of the financial difficulty of the people and the present condition of the national treasury. His Majesty the Emperor summoned the Prime Minister Baron SHIDEHARA to the Imperial Palace at 1630 on 1 December. His Majesty gave him instructions to postpone the installation of the Grand Shrine of ISE, and suspend the building of new shrines now under construction.

The periodical installation ritual of the Grand Shrine was established by Emperor TEMMU. According to the legislation erected by the ancient, Ruler, the shrine is to be built anew every 20 years. At the time of the installation of the new shrine, a sublime ritual had been held for more than 15 centuries. It was indeed one of the most important rituals of the state. Recently it was held in 1929. In 1949 the ritual will be held. The new shrine has been under construction. The expenses for its construction were covered by the budget, amounting to 19,000,000 yen, for the fiscal period of 1941 to 1949. The construction now has almost reached the halfway mark.

The Emperor, however, feeling a profound solicitude over the postwar life of the people, has graciously announced the suspension of the lavish construction of the Grand Shrine. We subjects are deeply moved by a sense of gratitude for the boundless solicitude of our Emperor.

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