Press translations [Japan]. Political Series 0065, 1945-12-10.

Full translation:

The Allied Supreme Commander issued a directive to the Government on 6 December for the apprehension of the following nine additional individuals by midnight of the l6th. This directive is understood to be a continuation of the one issued on 2 December and it names Prince KONOE and Marquis KIDO, for many years well known political leaders. In addition to these two from diplomatic circles are bureaucrats of one sort or another, the majority connected with the House of Peers. The total number of Japanese war criminals or suspects directed to be arrested up to date is 286. The present list contains:

Prince KONOE, Fumimaro, Ex-Prime Minister and Member of the House of Peers.

Marquis KIDO, Koichi, Ex-Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal and Member of the House of Peers.

Count SAKAI, Tadamasa, Vice-President of the House of Peers.

Lieutenant General OSHIMA, Ex-Ambassador to GERMANY.

Yscount OKOCHI, Masatochi, Member of the House, of Peers.

OKATA, Taketora, Ex-Minister of State and Member of the House of Peers.

ODATE, Shigeo, Ex-Minister of Home Affairs and Member of the House of Peers.

GODO, Takuo, Chairman of the Central Association of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ex-Minister of Commerce and Industry, Ex-Minister of Railways and Member of the House of Peers.

SUMA, Yakichiro; Ex-Minister to SPAIN.

A directive dated 6 December was issued by General MacARTHUR's Headquarters for the arrest of Marquis KIDO, the Emperor's confidant during the war, Prince KONOE, thrice JAPAN'S Premier, and seven other high ranking leaders of the country. Within a few days after the order for the arrest of 59 leaders in he industrial, political and military fields, the Supreme Commander issued a further directive for the arrest of these nine men by midnight of the l6th.

POLITICAL SERIES: 65 (Continued)

ITEM 1 (Continued)

Lieutenant General OSHIMA, Ambassador to BERLIN since 1938, received the warrant for his arrest within three hours after landing in JAPAN. He is regarded as a principal sponsor of the Tripartite Pact. SUMA, Yakichiro was the Minister to SPAIN. Until quite recently, Marquis KIDO occupied the key office of Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal and was one of those nearest the Throne in the service of the Emperor. It is not known whether previous notice was given the Imperial Household regarding his arrest, but the office of Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal was abolished prior to the issuance of this directive.

Prince KONOE thrice assumed the portfolio of Prime Minister during the period from June 1937 to 194l and was Premier at the time of the so-called CHINA Incident. Immediately before the Pacific War he turned the Premiership over to General TOJO who was War Minister in the third KONOE Cabinet. The Prince was one of JAPAN'S representatives to the PARIS Peace Conference and also was sent over to AMERICA in 1934 on mission of good will.

The arrest order included Admiral GOTO, a well known propagandist and non-combatant admiral, whose sole job was propaganda. Since his retirement from the Navy 15 years ago, he has been active in business and politics and with the outbreak of the war became permanent director of the Imperial Rule Assistance Association.

OGATA, who was Chief Secretary in the HIGASHIKUNI Cabinet, was the President of the Intelligence Bureau during the war. His name is familiar as a newspaper editor. He was appointed a councilor for the Intelligence Bureau in 1934, Minister of State in the KOISO Ministry and President of the Intelligence Bureau under Prince HIGASHIKUNI's Cabinet.

Marquis KIDO is the eldest son of Marquis KIDO, Takamasa and a grandson of KIDO, Koin, the latter a distinguished statesman during the MEIJI Restoration. He entered government service in 1915. After assuming the office of Education Minister in the first KONOE Cabinet, he was made Home Minister under Baron HIRANUMA in 1939 and in 1940 became Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal, which office he retained until its abolution in November of this year.

Prince KONOE was elected Vice-President of the Upper House in 1931, later President. In 1937 he was commanded to form his first cabinet and remained as the head of the Government until his appointment as President of the Privy Council in 1939. He entered the HIRANUMA Cabinet in 1939 as a Minister without Portfolio, and was appointed Prime Minister in 1940. In July 194l he formed a cabinet for the third time and stayed in office until the advent of the TOJO Cabinet in 1941.

ODATE had been an official of the Home Department since 1915. In 1930 he was sent to GENEVA as a representative to the Opium Inquiry Committee. He was made Chief of the General Affairs Bureau of MANCHUKUO in 1934, and was subsequently appointed Mayor of SINGAPORE in 1942, the first Japanese to assume that office. Later he was Chief of the TOKYO Metropolitan Police, then Home Minister in 1944 in the KOISO Cabinet, and last July was made a Councilor for the Intelligence Bureau.

OKOCHI was a professor at the TOKYO Imperial University for a considerable period of time. Subsequently, he took charge of the various enterprises connected with the physical and chemical laboratories there. Allied Headquarters declared that these enterprises played a prominent part in JAPAN's wartime economy. He was made an advisor to the TOJO Ministry in March 1943 and again in July 1944.

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POLITICAL SERIES 65 (Continued)

ITEM 1 (Continued)

OSHIMA was attached to the Embassy in BERLIN in 1936 and was promoted to the rank of Ambassador in 1938. He stayed in BERLIN throughout the war. Before the fall of BERLIN, he took refuge with the Embassy Staff in BAD GASTEIN, BAVIRIA. Captured by the Allies, he was transferred to BEDFORD SPRINGS, GEORGIA. He arrived in TOKYO on 6 December.

SAKAI, Tadamasa, was elected a Member of the House of Peers in 1923. Between 1939-1940 he was Agricultural Minister under General ABE. In 1940 he was made President of the Imperial Agricultural Society and from 1942 to 1944 was General Director of the Political Bureau of the Imperial Rule Assistance Association. In October 1944 he was elected Vice-President of the Upper House.

SUMA, since his appointment as Secretary of the Embassy in LONDON, has filled various important posts abroad including that of Secretary at the BERLIN Embassy, Second Secretary at the Legation in CHINA in 1927, First Secretary at SHANGHAI and Consul-General at NANKING from 1933 to 1937. In 1937 he was a councilor at the Embassy in WASHINGTON, from 1939 to 1940 Chief of the Intelligence Section of the Foreign Office, and finally, Minister to SPAIN from 1940 to 1945.

Full translation:

General YAMASHITA, on trial since 23 October, deserves capital punishment, according to the statements of the prosecution at the end of the trial. Before a recess, five members of the American court martial said a decision will be given on 6 December. Defense ended on 5 December.

At the last stage of the public trial of General YAMASHITA, his defense counsel tried for an acquittal. His counsel, Lieutenant-Colonel PHELHANS said:

"General YAMASHITA was confronted with unavoidable circumstances. Due to interrupted means of communication, he could not keep his men under control."

Captain LANDBARZ spoke next, "The reason why MANILA was not declared an open city was due to the fact that a certain number of Japanese troops were stationed in the city, and defense works had been provided for them. General YAMASHITA at first intended to evacuate MANILA without defending it. This plan was not carried out because Navy units did not obey his order. It is true that a wholesale massacre was committed, but the Japanese unit which carried out the slaughter lived only a few days after that. Moreover, until 17 November 1944, Marshal TBRANCHI, not General YAMASHITA, had command over MANILA. He stayed there from 17 November until 26 December, leaving then for BAGUIO. Hence, General YAMASHITA cannot be made responsible for the massacre."

Meanwhile, Captain Adolph REEL said: "General YAMASHITA had nothing to do with the massacre or maltreatment of the prisoners of war."

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