The Evening Star (December 8, 1945)
First of war trials in Japan will begin December 17 in Yokohama
TOKYO (AP) – The Army announced today the first war criminal trials in Japan will begin December 17 in Yokohama and will be for Japanese accused of atrocities against American prisoners of war.
The trials will be heard by an American military tribunal.
Approximately 300 Japanese military and civilian personnel will be tried in this category of “atrocity” crimes.
These first trials include none of the so-called major suspects, whose war-guilt hearings are scheduled to begin in January.
Wartime Premier Hideki Tojo and his cabinet, who head the major list, have been moved from the Omori prison camp to Sugamo prison, Col. Robert Hardy announced today. Omori now is empty and henceforth only Sugamo will be used. It resembles an American penitentiary, Col. Hardy said.
Homma to go to Manila
Informed sources said Lt. Gen. Masaharu Homma, commander in the Philippines when Japanese soldiers perpetrated the Bataan “death march,” will leave Tokyo for Manila shortly to stand trial as a war criminal.
Homma, who submitted to arrest September 15, has been held in Omori Prison here.
In September, Homma denied he ordered the “death march” but said he was ready as “commander in chief of the Philippine forces to take full responsibility of any acts of my subordinates.”
It was Homma who dictated the surrender terms to Gen. Jonathan Wainwright after the fall of Corregidor.
May try some in Hawaii
Joseph B. Keenan, Gen. MacArthur’s chief prosecutor of those who conducted Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor, indicated some of the plotters might be tried in Hawaii for “murder.” Tojo will not be one of those, however, Mr. Keenan said.
“Certain individuals at Pearl Harbor who were citizens of the United States were murdered December 7, 1941. Their lives were taken with premeditation. That is murder in the United States,” he asserted, adding “if there is any violation of federal statutes involved, there is no reason why we should not try them in Hawaii.”