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The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926-1954) (about)
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Cite: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2786493
5 corrections, most recently by fwalker13 - Show corrections
(A.A.P.-Reuterr)
LOS NEGROS, Thursday.
Internal organ's of a murdered Australian prisoner of war were removed by two Japanese medical officers in an effort to provide a medical remedy for one of their fellow officers at Idore,
Dutch New Guinea, in 1944.
This was alleged by- the Pro-
secutor, Mr. C. V. Rooney, K.C., When six Japanese, including Lieut.-General Fusataro Teshima, former Commanding Offices of the Japanese 2nd Army, were charged before the War Crimes Court with murder and mutila- tion,
Mr. Rooney described the "case as "incredible." Investigating of- ficers say the facts are among the most horrible ever brought before a War Crimes Court.
Murder victims were a R.A. A.F. officer and a R.A.A.F. non- commissioned officer.
in addition to Teshima, the accused are Lieut.-Colonel Taugio Ryokai, Major Jiichi Kitamura, Captain Yoshihiro Kitamura, Se- cond-Lieut. Tadao Taiira and W/O Mitsuge Shirakwa.
Captain Yoshihiro Kitamura and Tadao Taura are both sep
arately charged with mutilation of the dead as well as jointly
charged with the others with murder.
Teshima, ls also, separately charged with failing to control the conduct of the uui hn < command
Mr looney said t e pics cl ' tion would piodiiLc ( iden e to]
show that immediately attei the,'*
two prisoners wei e t cecuted at 1 Idoic in No\umLer 1941 Medicll
Offlcei Kilamuii assisted h¿ í
Medical Ofncui Taur 1 1 cmoved portion of the livei and gall blad
dots fiom the dend men ]
It appealed this was done on 1 the instigation of Lieut Colonel c .Haruji Taniguchi who was suf j fenng fiom malana and gina a1 ( debility and who chm&hed a bt
lief in the efficacy ol a Tapanese j cuie for internal Ulne^sts
'Incredible Superstition"
The Prosecutor said that were it not for the fact tha't evidence of tnis came trom Medical Ot ficer Yoshihiro Kitamura himself, it would bo incredible that such superstitution could exist in the middle of the 20th century.
Mr. Rooney said it seemed in Japan the gall bladder of a bear was regarded as an infal- lible sedative for internal com- plaints. In.the absence of such a commodity,-Taniguchi resolved to try a human g/11 bladder. »
It was not possible to arraign - Taniguchi, as he died in Japan
in 1947i
Mr. Rooney said that after the two R.A.A.F. mem were captured at Idore, they were -taken into an old bomb crater with their hands tied behind their backs.
Both were shot in the ear, and after. dissection were buried in
the crater. -
Neither received any form of
trial.,.
The prosecutor also said that Teshima had denied knowledge of, the execution, and disputed the. evidence of others who were present:
(But other Japanese said Tes- hima had approved the execution, and subsequently had attempted to suborn the other officers. '
Warrant Officer Shirakawa, who'"was in charge of the exe- cution party, told the court that in addition to two N.C.O.'s, who acted as shooters, two medical officers, and' Yoshihiro Kitamura and T,aura were present at the
execution.
Shirakawa said the two air- men were assisted into a kneel- ing position about six feet apart. They wore not blindfolded, but their hands were tied -in front of them.
. They ware then shot simul- taneously in the head with pis- tols fired by the two Japanese
N'.C.O.'s.
The Australian N.C.O. fell backwards immediately, but the officer remained in a kneeling position with blood flowing from a bullet wound. One of the Japanese surgeons then drew a sword and approached him.
Shirakawa added: "At this point I decided not to witness the second attempt to kill the second Australian captain, so I
turned and walked into the ban ana plantation."
Shirakawa said he subséquent
ly learned from the two .«hooters'] that the''surgeons had dissected ,j tlie bodies. |
Shirakawa srid tint when ha í returned to the prater to hoi» l with the burial, the bodies were i again elad, but the officer's body i seemed te be a bit- sunken . around the ' chest aid the i N.C.O.'s body seemed to be cut I around the face. , i
Shirakawa snid thnt he'-vc,
the pistols were fired at their i heads the two Au ¿i-rä.m« look- i ed at each'other, raided t"->e.i 1 hands to ¡heir che1 ti. bo\ .( d in j
silence" and" died mrrr^eourlr.
Japanese Kempfi 'J>i' o^-V- 1-, < Major Jiiclsi Kit<->-,.i!-r, siid that '<? he was told by hio commanding ' officer, Tan:'rurhi, (V-t" n. t-^e-U phone call h"d! -o.ve tii'-iu^lr from the Second Auvy that two * prisoners we;c io I1? pk^cuI vi. < This was cal ric J cut "the same .
day. - . j
Kitamura snid thit after the
execution he thought the Ans- 1 tralians had died nipndid cZ"-ntr¡ J
Shiralcav/n hnd told him 'V* before the Austr-"'""!" we'-e 'iot
they looked et i ii U u'Vi, "io- - looked up into ibc hr^' <? ?>', j.'t t ( the sign of the cros& and c<pi- 1
posed themselves. ,