Homma Laments Fact he Didn’t Try Hara-Kiri MANILA (INS) – Lt. General Masaharu Homma would have committed hara-kiri if he had known beforehand he would be sentenced to death. The former Japanese army leader, now under sentence to be shot for his war crimes, including the infamous “Death March” from Bataan to Camp O’Donnell, wrote his attorney. “I realize now I should have killed myself many months ago if I had known I should come to this.” He expressed profound gratitude for the “tremendous fight” put up in his behalf by his defense staff. Homma pictured himself as a man wronged by propaganda, claiming “God is Heaven” would reverse judgment on him.