Matsuoka’s Death Announced to Tribunal; Webb Orders Name Stricken From Charge Yosuke Matsuoka, former foreign minister of Japan, and one of the 28 top-ranking Japanese officials accused as war criminals, died at 2:40 am Thursday at Imperial University Hospital, it was announced the same morning to the International Military Tribunal. The news of Matsuoka’s death was told officially by Shunzo Kobayashi, Japanese defense counsel, and Lt. Col. Franklin Warren, American, of the defense counsel. The certificate of death was accepted by the Tribunal, and the President of the Tribunal, Sir William Webb, announced that the indictment against Matsuoka would be discharged. “His name will be stricken from the indictment as accused,” declared Sir William. At the request of counsel for defense, the Tribunal ordered that the family of Matsuoka be permitted to take charge of the body, “subject to any requirements of the supreme commander.” The cause of death was stated officially as “consumption.” Matsuoka attended only the reading of the war crimes indictment. He was removed to the hospital before the trial session started. He had long been known to be in poor health.