Jap Ex-Officer Commits Suicide Arrested for 1942 Killing of Filipino, Takes Poison YOKOHAMA, June 14 – Seichi Kawakani, former Japanese army lieutenant colonel accused of participating in the 1942 slaying of Jose Abad Santos, then acting president of the Philippines, committed suicide at his home near Sendai Wednesday, IX Corps reported to Eighth Army today. Kawakani was arrested at his home June 1 and held in the North Sendai police station. On Wednesday Japanese police allowed him to go home to pick up personal effects before being transferred to Sugamo Prison in Tokyo. There he asked permission to enter the bathroom. He took poison and died in a few minutes.