Press - Post-War

Reports on the commentary offered by Lt. Robert J. Collins, defense attorney representing Major Yaichi Rikitake at the Yokohama war crimes trials. Rikitake was charged with "the death of 150 allied prisoners." Collins maintained that hearsay evidence admitted through affidavit would never have been allowed in the American court system, but was being allowed at the war crimes trial. Other news items reported on include the sentencing of Isamu Ishihara for torturing American prisoners while serving as an interpreter at Shanghai prisoner camps and the execution of thirteen Japanese convicted of war crimes in Canberra, Australia.

Reports on the admittance of twenty-seven more suspected war criminals to Sugamo prison between May 17 and 23. Lists some of the crimes they are charged with committing.

Reports on the 50-year sentenced given to Lt. Miyoroku Okada ("former Nagoya prisoner of war camp commandant") by the Eighth Army commission in Yokohama. Lists the charges against him. Also states that Lt. Takeharu Hirata (former Fukuoka camp commander) will go on trial on Wednesday and that Lt. James A. Miner "was named to prosecute three Japanese officers who will be tried at Manila for war crimes in the Philippines).

Discusses a report from Sadaichi Yoshimoto (former chief of staff of Japan's Central China Expeditionary Army) to Masataka Yamazaki (minister of war in 1939) that "advocated the blockading of the Yangtze River to 'drive out British influence.'" The report further argued for the use of force to stop Great Britain from aiding Chiang Kai-shek. Other brief news wire service reports discuss the trial of Toshio Takeshita in Yokohama, the "inadequacy" of sentences in Yokohama according to Lt. Gen. Robert L. Eichelberger, and the fact that "Germany urged Japan to start war in 1941" according to Hiroshi Oshima when he relayed his discussions with German Foreign Minister Ribbentrop.

Reports on the selection of 20 attorneys from the United States to help defend Tojo and the other accused Japanese defendants at the International Military Tribunal for the Far East. A brief news wire service article at the end reports that Lt. Nobeyaka Yamaguchi had been sentenced to death by hanging at Rabaul "for the massacre of 200 New Britain residents in August, 1945."