Charge vs Shumpei Hagino, et. al. for Japanese Atrocities Committed in Bauan and Taal, Batangas in 1945 - Batangas History, Culture and Folklore Charge vs Shumpei Hagino, et. al. for Japanese Atrocities Committed in Bauan and Taal, Batangas in 1945 - Batangas History, Culture and Folklore

Charge vs Shumpei Hagino, et. al. for Japanese Atrocities Committed in Bauan and Taal, Batangas in 1945

Batangas History
1 Dec, 2017
Several Japanese officers and enlisted men were charged with war crimes committed in the towns of Bauan and Taal, Province of Batangas after the conclusion of World War II in the Pacific. These were 2nd Lts. Shumpei Hagino, Chiyokichi Fukuoka, Shigeru Takahashi; Warrant Officers, Shinkichi Hosaka, Sakakatsu Kato, Ichiro Kobayashi, Tetsusaburo Ito, Rikizo Monma; and Master Sergeants Keiichi Kimura, Masaichi Suzuki and Zenichiro Mogami. The charge and specifications containing details of the crimes they allegedly committed are provided in this page.

The pages contained herein are now declassified and were part of compiled documentation1 of war crimes trials conducted by the United States Military Commission after the conclusion of World War II. This transcription has been corrected for grammar where necessary by Batangas History, Culture and Folklore. To stay relevant to the scope of this web site, the charges against the aforesaid Japanese officers pertaining to towns in Laguna are not included. The pagination are retained for the benefit of researchers as they were stated in Microfilm Reel 97 of the US War Crimes Commission files compilation.

[p. 9]

GENERAL HEADQUARTERS
SUPREME COMMANDER FOR THE ALLIED POWERS

Before the
MILITARY COMMISSION
convened by the
COMMANDING GENERAL
United States Army Forces,
Western Pacific 		UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
vs
Shumpei HAGINO
Shinkichi HOSAKA
Keiichi KIMURA
Sakakatsu KATO
Ichiro KOBAYASHI
Rikizo MONMA
Chiyokichi FUKUOKA
Tetsusaburo ITO
Masaichi SUZUKI
Zenichiro MOGAMI
Shigeru TAKAHASHI

CHARGE

That the following members of the Imperial Japanese Army, with their then known titles:

Shumpei HAGINO, ISN 51J-83548, Second Lieutenant
Shinkichi HOSAKA, ISN 51J-84197, Warrant Officer
Keiichi KIMURA, ISN 51J-120974, Master Sergeant
Sakakatsu KATO, ISN 51J-98685, Warrant Officer
Ichiro KOBAYASHI, ISN 51J-98716,Warrant Officer
Rikizo MONMA, ISN 51J-120720, Warrant Officer
Chiyokichi FUKUOKA, ISN 51J-82588, Second Lieutenant
Tetsusaburo ITO, ISN 51J-115761, Warrant Officer
Masaichi SUZUKI, ISN 51J-124605, Master Sergeant
Zenichiro MOGAMI, ISN 51J-98589, Master Sergeant
Shigeru TAKAHASHI, ISN 51J-94557, Second Lieutenant

at the times and places set forth in the specifications hereto attached, and during a time of war between the United States of America, its allies and dependencies, and Japan, did violate the laws and customs of war.

SPECIFICATIONS

1. In that Shumpei HAGINO, Shinkichi HOSAKA, Keiichi KIMURA, Sakakatsu KATO, Ichiro KOBAYASHI, Rikizo MONMA, Chiyokichi FUKUOKA, Masaichi SUZUKI, Tetsusaburo ITO, and Zenichiro MOGAMI, Members of the Imperial Japanese Army, from about 16 February 1945 to about 18 February 1945, during

[p. 2]

a time of war between the United States of America, its allies and dependencies, and Japan, did, at or near Taal, Batangas Province, Philippine Islands, unlawfully kill and permit members of the Imperial Japanese Army then under their control to kill Irineo ALMANZOR, Eusebio NAVARRO, and about two hundred forty-four (244) other Filipino non-combatant civilians, in violation of the laws and customs of war.

2. In that Shumpei HAGINO, Shigeru TAKAHASHI, Masaichi SUZUKI, Chiyokichi FUKUOKA, Zenichiro MOGAMI and Ichiro KOBAYASHI, members of the Imperial Japanese Army, on or about 28 February 1945, during a time of war between the United States of America, its allies and dependencies, and Japan, did, at or near Bauan, Batangas Province, Philippine Islands, unlawfully kill and permit members of the Imperial Japanese Army under their control to kill Sixto GUERRA, Juanito LIM, and about two hundred (200) other non-combatant Filipino civilians, in violation of the laws and customs of war.

/s/ Alva C. Carpenter
/t/ ALVA C. CARPENTER
Chief, Legal Section
General Headquarters,
Supreme Commander for
the Allied Powers

AFFIDAVIT

Before me personally appeared the above-named accuser this 26th day of July 1946, and made oath that he is a person subject to military law and that he personally signed the foregoing Charge and further that he has investigated the matters set forth in the Charge, and that it is true in

[p. 3]

fact, to the best of his knowledge and belief.

/s/ William S. Yard
CAPTAIN, JAGD

GENERAL HEADQUARTERS
UNITED STATES ARMY FORCES WESTERN PACIFIC
APO 707

30 January 1947

Referred for trial to Mr. Earl W. Guthrie, CS, Chief Prosecutor of the Military Commission appointed by paragraph 20, Special Orders No. 25, this Headquarters, 30 January 1947.

By command of Major General Moore:

/t/ J. G. CHRISTIANSEN
Major General, USA
Deputy Commander, and
Chief of Staff

I hereby certify that I have served a copy hereof, together with a true and complete translation thereof into Japanese, on the above-named accused this 8th day of January, 1947.

EARL W. GUTHRIE, CS
Chief Prosecutor

Manila War Crimes Trial US Army
Photo taken during the war crimes trials in Manila.  Image credit:  U.S. National Archives.

Notes and references:
1 “Charge and Specifications in U.S.A. v Shumpei Hagino, et al.,” part of the U.S. Military Commission compilation of war crimes documentation, online at the Internet Archive.
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