Statement of Chikoyichi Fukuoka Related to Japanese Activities in Batangas in World War II

This page contains the testimony from one accused, 2^nd Lt. Chiyokichi Fukuoka, submitted as evidence in U.S.A. v Shumpei Hagino, et al., one of the war crimes trials conducted after the conclusion of World War II in the Pacific in 1945. This document was the record of a deposition likely held at a Japanese POW in Luzon. 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. The pagination is as it was contained in the original document for citation purposes.

[p. 1]

STATEMENT OF FUKUOKA, CHIYOKICHI, 2ND LT.

Q What is your name and age?
A FUKUOKA, Chiyokichi, 26 years old.

Q What is your home address?
A Akita-Kon, Yuri-Gun, Migashi Takisawa Mura, Aza Mogarisawa 56 Banchi.

Q What is your rank and organization?
A 2^nd Lt., Fuji Heidan, 2^nd Bn., 17^th Inf. Regiment.

Q What was your duty from January, 1945 till surrender?
A Platoon leader of the 2^nd Battalion Artillery.

Q Where were you stationed from the latter part of 1944 till surrender?
A Until December 1944 in Batangas; until 10 February 1945 in Iban Hill; until 20 April 1945 in Dita, Barrio [of] Cuenca; till surrender 19 September 1945 in Makurado [Macolod or Makulot] Mountain.

Q Who was your direct commanding officer?
A Capt. ICHIMURA, Isao.

Q Did you receive any order to participate in the mopping-up expedition in Bauan and Taal?
A Yes.

Q From whom did you receive the order to participate in the Taal expedition?
A Direct orders from 1^st Lt. TAKEMOTO.

Q From whom did TAKEMOTO receive the order?
A From Capt. ICHIMURA, Isao.

Q What was ICHIMURA doing at that time?
A He was sick.

Q Do you know personally if Capt. ICHIMURA gave orders to TAKEMOTO?
A It wasn’t very clear. I heard the orders came from Fujishige Heidan, and so I assumed that it was handed down to Capt. ICHIMURA and in return handed down to Lt. TAKEMOTO.

Q When did the mopping-up expedition at Taal begin?
A In the middle part of February.

Q How many men from your platoon participated in the Taal expedition?
A About 10 men.

Q What was the strength of your platoon?
A Thirty men including myself.

Q Who were those men in our platoon with you in the Taal punitive expedition?
A Warrant Officer MONMA, now in Camp #1; Squad Leader, Sgt. YOSHIDA, Hiroshi, who died in battle; L/Pvt. WATANABE, missing; and I can’t remember the remainder who participated in this expedition.

[p. 2]

Q What instructions did you give to your men in relation to the subjugation of guerrillas?
A To defend in case of any attack from the nearby guerrillas.

Q How did you carry out the subjugation order in Taal?
A As rear security.

Q Did you meet any guerrilla or civilian at that time?
A No.

Q Did your men kill any guerrilla or civilian at that time?
A No.

Q As rear security, what were you supposed to do in case you saw civilians or guerrillas running away?
A We let them go provided that they didn’t attack us.

Q What other units comprised the punitive force at Taal?
A Two platoons from the 6^th Company, led by Sgt. Maj. KATO, and Sgt. Maj. SUZUKI; two platoons of [the] Machine-gun Company led by 1^st Lt. TAKEMOTO and Warrant Officer SASAKI, Umeo; and one platoon of the Infantry unit which was trained as Engineer led by Sgt. MOGAMI.

Q Who were the officers you saw in [the] Taal expedition?
A 1^st Lt. TAKEMOTO and 2^nd Lt. HAGINO.

Q What was the purpose of this punitive force at Taal?
A Suppression of the guerrillas.

Q Did you hear or know how many people were killed in the Taal Expedition?
A I don’t know and never heard of it.

Q How long did this expedition at Taal last?
A About two days.

Q When did you go to Bauan to participate in the punitive expedition?
A About the end of February, 1945.

Q How many men did you bring to this expedition?
A About 10 men of my platoon, except Warrant Officer MONMA.

Q What instructions did you give to your men?
A To defend against guerrilla attacks.

Q What was the nature of your participation in this expedition?
A Rear security.

Q How were your men armed?
A With heavy guns.

Q What other units participated in the expedition of Bauan?

[p. 3]

A Two platoons from the 6^th Company led by Lt. TAKAHASHI, Shigeru; and Machine gun platoon led by Warrant Officer SASAKI, Umeo and Lt. TAKEMOTO.

Q Were those the only units that participated in the Bauan expedition that you saw?
A Yes.

Q Who were the other persons you saw in this expedition?
A 2^nd Lt. HAGINO, Sgt. Maj. MOGAMI, and 1^st Lt. OWARI.

Q Where did you see HAGINO and OWARI?
A At the outskirt of Bauan.

Q What were they doing?
A They were with [the] TAKEMOTO unit.

Q What were their duties?
A I don’t know.

Q How many people were killed in the operation in Bauan?
A I don’t know.

Q Did your men kill any person in Bauan?
A No.

Q How long did this expedition last?
A One day.

Q Did you participate in the subjugation of the people in Cuenca?
A I don’t know any subjugation in Cuenca.

Q Do you know any subjugation in Batangas?
A No.

Photo taken during the war crimes trials in Manila.  Image credit:  U.S. National Archives.

Notes and references:
¹ “Statement of Chiyokichi Fukuoka, part of the documentation 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.