Statement of Chikoyichi Fukuoka Related to Japanese Activities in Batangas in World War II
[p. 1]
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 2nd Lt., Fuji Heidan, 2nd Bn., 17th Inf. Regiment.
Q What was your duty from January, 1945 till surrender?
A Platoon leader of the 2nd 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 1st 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 6th Company, led by Sgt. Maj. KATO, and Sgt. Maj. SUZUKI; two platoons of [the] Machine-gun Company led by 1st 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 1st Lt. TAKEMOTO and 2nd 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 6th 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 2nd Lt. HAGINO, Sgt. Maj. MOGAMI, and 1st 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.
I solemnly affirm the information contained herein is true.
/s/ Toshio Ishida
[Sgd.] GUILLERMO G. GUZMAN, 2nd Lt., INF (PA)
![]() |
Photo taken during the war crimes trials in Manila. Image credit: U.S. National Archives. |
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.