Testimony of Mikio Taneichi in Trial for Atrocities Committed in Batangas and Laguna 1945 (Part I)
This page contains the transcription of the testimony of one of the accused, Mikio Taneichi, for the defense in U.S.A. v Mikio Taneichi, et al., one of the trials of personnel of the Imperial Japanese Army for war crimes involving atrocities committed in the Province of Batangas. 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.
PART I
MIKIO TANEICHI
called as a witness in his own behalf, being first duly sworn, testified as follows through Interpreters Ogita, Yamamoto, and Iwanaga:
DIRECT-EXAMINATION
CROSS-EXAMINATION
EXAMINATION BY THE COMMISSION
Notes and references:
1 “Transcription of the Testimony of Mikio Taneichi in U.S.A. v Mikio Taneichi, et al.,” Reel 91 of the U.S. Military Commission compilation of war crimes documentation, online at the Internet Archive.
[p. 117]
BY CAPTAIN GREER:
Q What is your name?
A Mikio Taneichi.
Q How old are you?
A Twenty-three.
Q Were you an officer in the Imperial Japanese Army?
A Yes.
Q What was your command in February of 1945?
A I was in command of the main strength of the 7ᵗʰ Company of the 17ᵗʰ Regiment.
Q Who was your regimental commander in February of 1945?
A Masatoshi Fujishige.
Q Did you receive any orders from his headquarters in February of 1945?
A Yes.
Q Were you ordered to go to Calamba in February of 1945?
A Yes.
Q Did you go there?
A Yes.
Q Did you take any of your men with you?
A Yes.
Q When did you arrive there?
A Did you mean for the subjugation?
Q When did you arrive in Calamba?
Q What is your name?
A Mikio Taneichi.
Q How old are you?
A Twenty-three.
Q Were you an officer in the Imperial Japanese Army?
A Yes.
Q What was your command in February of 1945?
A I was in command of the main strength of the 7ᵗʰ Company of the 17ᵗʰ Regiment.
Q Who was your regimental commander in February of 1945?
A Masatoshi Fujishige.
Q Did you receive any orders from his headquarters in February of 1945?
A Yes.
Q Were you ordered to go to Calamba in February of 1945?
A Yes.
Q Did you go there?
A Yes.
Q Did you take any of your men with you?
A Yes.
Q When did you arrive there?
A Did you mean for the subjugation?
Q When did you arrive in Calamba?
[p. 118]
A February the 12ᵗʰ.
Q What did you do there?
A I cooperated with the subjugation of Calamba.
Q In what way did you cooperate with the subjugation of Calamba?
A In the morning, under orders from Captain Saito, I gathered the residents from the northeaster section into a church.
Q What did you do there?
A I cooperated with the subjugation of Calamba.
Q In what way did you cooperate with the subjugation of Calamba?
A In the morning, under orders from Captain Saito, I gathered the residents from the northeaster section into a church.
LIEUTENANT PHARR: Will the interpreter repeat the answer?
(Interpreter Ogita repeated the answer.)
Q What time did you start gathering men of Calamba in the Catholic church?
A It was in the morning.
Q What time of the morning?
A I believe it was after seven o’clock in the morning.
Q What was the date?
A It was on the 12ᵗʰ.
Q How many hours did you spend gathering men and sending them to the Catholic church that day?
A It took about three and a half hours.
Q What did you do for the balance of the day?
A I made reconnaissance of the terrain of the Calamba area.
Q Who ordered you to do that?
A I conducted the terrain reconnaissance with the understanding of Captain Saito and also under orders of the regimental headquarters.
Q Did you kill anybody on that day?
A No.
A It was in the morning.
Q What time of the morning?
A I believe it was after seven o’clock in the morning.
Q What was the date?
A It was on the 12ᵗʰ.
Q How many hours did you spend gathering men and sending them to the Catholic church that day?
A It took about three and a half hours.
Q What did you do for the balance of the day?
A I made reconnaissance of the terrain of the Calamba area.
Q Who ordered you to do that?
A I conducted the terrain reconnaissance with the understanding of Captain Saito and also under orders of the regimental headquarters.
Q Did you kill anybody on that day?
A No.
[p. 119]
Q Did you order any of your men to kill anyone on that day?
A No.
Q To the best of your knowledge, did your men kill anyone that day?
A No, they did not.
Q When you gathered these people into the church, did you know that Captain Saito intended to kill them?
A I imagined that the bad ones were to be killed.
Q Have you ever been stationed in Tanauan?
A Yes.
Q Were you there on the 10ᵗʰ of February, 1945?
A Yes.
Q Do you know a woman by the name of Miss Corazon A. Burgos?
A No.
Q Do you remember a young girl in a white dress who testified in this courtroom on Monday of this week?
A I saw this woman for the first time at the trial here.
Q Did you rape any woman in Tanauan?
A No.
Q Do you know Yuzo Sakata?
A Yes.
Q Do you know Taichi Yamada?
A Yes.
Q Do you know Bunji Kanto?
A Yes.
Q Did you know those officers on the 12ᵗʰ of February, 1945?
A I knew Lieutenant Sakata, but I didn’t know the other two very well.
A No.
Q To the best of your knowledge, did your men kill anyone that day?
A No, they did not.
Q When you gathered these people into the church, did you know that Captain Saito intended to kill them?
A I imagined that the bad ones were to be killed.
Q Have you ever been stationed in Tanauan?
A Yes.
Q Were you there on the 10ᵗʰ of February, 1945?
A Yes.
Q Do you know a woman by the name of Miss Corazon A. Burgos?
A No.
Q Do you remember a young girl in a white dress who testified in this courtroom on Monday of this week?
A I saw this woman for the first time at the trial here.
Q Did you rape any woman in Tanauan?
A No.
Q Do you know Yuzo Sakata?
A Yes.
Q Do you know Taichi Yamada?
A Yes.
Q Do you know Bunji Kanto?
A Yes.
Q Did you know those officers on the 12ᵗʰ of February, 1945?
A I knew Lieutenant Sakata, but I didn’t know the other two very well.
[p. 120]
Q To the best of your knowledge, did they participate in the killing of any civilians in Calamba on the 12ᵗʰ of February 1945?
A They did not.
A They did not.
CAPTAIN GREER: No other questions.
COLONEL WORTMAN: Cross-examination?
LIEUTENANT PHARR: Yes, sir.
BY LIEUTENANT PHARR:
Q Did you say you saw Sakata in Calamba on the 12ᵗʰ of February 1945?
A Yes.
Q Where were you when you saw him?
A I was in the vicinity of the barracks on the western edge of Calamba. In the afternooon, around 1300, I met him in the vicinity of the church.
Q How many officers of the Japanese Army did you see in Calamba on the 12ᵗʰ of February 1945?
A I can only ascertain definitely six of them.
Q Who were they?
A (Continuing) — seven of them.
Q Will you name those officers?
A Captain Ginsaku Saito, First Lieutenant Yamada of the Air Corps, First Lieutenant Sakada, Second Lieutenant Muramatsu, Second Lieutenant Kusanagi; I cannot remember the names of the others.
Q Did you say you saw Sakata in Calamba on the 12ᵗʰ of February 1945?
A Yes.
Q Where were you when you saw him?
A I was in the vicinity of the barracks on the western edge of Calamba. In the afternooon, around 1300, I met him in the vicinity of the church.
Q How many officers of the Japanese Army did you see in Calamba on the 12ᵗʰ of February 1945?
A I can only ascertain definitely six of them.
Q Who were they?
A (Continuing) — seven of them.
Q Will you name those officers?
A Captain Ginsaku Saito, First Lieutenant Yamada of the Air Corps, First Lieutenant Sakada, Second Lieutenant Muramatsu, Second Lieutenant Kusanagi; I cannot remember the names of the others.
COLONEL WORTMAN: Will the interpreter repeat the names of the last three and spell them out?
INTERPRETER OGITA: Sakada, S-a-k-a-d-a; Muramatsu,
[p. 121]
M-u-r-a-m-a-t-s-u; Kusanagi, K-u-s-a-n-a-g-i.
COLONEL WORTMAN: Thank you.
A (Continuing) There was also a Warrant Officer.
Q Did you see Taichi Yamada, on of the accused in this case, at Calamba on February 12ᵗʰ?
A Yes, I saw him there. I met him for the first time at that time.
Q Was there more than one Lieutenant Yamada in Calamba on February 12ᵗʰ?
A There were two of them. One was Lieutenant Yamada of the Air Corps, and one was Lieutenant Yamada, who is one of the accused.
Q Why did you go to Calamba on February 12ᵗʰ, 1945?
A I went because I received orders to cooperate from the headquarters of Saito Battalion and the regimental headquarters.
Q How were you dressed on February 12ᵗʰ, 1945?
A I was wearing an officer’s cap, shirt, and I was in military uniform.
Q Were you wearing boots?
A No.
Q When did you finish the gathering of the men in Calamba?
A I believe it took until ten o’clock.
Q In the morning?
A Yes.
Q Then where did you go?
A There is a river running to the north of Calamba. I went there for reconnaissance.
Q What was the purpose of that reconnaissance?
Q Did you see Taichi Yamada, on of the accused in this case, at Calamba on February 12ᵗʰ?
A Yes, I saw him there. I met him for the first time at that time.
Q Was there more than one Lieutenant Yamada in Calamba on February 12ᵗʰ?
A There were two of them. One was Lieutenant Yamada of the Air Corps, and one was Lieutenant Yamada, who is one of the accused.
Q Why did you go to Calamba on February 12ᵗʰ, 1945?
A I went because I received orders to cooperate from the headquarters of Saito Battalion and the regimental headquarters.
Q How were you dressed on February 12ᵗʰ, 1945?
A I was wearing an officer’s cap, shirt, and I was in military uniform.
Q Were you wearing boots?
A No.
Q When did you finish the gathering of the men in Calamba?
A I believe it took until ten o’clock.
Q In the morning?
A Yes.
Q Then where did you go?
A There is a river running to the north of Calamba. I went there for reconnaissance.
Q What was the purpose of that reconnaissance?
[p. 122]
A I was there to determine how much of an obstruction it would be in the future when the Americans came. When the bridge was destroyed, I was to determine how difficult it was to construct another one.
Q Did you do any reconnoitering to the south or west of Calamba?
A No.
Q Why?
A I did not have the time. To the west and northwest of Calamba, the area is flat and we knew the terrain from maps.
Q Did you know what was happening on February 12ᵗʰ at Calamba?
A I found out about it later.
Q What happened?
A I heard that the bad ones among the residents of Calamba were killed.
Q Did you know before you gathered those people that they were going to be killed?
A I believed that the bad ones such as guerrillas and spies and men who resisted were to be killed. When I say “guerrillas,” I mean that includes bandits and also communists who cooperated with the guerrillas.
Q Did you gather only the bad ones that morning?
A I gathered all the residents under orders.
Q What time did you get to Calamba?
A About five o’clock.
Q Of what day?
A The 12ᵗʰ.
Q Is that five o’clock in the morning?
A Yes.
Q Did you do any reconnoitering to the south or west of Calamba?
A No.
Q Why?
A I did not have the time. To the west and northwest of Calamba, the area is flat and we knew the terrain from maps.
Q Did you know what was happening on February 12ᵗʰ at Calamba?
A I found out about it later.
Q What happened?
A I heard that the bad ones among the residents of Calamba were killed.
Q Did you know before you gathered those people that they were going to be killed?
A I believed that the bad ones such as guerrillas and spies and men who resisted were to be killed. When I say “guerrillas,” I mean that includes bandits and also communists who cooperated with the guerrillas.
Q Did you gather only the bad ones that morning?
A I gathered all the residents under orders.
Q What time did you get to Calamba?
A About five o’clock.
Q Of what day?
A The 12ᵗʰ.
Q Is that five o’clock in the morning?
A Yes.
[p. 123]
Q When you got to Calamba, did you see Captain Saito early that morning?
A I saw him after a little while.
Q Did you discuss with Captain Saito that morning before daylight the plans for the day?
A No, I did not.
Q What did Captain Saito tell you that morning?
A He did not say anything specially.
Q How did you know what you were to do?
A It was because I received orders.
Q From whom?
A From Captain Saito?
Q What were the orders?
A It said I was ordered to gather the residents from the northeast section and put them into the church.
Q Were you with Captain Saito on the punitive expedition to Tanauan on February 10ᵗʰ?
A No I did [was] not.
Q Were you in Tanauan on February 10ᵗʰ 1945?
A Yes.
Q Did you know that lots of people were killed there that day?
A I did not know.
Q Did you assist in the subjugation of Tanauan?
A I, myself, did not assist, but a portion of my unit was assigned to the expedition.
Q Where did you go?
A I was not concerned with the expedition.
A I saw him after a little while.
Q Did you discuss with Captain Saito that morning before daylight the plans for the day?
A No, I did not.
Q What did Captain Saito tell you that morning?
A He did not say anything specially.
Q How did you know what you were to do?
A It was because I received orders.
Q From whom?
A From Captain Saito?
Q What were the orders?
A It said I was ordered to gather the residents from the northeast section and put them into the church.
Q Were you with Captain Saito on the punitive expedition to Tanauan on February 10ᵗʰ?
A No I did [was] not.
Q Were you in Tanauan on February 10ᵗʰ 1945?
A Yes.
Q Did you know that lots of people were killed there that day?
A I did not know.
Q Did you assist in the subjugation of Tanauan?
A I, myself, did not assist, but a portion of my unit was assigned to the expedition.
Q Where did you go?
A I was not concerned with the expedition.
[p. 124]
Q What were you doing in Tanauan on February 10, 1945?
A I was engaged in training my men and also preparing for combat with paratroops.
Q How many men did you have in Tanauan?
A I had 60 men, but approximately 20 of them were assigned to the expedition, so on that day, I had about 40 men.
Q Did you know what was going to happen in Tanauan on February 10, 1945?
A I was engaged in training my men and also preparing for combat with paratroops.
Q How many men did you have in Tanauan?
A I had 60 men, but approximately 20 of them were assigned to the expedition, so on that day, I had about 40 men.
Q Did you know what was going to happen in Tanauan on February 10, 1945?
COLONEL WORTMAN: The Commission will recess for ten minutes.
(Short recess.)
COLONEL WORTMAN: The Commission is in session.
LIEUTENANT PHARR: The Commission, the defense counsel, the accused, the prosecution are present; the prosecution is ready to proceed.
COLONEL WORTMAN: You may proceed.
LIEUTENANT PHARR: You are the same Mikio Taneichi who was on the stand prior to the recess, is that true?
A Yes.
COLONEL WORTMAN: Will the prosecution remind the witness he is still under oath.
LIEUTENANT PHARR: I will remind you that you are still under oath.
The prosecution requests that the last question be read by the reporter.
COLONEL WORTMAN: The reporter will read the last two questions and answers back.
(The reporter read the last two questions and answers.)
A I did not know.
[p. 125]
Q Were you consulted by Lieutenant Yamada of the Air Corps prior to February 10, 1945, about the subjugation of Tanauan?
A Yes.
Q What did you discuss with Lieutenant Yamada in regard to the subjugation of Tanauan?
A Lieutenant Yamada of the Air Corps came to consult me. The problem was what to do with women and children who were in the guerrillas. As I have mentioned before, when I say “guerrilla,” that includes bandits and communists also.
Q Did he have reference to the subjugation when he said, “What will we do with the women and children?”
A Yes.
Q What did you tell him to do with the women and children?
A I told him to investigate that thoroughly.
Q Then what was he to do with the women and children after he investigated them?
A I do not know.
Q And why did you tell him to investigate the women and children?
A I just told him that it was difficult to determine if they were guerrillas or not, so I told him to investigate them.
Q If Lieutenant Yamad of the Air Corps determined that women and children were guerrillas, what was he to do with them?
A I do not know, because our discussion did not go that far.
Q Why did you go to Tanauan with 60 men?
A I went them for combat against paratroops.
A Yes.
Q What did you discuss with Lieutenant Yamada in regard to the subjugation of Tanauan?
A Lieutenant Yamada of the Air Corps came to consult me. The problem was what to do with women and children who were in the guerrillas. As I have mentioned before, when I say “guerrilla,” that includes bandits and communists also.
Q Did he have reference to the subjugation when he said, “What will we do with the women and children?”
A Yes.
Q What did you tell him to do with the women and children?
A I told him to investigate that thoroughly.
Q Then what was he to do with the women and children after he investigated them?
A I do not know.
Q And why did you tell him to investigate the women and children?
A I just told him that it was difficult to determine if they were guerrillas or not, so I told him to investigate them.
Q If Lieutenant Yamad of the Air Corps determined that women and children were guerrillas, what was he to do with them?
A I do not know, because our discussion did not go that far.
Q Why did you go to Tanauan with 60 men?
A I went them for combat against paratroops.
[p. 126]
Q What day did you arrive in Tanauan?
A On the evening of the 7ᵗʰ of February.
Q Did you engage any paratroopers in combat while you were in Tanauan?
A No.
[The rest of this page is blank in the source document.]
A On the evening of the 7ᵗʰ of February.
Q Did you engage any paratroopers in combat while you were in Tanauan?
A No.
[p. 127]
Q Were there any armed forces in Tanauan at any time during the month of February other than the Japanese?
A I don’t believe there were any.
Q As far as you know, were there ever any paratroopers who landed in Tanauan?
A No, however, on the third of February, they did land in Tagaytay.
Q How long were you stationed in Tanauan?
A From the seventh until the thirteenth and also around the seventeenth or eighteenth until the evening of the twenty-third.
Q Did you know many Filipinos were being killed in and around Tanauan during the entire period of time that you were stationed there?
A I did not know. However, I heard that a portion of the bad ones were killed.
Q Did you spend the night of February twelfth 1945 in or near Calamba?
A No, I did not.
Q Where did you go on the night of February twelfth?
A I returned to Tanauan.
Q What time of night did you return to Tanauan?
A I believe it was around eight o’clock in the evening.
Q I direct your attention to the map which is before the Commission at this time scaled 1:50,000 and ask you to point out on the map the road which you took from Calamba to Tanauan.
A (Witness points to map.)
A I don’t believe there were any.
Q As far as you know, were there ever any paratroopers who landed in Tanauan?
A No, however, on the third of February, they did land in Tagaytay.
Q How long were you stationed in Tanauan?
A From the seventh until the thirteenth and also around the seventeenth or eighteenth until the evening of the twenty-third.
Q Did you know many Filipinos were being killed in and around Tanauan during the entire period of time that you were stationed there?
A I did not know. However, I heard that a portion of the bad ones were killed.
Q Did you spend the night of February twelfth 1945 in or near Calamba?
A No, I did not.
Q Where did you go on the night of February twelfth?
A I returned to Tanauan.
Q What time of night did you return to Tanauan?
A I believe it was around eight o’clock in the evening.
Q I direct your attention to the map which is before the Commission at this time scaled 1:50,000 and ask you to point out on the map the road which you took from Calamba to Tanauan.
A (Witness points to map.)
LIEUTENANT PHARR: Let the record show the witness is indicating that he took a road leading generally south from
[p. 128]
Calamba to Tanauan.
Q As you were leaving Tanauan about eight o’clock, did you notice houses on the outskirts of Calamba burning?
Q As you were leaving Tanauan about eight o’clock, did you notice houses on the outskirts of Calamba burning?
COLONEL CHASE: I think you question was confusing. You said “As you were leaving Tanauan.”
Strike the last question.
Q As you were leaving Calamba on the night of February the twelfth 1945 on your way to Tanauan, did you see several houses near Calamba burning?
A Yes.
Q Did you know who set those houses on fire?
A I did not know.
Q Did you know that the bodies of Filipinos were burning in those houses at that time?
A I heard about it.
Q At any time during February twelfth 1945, were you in the southern part of the town of Calamba?
A No.
Q Were you in the southeastern part of the town?
A No.
Q Do you know where Barrio Aplaya is?
A No.
Q Who was in charge of killing the people at Calamba on February the twelfth 1945?
A Captain Saito.
Q And who was in charge of the killing at Tanauan on February the tenth 1945?
A Lieutenant Yamada of the Air Corps.
A Yes.
Q Did you know who set those houses on fire?
A I did not know.
Q Did you know that the bodies of Filipinos were burning in those houses at that time?
A I heard about it.
Q At any time during February twelfth 1945, were you in the southern part of the town of Calamba?
A No.
Q Were you in the southeastern part of the town?
A No.
Q Do you know where Barrio Aplaya is?
A No.
Q Who was in charge of killing the people at Calamba on February the twelfth 1945?
A Captain Saito.
Q And who was in charge of the killing at Tanauan on February the tenth 1945?
A Lieutenant Yamada of the Air Corps.
[p. 129]
Q You don’t mean the Lieutenant Yamada who is in this courtroom, do you?
A It is a different person.
A It is a different person.
LIEUTENANT PHARR: No further questions.
COLONEL WORTMAN: Redirect?
No, Sir.
COLONEL WORTMAN: Questions by the Commission?
COLONEL MADDEN: I have some, Sir.
BY COLONEL MADDEN:
Q I call your attention again to the map of [the] Batangas-Laguna Area, Scale 1:50,000. It has been prepared from standard maps and over-printed by J.G. Gutierrez, Second Lieutenant, Corps of Engineers, 3 January 1946. I hand you this pointer. Will you indicate on the map the headquarters of the 17ᵗʰ Infantry at the time of the various incidents, that is, between 1 February and 15 February 1945?
A The name of the place is not designated on the map. It was in this area (pointing).
Q I call your attention again to the map of [the] Batangas-Laguna Area, Scale 1:50,000. It has been prepared from standard maps and over-printed by J.G. Gutierrez, Second Lieutenant, Corps of Engineers, 3 January 1946. I hand you this pointer. Will you indicate on the map the headquarters of the 17ᵗʰ Infantry at the time of the various incidents, that is, between 1 February and 15 February 1945?
A The name of the place is not designated on the map. It was in this area (pointing).
COLONEL MADDEN: Will the record show that he indicates a location approximately halfway between Tanauan-San Pablo about 3000 meters south of the road Santo Tomas-San Pablo.
[p. 130]
Q Is that unit also known as the Fuji heidan?
A Including all the units which were attached and also such units as the fishing unit, it was later called the Fuji heidan.
Q Now, will you indicate the headquarters of the 1st Battalion of the 17ᵗʰ Infantry at the same time, the 1ˢᵗ to 15ᵗʰ of February, 1945?
A I do not know where it was.
Q Will you indicate the headquarters of the 7ᵗʰ Company of the 17ᵗʰ Regiment on those dates, the 1ˢᵗ to 15ᵗʰ of February?
A You mean were I was?
Q If you were in command of that company, I mean that.
A From the 1ˢᵗ of December, it was a Japanese area.
[Click to read Part II of the testimony: Testimony of Mikio Taneichi in Trial for Atrocities Committed in Batangas and Laguna 1945 (Part II)]
A Including all the units which were attached and also such units as the fishing unit, it was later called the Fuji heidan.
Q Now, will you indicate the headquarters of the 1st Battalion of the 17ᵗʰ Infantry at the same time, the 1ˢᵗ to 15ᵗʰ of February, 1945?
A I do not know where it was.
Q Will you indicate the headquarters of the 7ᵗʰ Company of the 17ᵗʰ Regiment on those dates, the 1ˢᵗ to 15ᵗʰ of February?
A You mean were I was?
Q If you were in command of that company, I mean that.
A From the 1ˢᵗ of December, it was a Japanese area.
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| Photo taken during the war crimes trials in Manila. Image credit: U.S. National Archives. |
1 “Transcription of the Testimony of Mikio Taneichi in U.S.A. v Mikio Taneichi, et al.,” Reel 91 of the U.S. Military Commission compilation of war crimes documentation, online at the Internet Archive.