DEATH FOR WOUNDED JAPS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 26 June 1945, Page 5

DEATH FOR WOUNDED JAPS

EVIDENCE IN PHILIPPINES Washington, June 23. Nearly all the 82,000 Japanese wounded in the Philippines died or were killed by their comrades on the orders of officers. Many others- were forced to commit suicide. Captured records show that the Commanding General of the 58th Independent Mixed Brigade when company headquarters were being penetrated ordered sick and wounded soldiers to be executed. The central commanding officer of Manila defences wrote: “Sick and wounded unable to engage in combat will commit mass suicide. Each unit commander will assign a responsible man to witness the deaths. Freedom of : meditation for a day and a night will be ! granted prior to suicide, so each may ! attain for himself the determination of gladly sacrificing himself for his counI try.” The same commander also ordered a banzai charge in which friends of wounded must make them commit suicide. A captured naval lieutenant from Balan related that hospital patients were given grenades and pistols for committing suicide. He sabred two and the remainder were slain by dynamiting the wards. In another hospital he killed bed-ridden cases with injections. General MacArthur’s headquarters spokesman said the Japanese followed a similar policy throughout the SouthWest Pacific.