WWII War Crimes discussion

[lexico]

Demand Retrial, Indictment of Chief Prosecutor JosephB Keenan for obstructing justice

Perhaps somewhat off-topic, but this is something that the U.S. should take responsibility for. The Emperor was used by the U.S. politically and socially in the reconstruction of Japan, and that is why he was absolved of responsibility, though he lost a large part of his moral authority when he was humanized. As I'm sure everyone is aware, as part of Japan's geostrategic role in the Cold War, the US allowed a host of class A war criminals into politics, perhaps resulting in the LDP's (and Koizumi's) attraction towards Yasukuni ? Maybe this explains why the US has been relatively quiet on this front ?

You have a point and a very crucial one in assessing the legal responsibilities to befall the criminals. What you propose is not only a conspiracy theory but established fact that the US monopolised post-war justice procedures by putting undue pressure on the prosecutors and judges on the International Military Tribunal for the Far East before and during May 3, 1946 - November 12, 1948.

When US Chief Prosecutor Joseph Keenan emphasised exemption of Hirohito from an idictment, one British prosecutor asked, "Are you notifying a decided policy or are you offering a proposal ?" Keenan answered that it was policy, and that he was simply asking the prosecutors to agree. The British prosecutor replied that he could not, to which Keenan replied that it was only to facilitate the occupation process by the allied powers, that it is to serve the general interests thereof, and concluded that anyone who cannot agree is free to leave the prosecuting committee. Several prosecutors violetnly opposed the plan and left. (in paraphrase)

Unfortunately if the 3rd party, the US, employed two criminals (Tojo Hideki and Hirohito) in furthering its own interest at the expense of the victims of WWII in terms of 1) land 2) property that aided in the continuation of seized soverignty over said immoveables (the Ryukyu Archipelago, the Ainu Moshiri, Diaoyu-dao, and the Southern seas, etc), that only increases their guilt, not the other way. For example the snitch and patsy Tojo Hideki that took the fingerpointing for a shady deal under the table to get Hirohito off the hook is liable for

1) perjury
2) attempted suiced to destroy criminal evidence
3) obstruction of justice
4) concealing of key evidence and knowledge of crimes

in addition to all the other other crimes against humanity, crimes against peace, and crimes against POWs they committed during WWII as co-conspirators.

Likewise, the number and degree of Hirohito's crimes become greater, not less, and the US also becomes liable for corruption and bargaining without the apporval of ALL allied powers, inducing and guiding criminal statements (Edward Behr, op. cit. p. 358), and letting Hirohito off for preferred status in Japan and Northeast Asia. Hence, as a generally miscarried series of trials, the IMTFE rulings should be replaced by a new series of trials to bring justice as should have been brought in the Tokyo Trials of 1946-1948.

Kido Koichi's 窶禿?#25142;ﾂ幸ﾋ?ｪ case, Defense Attorney Logan examines witness Tojo Hideki 窶愬椎ｾﾅ? 窶ｰp窶ｹ@, December 31, 1947

(in paraphrase)

Logan: When Hirohito wished peace, had Kido 窶禿?#25142; ever acted against the emperor's wish ?

Tojo: There was never such an instance. For a loyal subject of Japan, to grumble about the emperor's wish and to go against it is impossible. It is even more so for a high official of Japan such as Kido Koichi 窶禿?#25142;ﾂ幸ﾋ?ｪ.

Chief Prosecutor Keenan is said to have been terrorised at this answer from Tojo, for according to this statement from Tojo, Hirohito would become responsible for the war crimes of the Manchurian Incident, the Attack on Pearl Harbor, and many more. This could be the downfall of Keenan's theory that Hirohito was simply a powerless figurehead. Hard-pressed, he summoned the persons involved in the matters including Ministers of the Emperial Court and demanded that Tojo be persuaded over. Only after Keenan could be absolutely sure that Tojo was completely cognisant of Keenan's plan did Keenan re-examine Tojo Hideki, January 6, 1948. (窶彡窶吮??ﾂ青ｳ窶督ｾ, ﾂ「窶愬停?ｹﾅｾﾂ催吮?敖ｻ窶堙??堙坂?ｰﾂｽ窶堋ｩﾂ」 窶愿ｺ窶怒ﾂ工窶ｹﾃ?新窶｢ﾂｷﾅｽﾃ青・ﾂ渉ｺﾋ彗58窶扼 1983, pp. 258-259)

Logan: Several days ago you testified that no Japanese subject could ever disobey the emperor. Is that true ?

Tojo: I was only talking about my personal feelings about it. That has nothing to do with any legal responsibility of the emperor.

Logan: But is it not true that [Hirohito/the emperor] opened war against the US, the UK, and the Netherlands ?

Tojo: My cabinet decided to go to war.

Logan: Was it not the will of Hirohito that he must go to war ?

Tojo: It is true that he reluctantly agreed to the appeals by me and others responsible in the military. His Majesty had a peace-loving spirit till the last moment.

The result satisfied Keenan. Two days later at a banquet at an onsen in Atami that was offered him by ex-PM Reijiro Wakatsuki and Gen. Ugaki et al,, Keenan announced, "Now the emperor's innocence has been consolidated." After a few rounds of sake, a geisha was offered to Keenan. Edward Behr, op. cit. p. 358

All class-A war criminals of the Tokyo trials made every effort to protect the emperor Hirohito. There was background to their efforts, not altogether out of loyalty.

[The accused in the Tokyo Trials] and their families were avoided wherever they went. When Tojo learned this from his visitors, he demanded a better treatment of his family members. He also learned that Hirohito was reading every line of the court proceedings. He could have put the emperor in deep trouble by saying that no crime was committed without the emperor's apporval. By keeping silence on this fact, he arranged for the well being of his family... Hirohito asked a certain zaibatsu company to take care of Tojo's family. Aware of this arrangement, Tojo continued to defend the emperor during the trials upto the moment of his execution. (Paul Manning, Hirohito: The War Years, Dodd, Mead & Co., New York 1986, p. 215)

This behaviour between Hirohito and Tojo adds to their already insurmountable crimes. Joseph B. Keenan who served as Chief Prosecutor in the IMTFE trials ought to be shamed for his tainted legal career, and indicted if still alive.

박원순 ﾂ「아직도 심판은 끝나지 않았다 ﾂ」 한겨레신문사 1996, ISBN 89-85505-41-6 03300 pp. 132-135
www.beautifulfund.org
[email protected]
Park, Won Sun, The Trial Is Not Over, Han 'gyo're Newspaper Publishing Co. 1996 (sorry, in Korean only, can be loaned from University of Hawai'i at Manoa Library by CALL#: JX5419.5 .P35 1996)

 

[Mars Man]

A very interesting read there lexico. I must admit I need more study in this area in order to put make any solid comments here.

At the moment, I would not doubt that games were played by the US government to help keep the Soviet Union in check. I am aware of the 'theory' or 'idea' that Hito was weak, and had thus been used by the military machine, but I have no details on it, nor do I have any on any other ways that it could have been. I find it all interesting to an extent, but haven't been perked enough to look so deeply into it. That's one thing that I have been doing here in the forum--learning about those areas that I should, perhaps, look into more.

Thanks for the info here; I'll try to keep up on it.