THE HANGING OF 7 JAPANESE WAR LEADERS AT SUGAMO PRISON (DECEMBER 23, 1948)

On this date, December 23, 1948, Seven Japanese convicted of war crimes by the International Military Tribunal for the Far East are executed at Sugamo Prison in Tokyo, Japan.

Martyrs of Shōwa" (昭和殉難者 Shōwa junnansha)

[PHOTO SOURCE: http://blog.goo.ne.jp/bdwy88ws/e/58dabb426e528c76d2233909f6a9aa68]

 

Hideki Tōjō (Kyūjitai: 東條 英機; Shinjitai: 東条 英機)

Hideki Tōjō (Kyūjitai: 東條 英機; Shinjitai: 東条 英機; Tōjō Hideki (help·info)) (December 30, 1884 – December 23, 1948) was a general of the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA), the leader of the Taisei Yokusankai, and the 40th Prime Minister of Japan during most of World War II, from October 17, 1941 to July 22, 1944. As Prime Minister, he was directly responsible for the attack on Pearl Harbor, which initiated war between Japan and the United States, although planning for it had begun before he entered office. After the end of the war, Tōjō was arrested, sentenced to death for Japanese war crimes by the International Military Tribunal for the Far East, and was hanged on December 23, 1948.

General Iwane Matsui 松井石根

Iwane Matsui (松井 石根 Matsui Iwane, extra 27 July 1878 – 23 December 1948) was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army and the commander of the expeditionary forces sent to China in World War II. He was convicted of war crimes and sentenced to death by hanging by the International Military Tribunal for the Far East for responsibility over the Nanking Massacre.

Japanese general 武藤章 Akira Mutō (15 December 1892 – 23 December 1948)

Akira Mutō (武藤 章 Mutō Akira, 15 December 1892 – 23 December 1948) was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II.

japanese spy Doihara Kenji during the trial for war crimes at International Military Tribunal for the Far East (1948)

Kenji Doihara (土肥原 賢二 Doihara Kenji, 8 August 1883 – 23 December 1948) was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II. He was instrumental in the Japanese invasion of Manchuria for which he earned fame taking the nickname 'Lawrence of Manchuria', a reference to the Lawrence of Arabia, although according to Jamie Bisher this flattering sobriquet was rather misapplied given that T.E. Lawrence fought to liberate, not to oppress a people. Furthermore, according to the opinion of his military chief in Manchuria Gen. Kanji Ishiwara, his heavy addiction to the opium contributed to his unreliability as an army officer.

As a leading intelligence officer he played a key role to the Japanese machinations leading to the occupation of large parts of China, the destabilization of the country and the disintegration of the traditional structure of the Chinese society in order to diminish reaction to the Japanese plans using highly unconventional methods. He became the mastermind of the Manchurian drug trade, and the real boss and sponsor behind every kind of gangs and underworld activities in China (see Controversy section). After the end of World War II, he was prosecuted for war crimes in the International Military Tribunal for the Far East. He was found guilty, sentenced to death and was hanged in December 1948.

General Seishirō Itagaki (板垣 征四郎 Itagaki Seishirō)

Seishirō Itagaki (板垣 征四郎 Itagaki Seishirō, 21 January 1885 – 23 December 1948) was a General in the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II and a War Minister. Convicted of war crimes, he was executed in 1948.

Kōki Hirota (廣田 弘毅 Hirota Kōki)

Kōki Hirota (廣田 弘毅 Hirota Kōki, 14 February 1878 – 23 December 1948) was a Japanese diplomat and politician who served as the 32nd Prime Minister of Japan from 9 March 1936 to 2 February 1937. Originally his name was Jōtarō (丈太郎^?). He was executed for war crimes committed during World War II.

General Heitarō Kimura

Heitarō Kimura (木村 兵太郎 Kimura Heitarō (sometimes Kimura Hyōtarō), 28 September 1888 – 23 December 1948) was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army.