Khabarovsk War Crime Trials

Khabarovsk War Crime Trials were a series of hearings held between December 25th - 31st, 1949 in the Russian industrial city of Khabarovsk, Siberia. Here, 12 members of the Kwantung Army were put on trial for the manufacture and use of biological weapons during World War Two. All twelve were found guilty, and sentenced to terms between 2 and 25 years of labour camps. All were repatriated to Japan in 1956. It has been suggested that the accused were given light sentences in a plea bargain which provided the Soviet Union with all the data and notes pertaining to the work of Unit 731.

Accused and their sentence

General Yamada Otozoo, former Commander-in-Chief of the Kwantung Army - 25 years

Lt-General Kajitsuka Ryuji, former Chief of Medical Administration - 25 years

Lt-General Takahashi Takaatsu, former Chief of the Veterinary Service - 25 years

Major General Kawashima Kiyoshi, former Chief of Unit 731 - 25 years

Major Karasawa Tomio, former Chief of a section of Unit 731 - 18 years

Lt-Colonal Nishi Toshihide, former Chief of a division of Unit 731 - 20 years

Major Onoue Masao, former Chief of a branch of Unit 731 - 12 years

Major General Sato Shunji, former Chief of Medical Service, 5th Army - 20 years

Lt. Hirazakura Zensaku, former researcher of Unit 100 - 10 years

Senior Sergeant Mitomo Kazuo, former member of Unit 100 - 15 years

Corporal Kikuchi Norimitsu, former medical orderly of Branch 643 of Unit 731 - 2 years

Kurushima Yuji, former lab orderly of Branch 162 of Unit 731 - 3 years