Testing Bioweapons On Humans Was Not Considered Criminal By Japan Diring WW2 - Documents

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th August, 2021) The command of Japan's Kwantung Army did not consider tests of bacteriological weapons on humans a crime against humanity citing lack of international prohibition and alleged scientific necessity, according to the documents that were declassified by the Russian Federal Security Service.

The archival data contained a report from the interrogations of Gen. Otoz Yamada, the last commander of the Kwantung Army, which took place in 1947 and 1949 as part of the preparations for the Khabarovsk War Crime Trials, where 12 members were tried for preparing and using bacteriological weapons during the Second World War. During his interrogation, Yamada admitted to being aware that the bacteriological weapons developed by the army's infamous Units 731 and 100 were tested on humans.

"I personally do not consider experiments to determine effectiveness of bacteriological weapons on living people to be crimes against humanity as international laws say nothing about prohibiting such actions," Yamada said.

The general went on to offer a cynical rationale for such experiments.

"You cannot determine how effective is this or that type of bacteria," Yamada stated, adding that the experiments were sanctioned by his predecessor, Yoshijiro Umezu and that the Japanese defense minister knew about that.

While Yamada held Units 731 and 100 to be primarily responsible for the experiments, he did acknowledge that they took place under his watch thus making him responsible as well. The general then expressed his willingness to face an appropriate punishment from the Soviet authorities.

As it was preparing for war against the Soviet Union and other countries, Japan was placing great hopes on the use of bacteriological weapons, which it expected to play a decisive role in defeating enemy forces. The development and testing of such weapons were conducted by the Kwantung Army's Units 731 and 100.

Former Unit 731 members estimated that approximately 3,000 people died in its laboratories. Other estimates claim the death toll of up to 10,000.