On 29 April 1946, the International Military Tribunal for the Far East convenes in Tokyo for the first time, formally indicting 28 of Japan’s top wartime leaders on charges of crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
Modelled after the Nuremberg Trials in Europe, the Tribunal was established by the proclamation of General Douglas MacArthur in January under the authority of the Allied Powers. The Charter of the Tribunal was issued on 19 January and outlined the legal framework for trying individuals rather than states, bringing Japanese leaders to account for aggressive war, atrocities, and the systematic abuse of civilians and prisoners. Investigators from eleven Allied nations have spent months compiling evidence to build cases against Japan’s wartime elite.
The indictments, handed down today, accuse the defendants of conspiring to wage wars of aggression across the Asia-Pacific region between 1928 and 1945, violating international law, and overseeing atrocities including the Nanjing Massacre, the abuse of Allied POWs, and the forced labour of civilians. The charges span three classes of crimes: Class A (crimes against peace), Class B (conventional war crimes), and Class C (crimes against humanity).
Among the most prominent figures in the dock are former Prime Minister Hideki Tojo, widely seen as the face of Japan’s militarist regime, and Foreign Minister Shigenori Tōgō, who signed the Tripartite Pact with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. Also indicted are General Iwane Matsui, accused of command responsibility in the Nanjing Massacre; Kōki Hirota; and Kenryō Satō.
The courtroom itself—set up in the former War Ministry building in Ichigaya, Tokyo—is heavily fortified, with proceedings broadcast and recorded under the watch of an international bench. Eleven judges from the Allied powers preside, including Sir William Webb of Australia, who serves as President.
On this first day, the court reads out the full 55-count indictment over several hours, naming the accused and outlining the scope of their alleged crimes.
Picture: International Military Tribunal in Tokyo, Japan in May 1946 Source: Getty Images
World War Two
On 29 April 1946, the International Military Tribunal for the Far East convenes in Tokyo for the first time, formally indicting 28 of Japan’s top wartime leaders on charges of crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
Modelled after the Nuremberg Trials in Europe, the Tribunal was established by the proclamation of General Douglas MacArthur in January under the authority of the Allied Powers. The Charter of the Tribunal was issued on 19 January and outlined the legal framework for trying individuals rather than states, bringing Japanese leaders to account for aggressive war, atrocities, and the systematic abuse of civilians and prisoners. Investigators from eleven Allied nations have spent months compiling evidence to build cases against Japan’s wartime elite.
The indictments, handed down today, accuse the defendants of conspiring to wage wars of aggression across the Asia-Pacific region between 1928 and 1945, violating international law, and overseeing atrocities including the Nanjing Massacre, the abuse of Allied POWs, and the forced labour of civilians. The charges span three classes of crimes: Class A (crimes against peace), Class B (conventional war crimes), and Class C (crimes against humanity).
Among the most prominent figures in the dock are former Prime Minister Hideki Tojo, widely seen as the face of Japan’s militarist regime, and Foreign Minister Shigenori Tōgō, who signed the Tripartite Pact with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. Also indicted are General Iwane Matsui, accused of command responsibility in the Nanjing Massacre; Kōki Hirota; and Kenryō Satō.
The courtroom itself—set up in the former War Ministry building in Ichigaya, Tokyo—is heavily fortified, with proceedings broadcast and recorded under the watch of an international bench. Eleven judges from the Allied powers preside, including Sir William Webb of Australia, who serves as President.
On this first day, the court reads out the full 55-count indictment over several hours, naming the accused and outlining the scope of their alleged crimes.
Picture: International Military Tribunal in Tokyo, Japan in May 1946
Source: Getty Images
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