Class A War Criminal Is the International Military Tribunal for the Far East (Tokyo Tribunal) held after World War II. Hideki Tojo, Hirota Hirota, Yosuke Matsuoka , who are said to have played a leading role in leading prewar Japan to the war. The war crimes they committed [ crimes against peace ] And was added to distinguish it from other war criminals.
However, we are [ people who have done very bad things in the war ] Do you think that you are a class A war criminal?
In fact, when something incident happens, its central figure [ Class A War Criminal ], But when you understand the meaning of the word, you will notice that this expression is strange.
What is a Class A war criminal?
1945 Japan was defeated in World War II.
The victorious Allied forces are Potsdam Declaration According to the postwar period, a trial was held to judge an important war criminal in Japan. However, since there was no law to judge it, the Far East International Military Tribunal Ordinance was first created, and the definition of war crimes was created in Article 5 (a) of the Ordinance, and based on that, the Tokyo Tribunal ( International Military Tribunal for the Far East) Opened.
Later, this law was a law that traced back to illegal acts that were legal at the time of execution . [ Expost facto ] And is considered illegal.
The Far East International Military Court Ordinance specified three types of sins.
- A. Crime against peace
- B ・ War crimes
- C. Crimes against humanity
Written in English, this ordinance is classified as ABC and refers to class A war criminals convicted of crimes against peace. Keep in mind that B is guilty of a war crime and the ABC classification does not represent the degree of the crime.
Class B War Crimes " War Crimes Is a violation of international law of war and customs that set the rules of war, and is a class C war criminal " crime against humanity . Is a crime for inhumane acts such as genocide and ethnic cleansing. If you are genocide a particular ethnic group, such as Nazi Germany, you are a Class C war criminal.
In this way, for example, the c-class is more cruel and the actual damage seems to be greater.
Therefore, it is not that B is less guilty than A.
In fact, there are many cases where class A war criminals were sentenced to imprisonment and class B and C war criminals were sentenced to death.
Until the prosecution of war criminals in the Tokyo Tribunal
Based on the Potsdam Declaration, the Potsdam Declaration demands unconditional surrender from the Empire of Japan on July 26, 1945 in the name of the United States, Great Britain, and the Republic of China. Was issued. The declaration states that [ severe punishment will be imposed on all war criminals, including those who abused our prisoners of war . ] There is.
In addition, on August 8th, UK, USA, France, Soviet Union [ Agreement on Pursuit and Punishment of Important War Crimes in Europe] London Agreement Was signed, and Japan accepted it on August 10.
The Japanese surrender signing ceremony is being held on September 2nd.
After that, the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces, Douglas MacArthur, took the lead in arresting Hideki Tojo from the United States and creating a list of suspected war criminals. At this time, the US government seemed to think that the Emperor was indispensable to Japan for the facilitation of the occupation policy, and the Emperor Showa was not prosecuted.
Japanese class A war criminals
There are 126 suspected war criminals who have been ordered to appear at the U.S. military police headquarters.
Besides that, five people committed suicide before being arrested or appearing.
Among the arrested, 28 were charged as class A war criminals on April 29, the birthday of Emperor Showa, and 25 were tried in Tokyo, except for 3 who could not be tried due to illness or mental illness. ..
Seven of them were sentenced to death as class A war criminals.
- Hideki Tojo (General of the Army, Former Prime Minister)
- Kenji Doihara (General of the Army)
- Iwane Matsui (General of the Army) * The sentence is executed by a B-class war criminal and not guilty of A-class
- Akira Mutou (Lt. Gen. Army)
- Seishiro Itagaki (General of the Army, Former Minister of the Army)
- Koki Hirota (former Prime Minister)
- Heitaro Kimura (General of the Army)
After the judgment, he was hanged at Sugamo Prison in the middle of the night on the birthday of Crown Prince Akihito on December 23, 1948. It is said that the reason why the birthdays of these emperors and crown princes were selected as the prosecution and execution dates was the intention of the Allied side toward the emperor who could not be prosecuted.
Recognized as the most serious crime of class A war criminals in Japan
For some reason, in Japan, class A war criminals are synonymous with those who commit the heaviest crimes.
Also, in Germany, which is also a defeated country, [ participation in conspiracy * is included in the ABC category. ] Is added to the four classifications, and the term ABC-class war criminal has not been established. Actually, in the Japanese version of the Far East International Military Court Ordinance, it seems that it was classified by Lee Lo Ha instead of ABC, "Class A War Criminal", "Class A War Criminal" It seems that it was. * Jointly committing illegal activities
However, it came to be called ABC from some time because it was bad or it wasn't tightened.
In Japan today, there are only examples that clearly emphasize the weight of sin as a grade, but for politicians, business owners, and other leaders who have made disastrous decisions. , Refers to the crime of the leader who decided the war " Class A war criminal I feel that it seems that there is something in common with the expression.