Judging Japan : The 960-Day Trial of Japan’s War Leaders I SLICE HISTORY | FULL DOCUMENTARY

Tokyo Trial Summary

Key Concepts:

• International Military Tribunal for the Far East (IMTFE): The Tokyo Trial, aimed at prosecuting Japanese leaders for war crimes.
• Nuremberg Trial: The trial of Nazi leaders, serving as a model for the Tokyo Trial.
• Douglas MacArthur: Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers (SCAP) in Japan, responsible for the democratization and demilitarization of Japan.
• Hirohito: The Emperor of Japan, whose role in the war was a central point of contention.
• Hideki Tojo: Prime Minister of Japan during much of World War II, portrayed as the main scapegoat.
• Class A War Criminals: Individuals accused of planning and initiating aggressive wars.
• Dissenting Opinion: A legal opinion by one or more judges expressing disagreement with the majority opinion.
• Cold War: The geopolitical struggle between the United States and the Soviet Union, influencing post-war policies in Japan.

1. Setting the Stage: Japan's Surrender and Initial American Occupation

• Emperor's Speech: On August 15, 1945, Emperor Hirohito addressed the Japanese people via radio, announcing Japan's surrender. This was the first time the Japanese public had ever heard the Emperor's voice.
• Evidence Destruction: Following the surrender announcement, widespread destruction of incriminating documents occurred across Japan, ordered by top-secret cables from Tokyo.
• American Perspective: Initial American expectations of encountering "primitive, bloodthirsty" Japanese were challenged by the reality of a defeated and demoralized population.
• MacArthur's Mandate: General Douglas MacArthur was tasked with reorienting Japan socially, politically, and economically, initiating a period of Americanization.
• Demilitarization: Japan underwent complete demilitarization, with military factories converted to civilian production.

2. The Decision to Hold a Trial and the Scope of Investigation

• Order to Round Up Suspects: MacArthur received orders to arrest individuals implicated in war crimes during the period of 1931-1945.
• Complexity of Identifying Culprits: The Japanese government's opaque structure made it difficult to determine who held real power at any given time. There were numerous changes in government cabinets during the period under scrutiny.
• Emperor's Immunity (Initially): Despite being the constant figure in power, the Emperor was initially shielded from prosecution.
• Tojo as Scapegoat: Japanese elites directed blame towards Hideki Tojo, the former Prime Minister and War Minister. Tojo attempted suicide before his arrest.
• Debate Over Hirohito's Involvement: The Allied powers, particularly Australia and the Soviet Union, pushed for the Emperor's indictment.
• MacArthur's Defense of the Emperor: MacArthur argued that indicting the Emperor would lead to chaos, civil war, and a communist revolution in Japan. He claimed that investigations had found no evidence connecting the Emperor to political decisions.
• Top Secret Order: Washington issued a top-secret order to MacArthur to take no action against the Emperor.

3. Democratization Efforts and Shifting Public Perceptions

• Political Reforms: Thousands of Japanese political prisoners were released, labor unions were allowed, women were given the right to vote, and free elections were held.
• Cultural Shift: Textbooks were rewritten, school curriculums were changed, and American pop culture became increasingly popular.
• Changing Attitudes: The Japanese attitude towards the Americans shifted from fear to acceptance, and the American perception of the Japanese evolved from "bloodthirsty Samurai" to "exotic geisha."
• Rebranding the Emperor: Efforts were made to portray the Emperor as a peace-loving, misinformed monarch who was manipulated by militarists. He relinquished his divine status and began touring the country.

4. The Tokyo Trial: Structure, Participants, and Initial Proceedings

• Location: The trial took place in the former Japanese Army headquarters building.
• Judges: The tribunal consisted of 11 justices representing 11 nations. Only one was initially Asian, later joined by two more.
• Defendants: 28 Japanese military officers and civilian officials were accused of war crimes.
• Okawa's Bizarre Behavior: One of the defendants, Dr. Shūmei Ōkawa, exhibited erratic behavior, including weeping, attempting a striptease, and slapping Tojo on the head. He was later deemed mentally unfit and removed from the trial.
• Judge Pal's Pro-Japanese Stance: Indian judge Radhabinod Pal held a favorable view of Japan and believed that all defendants were not guilty.

5. Prosecution's Case and the Presentation of Atrocities

• Prosecution's Opening Statement: Chief prosecutor Joseph Berry Keenan argued that the Japanese leaders had planned and initiated wars to destroy democracy and establish a new order.
• Hypocrisy Allegations: The prosecution's claims of defending democracy were questioned, given the colonial status of many Asian countries at the time.
• Nanjing Massacre: The trial covered the Nanjing Massacre, where Japanese troops committed atrocities against Chinese civilians.
• McGee's Testimony: Reverend John Gillespie McGee presented film footage and testimonies documenting the atrocities in Nanjing.
• Axis Powers Formation: The trial examined Japan's alliance with Nazi Germany.
• Torture and Atrocities Phase: The prosecution presented evidence of torture, murder, and cannibalism committed by Japanese soldiers.

6. Shifting Global Context and the Defense's Case

• Cold War Emergence: The post-war alliance between the US and the Soviet Union began to break down, influencing the trial's dynamics.
• Colonial Conflicts: Conflicts in Indochina and Indonesia highlighted the hypocrisy of the Allied powers.
• Defense's Limited Impact: The judges were largely uninterested in the defense's arguments.
• New Japanese Constitution: A new Japanese Constitution, largely written by Americans, came into effect, emphasizing pacifism and democratic ideals.

7. Pearl Harbor and the Emperor's Role

• Focus on Pearl Harbor: The trial revisited the Pearl Harbor attack, a key issue for the Americans.
• Efforts to Exonerate the Emperor: Defendants continued to protect the Emperor by obscuring details and shifting blame.
• Imperial Conference Transcript: A transcript resurfaced indicating that the Emperor had discussed the Pearl Harbor attack with Tojo before it occurred.
• Webb's Questioning: Judge Webb questioned whether the Emperor had directed the attack.
• Lawyer Logan's Defense: Lawyer William Logan argued that the Emperor was following constitutional government and acted on the advice of his cabinet.

8. Tojo's Testimony and the Intervention to Protect the Emperor

• Tojo's Affidavit: Tojo claimed that Japan's war was one of self-defense and that the Emperor had no free choice.
• Tojo's Slip: Tojo inadvertently stated that no one would dare act against the Emperor's will, implying that the Emperor had the authority to stop the war.
• MacArthur's Intervention: MacArthur ordered Keenan to ensure that Tojo recanted his statement.
• Tojo's Recantation: Tojo revised his testimony, stating that the Emperor had consented to the war reluctantly and that his desire for peace remained the same.
• Webb's Frustration: Webb was frustrated by the efforts to protect the Emperor and requested permission to bring him in for questioning, but MacArthur refused.

9. The Verdict and Dissenting Opinions

• Final Judgment: The tribunal found the defendants guilty of conspiring to launch aggressive wars and committing atrocities.
• Sentences: 16 defendants were sentenced to life imprisonment, and seven, including Tojo, were sentenced to death by hanging.
• Pal's Dissenting Opinion: Judge Pal argued that the defendants acted out of patriotic motives and that Japan was not guilty.
• Webb's and Bernard's Criticism: Webb and Bernard criticized the exclusion of the Emperor from the trial.

10. Aftermath and Long-Term Consequences

• Executions and Amnesties: The seven condemned defendants were hanged, and American authorities granted amnesty to Class A war criminal suspects.
• Rehabilitation of War Criminals: Many war criminals were pardoned and rehabilitated into Japanese society.
• Kishi's Rise to Power: Nobusuke Kishi, a member of Tojo's cabinet and a Class A war crime suspect, became Japan's Prime Minister with US support.
• Rearmament of Japan: The US reversed its policy of demilitarization and encouraged Japan to rearm due to the Korean War.
• US Strategic Interests: The US prioritized transforming Japan into a Cold War ally, even at the expense of fully addressing Japan's wartime responsibility.
• Impact on Japanese Memory: The exoneration of the Emperor contributed to a fading of Japan's wartime sins from national memory, leading to a romanticized view of the war in some quarters.

Synthesis/Conclusion:

The Tokyo Trial, intended to mirror the Nuremberg Trial, became a complex and controversial event shaped by political considerations and the emerging Cold War. While it prosecuted numerous Japanese leaders for war crimes, the decision to shield Emperor Hirohito from accountability, driven by American strategic interests, ultimately undermined the trial's moral authority and contributed to a selective and incomplete reckoning with Japan's wartime past. The trial's legacy remains a subject of debate, particularly regarding the extent to which it achieved justice and fostered genuine reconciliation.