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Documents on Canadian External Relations
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Volume #14 - 52. | |
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CHAPTER II PEACE SETTLEMENTS | |
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PART
2 JAPAN | |
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SECTION
C TRIALS FOR WAR CRIMES | |
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52. |
DEA/4060-C-40 |
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Memorandum from Acting Under-Secretary of State for External Affairs to Acting Secretary of State for External Affairs | |
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SECRET |
Ottawa,
November 10th, 1948 |
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RE FAR EASTERN WAR CRIMES - PROPOSED FURTHER CANADIAN PARTICIPATION | |
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On October 29, the Department received a message from the Canadian Liaison Mission in Tokyo reporting that General MacArthur's Headquarters had requested that Canada provide a judge for forthcoming war crimes trials of ex-Lieutenant General Hiroshi Tamura, ex-Admiral Toyoda Soemu, former Commander-in-Chief of the Japanese Navy and possibly others. ]t was not suggested that any Canadians had been victimized by the accused. 2. We are informed by the Commonwealth Relations Office that Tamura and Toyoda had been held as "class A" suspected war criminals for trial by a second ]nternational Military Tribunal similar to the one which, at long last, is winding up. The present suggestion is that they he tried for class "B" or "C" (minor) war crimes by Military Commissions of the American type, hut that MacArthur's Headquarters would like to give the Commissions an international flavour. 3. The United Kingdom Government has instructed its Liaison Mission in Tokyo that it does not seek representation on the panel of judges at the Tamura and Toyoda trials. 4. Canada has already fully participated both in the trials of the major Japanese war criminals and in minor trials in the Far East where there was a Canadian interest. In view of the United Kingdom action, and of the fact that no Canadians appear to have been victimized, it is recommended that the Canadian Liaison Mission in Tokyo be advised simply that "Canada does not seek representation on the panel of judges at the Tamura and Toyoda trials." You may wish to raise this matter with the Cabinet. 5. I would be grateful to know, in any event, whether the foregoing recommendation has your approval21 E[SCOTT] R[EID] 21 Note marginale :/Marginal note:Agree. B[rooke] C[laxton] | |
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