Sugamo Prison, Tokyo: An Account of the Trial and Sentencing of Japanese War Criminals in 1948, by a U.S. Participant

In the aftermath of World War II, Sugamo Prison housed some of the most infamous Japanese war criminals, including Premier Hideki Tojo and I. Torgui D’Aquino, better known as Tokyo Rose. In all, more than 2,000 war criminals and protected witnesses were held at Sugamo. Nearly 60 prisoners were executed and many others were sentenced to prison terms.

This story of a largely forgotten part of World War II, by a man who was a Sugamo guard for more than two years, gives an inside look at the prison. Details are given about the prisoners (classified A, B, and C, based on the severity of their crimes), the trials, the sentencing, the executions, and the American guards. Appendices include listings of the accused and those executed, and a roster of American personnel.

John L. Ginn, a retired agricultural reseacher, lives in Emmett, Idaho.