§ 108. Mr. Piratinasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will issue a statement showing the progress made in trying the Japanese war criminals and giving a list of sentences.
§ Mr. BellengerIn the South East Asia Land Forces area, which includes Malaya, Burma, Siam, Hong Kong, the Andaman Islands, Java, Sumatra and Borneo, 598 Japanese and Koreans have now been tried by British Military Courts on charges of committing war crimes. Of these 221 were sentenced to death, 305 to various terms of imprisonment and 72 were acquitted. Details of the sentences of imprisonment are as follows: 41 sentences of life imprisonment, nine of 20 years or more, 99 of 10 years or more, 78 of five years or more and 78 of less than five years.
In addition 685 accused have, I understand, been tried by Australian Military Courts. One hundred and twenty-four of these have been sentenced to death and 351 to terms of imprisonment. Two hundred and ten have been acquitted. A further 30 accused have been tried by United States Courts in Japan and elsewhere on charges of committing war crimes against British victims. Of these six were sentenced to death and 24 to terms of imprisonment.
175WThe consolidated totals of these figures are as follows: 1,313 accused have been tried; 351 of them were sentenced to death and 680 to terms of imprisonment; 282 were acquitted. War crimes trials are proceeding under the British authorities in Singapore, Hong Kong, Burma and Borneo; under the Australian authorities in Rabaul and Port Darwin, and under the United States in Japan. I understand that trials by the French and Netherlands authorities are to begin shortly.