Ikeuchi, Masayiko (IJA Civilian Interpreter, b.1894 - d.1947)

Papers relating to Masakiyo [Masakiya] Ikeuchi, executed in September 1947 for war crimes against prisoners of war at Tan Toey Camp on Ambon Island in 1942. Ikeuchi had been a civilian 'non regular officer' attached to Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) units as an interpreter. The papers comprise: (i) a copy of a petition by Ikeuchi for a commutation of the death sentence passed by the Australian court on Ambon, claiming that he had treated POWs well, naming Australian, Allied and Japanese soldiers as witnesses, and claiming that he had been mistreated while awaiting trial; (ii) a copy of a letter signed 'Frank M. Ikeuchi' to a 'Mr Rearick', a former American POW, seeking his testimony that he was innocent; (iii) a 'curriculum vitae' of Ikeuchi relating to his Second World War service (in Japanese); (iv) two typescript articles by Ikeuchi's daughter, Harumi Yoshikawa, titled 'My Father Who Never Returned' (including an original Japanese version) and 'A Civilian at War', making the same claims as the petition, also citing favourable testimony of an Australian POW, Walter Hicks and alleging that Australian and Japanese witnesses perjured themselves during the trial.