"A 1995 article in The New York Times by Nicholas Kristof suggested the existence of evidence that the U.S. prevented Unit 731 from going on trial for war crimes in exchange for its data on human experiments. So far, the infamous Unit 731 has never been placed on trial."
~This Day in History: June 5, 1942
~This Day in History: June 5, 1942
"The US authorities secretly granted unit officials immunity from prosecution in return for access to years of research into biological weapons. Several former Unit 731 officials went on to enjoy prominent careers in medicine, academia and business, including its former leader, Dr Masaji Kitano, who headed Green Cross, once Japan's biggest pharmaceutical company."
~The Guardian, Japanese Veteran Admits Vivisection Tests on PoWs
~The Guardian, Japanese Veteran Admits Vivisection Tests on PoWs
"The value to the U.S. of Japanese BW data is of such importance to national security as to far outweigh the value accruing from war crimes' prosecution"
~Douglas MacArthur
The lead prosecutor in the Tokyo Trial dismissed the accusations made by the Soviets. Some people believe that MacArthur's intelligence chief shielded Unit 731's former members from any outside contact in order to protect the data collected at the Unit from falling into the Soviet hands.
"Partly because the Americans helped cover up the biological warfare program in exchange for its data, Gen. Shiro Ishii, the head of Unit 731, was allowed to live peacefully until his death from throat cancer in 1959. Those around him in Unit 731 saw their careers flourish in the postwar period, rising to positions that included Governor of Tokyo, president of the Japan Medical Association and head of the Japan Olympic Committee."
~ Nicholas Kristof
~ Nicholas Kristof