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It was presided over by a panel of 11 judges, one from each of the victorious
Allied powers ( United States, Soviet Union, United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, Republic of China, Australia, New Zealand, CanadaCanada historically the Dominion of Canada is the second-largest, and northernmost, country in the world. It is a decentralized federation of 10 provinces and 3 territories, governed as a constitutional monarchy, and formed in 1867 through an act of Confe, IndiaThe Republic of India is a large multicultural country in South Asia, with a population of over one billion. The Indian economy is the fourth largest in the world, in terms of purchasing power parity, and is the world's second-fastest growing economy., and the PhilippinesThe Republic of the Philippines is an island nation consisting of an archipelago of 7,107 islands, lying in the tropical western Pacific Ocean about 100 kilometers southeast of mainland Asia. Spain (1521-1898) and the United States (1898-1946), colonized). The prosecution was led by Joseph B. Keenan , an American.The tribunal convened on May 3May 3 is the 123rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (124th in leap years). There are 242 days remaining. Events 1400-1899 1494 Christopher Columbus discovers Jamaica. 1791 The May Constitution of Poland (first modern constitution in Europe) is pr, 1946Events January January 4 Theodore Schurch becomes the last person to be executed for offences committed under the Treachery Act of 1940 January 7 Allied recognize Austrian republic with 1937 borders the country is divided into four occupation zones Januar, and was adjourned on November 12November 12 is the 316th day of the year (317th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 49 days remaining. Events 764 Tibetan troops occupy Chang'an, the capital of the Chinese Tang Dynasty, for fifteen days. 1028 Future Byzantine empress Zoe marri, 19481948 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). Events January January 1 Nationalisation of UK railways to form British Railways. Arab militants lay siege to the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. First day of the Ital.
There were 28 "A" class defendants tried, including nineteen professional military men and nine civilians - mostly military and political leaders. The indictment accused the defendants of promoting a scheme of conquest that "contemplated and carried out ... murdering, maiming and ill-treating prisoners of war (and) civilian internees ... forcing them to labor under inhumane conditions ... plundering public and private property, wantonly destroying cities, towns and villages beyond any justification of military necessity; (perpetrating) mass murder, rape, pillage, brigandage, torture and other barbaric cruelties upon the helpless civilian population of the over-run countries."
Two defendants ( Matsuoka YosukeMatsuoka Yosuke ( Matsuoka Yosuke 1880 1946) was an influential Japanese Foreign Minister during World War II. Born in Japan in 1880, Yosuke Matsuoka traveled to the United States while a teenager and eventually studied law at the University of Oregon, fr and Nagano Osami) died of natural causes during the trial. Okawa Shumei had a nervous breakdown during the trial and was removed, later to be released in 1948. Seven others were sentenced to death by hanging for war crimes and crimes against humanity. They were executed at Sugamo Prison in Ikebukuro on December 23, 1948 (the birthday of Prince Akihito).
Joseph Keenan , the chief prosecutor representing the United States at the trial, issued a press statement along with the indictment: "war and treaty-breakers should be stripped of the glamour of national heroes and exposed as what they really are - plain, ordinary murderers."