Figure 1.--

Japan appears to be the only World War II combatant to have employed chemical weapons. Primeminister Tōjō and other Japanese officials after the War insisted that Japan had only used tear and sneezing gases. Evidence to the contrary, however, is overwealming that the Japanese did employed chemical weapons in China to a degree that must have been known by Government officials. There is substantial evidence that the Japanese used chemical weapons in China, including physical ecidence. Japanese experts have worked in China disarming Japanese chemical weapons still being found there. [De Blois] There was of course no reason for the Japanese to deploy chemical weapons in China other than to use them. China did not have chemical weapms and thus there was no need to hold them ready for retailiation. The issue concerning Japanese chenical weapons in China is mot whether they used them, but to what extent. Some authors that the Japanese used only small quantities of mustard gas and lewisite in China. One report describes nearly 900 incidents before 1941. Japanese aircraft dropped gas bombs on the suburbs of Ichang, the last navigable port on the River Yangtse (October 1941). Other reports suggest use in 1942 as well. [AP Online] Once Japan launched the Pacific War, they seem to have curtailed, but not ended the use of chemical weapons. Here documentation is comolicated because Japanese officials deny that they were using chemical weapons in the first place. It is not entirely clear why they decided to curtail the use of chemical weapons. America at the time had no way of delivering substantial quantities of chemical weapons. The mere fact that America and Britain had chemical weapons, however, appears to have disuaded the Japanese. There are reports that local commanders on an isolated basis used chemical weapons, not only in China, but against the Allies as well. One report aleges that the Japanese used chemical weapons on the British in Burma. [Allen, p. 301.] There are also reports the Japanese tested chemical/bacterological weapons on Allied POWs and then evaluated the results with vivisections.

Inter-War Dipolmacy

Japanese Chemical Weapons Programs

Military Assessments

Civil Defense Priorities

The Japanese Government was aware of Japan's vulnerability to gas attack. The primary reasoning seems to have been that Japan would estanlish a wide security zone which would prevent American attack and that the United States make peace because they would be unwilling to pay the cost in blood and treasure to assault the newly on empire. A U.S. War time assessment of civil defense preparations reported, "The Antiaircraft Defense Association, "Kokukiokia," instructs civilians in air raid measures. It is a local, voluntary organization working under government control, educating and training the public. Smaller units known as "Neighbor-Group Air Defense" groups, of about 11 families each, are also organized to combat fires, etc., but until actual raid conditions prevail, no knowledge of their efficiency in training may be expected. Such information as is available tends to show that the government is thoroughly aware of the vulnerability of the islands. As far back as 1936, air raid shelters were constructed in Tokyo, and others have been built throughout the empire since. While the necessity of gas-proofing these shelters is perfectly obvious, and no doubt regulations were issued to this effect, there is no documentary evidence along these lines. According to a German broadcast on March 23, 1942, the Japanese government, recognizing the failure of the people to purchase gas masks for their protection, began the distribution of masks throughout the islands, limiting the number to one to a household for training purposes and assessing the costs to the individual. The State bears the cost to the poor."[U.S. War Department]

Usage

Japan appears to be the only World War II combatant to have employed chemical weapons. Primeminister Tōjō and other Japanese officials after the War insisted that Japan had only used tear and sneezing gases. Evidence to the contrary, however, is overwealming that the Japanese did employed chemical weapons in China to a degree that must have been known by Government officials. There is substantial evidence that the Japanese used chemical weapons in China, including physical ecidence. Japanese experts have worked in China disarming Japanese chemical weapons still being found there. [De Blois] There was of course no reason for the Japanese to deploy chemical weapons in China other than to use them. China fid not have chemical weapms and thus there was no need to hold them for retailiation. One report describes nearly 900 incidents before 1941. Japanese aircraft dropped gas bombs on the suburbs of Ichang, the last navigable port on the River Yangtse (October 1941). Othee reports suggest use in 1942 as well. [AP Online] Once Japan launched the Pacific War, they seem to have curtailed, but not ended the use of chemical weapons. Here documentation is comolicated because Japanese officials deny that they were using chemical weapons in the first place. It is not entirely clear why they decided to curtail the use of chemical weapons. America at the time had no way of delivering substantial quantities of chemical weapons. The mere fact that America and Britain had chemical weapons, however, appears to have disuaded the Japanese. There are reports that local commanders on an isolated basis used chemical weapons, not only in China, but against the Allies as well. One report aleges that the Japanese used chemical weapons on the British in Burma. [Allen, p. 301.]

Testing on POWs

There are also reports the Japanese tested chemical/bacterological weapons on Allied POWs and then evaluated the results with vivisections.

War Crime Trials

Sources

AP Online. "Report: Japan found to have used poison gas in World War II" AP Online (June 14 1998). The Japanese Mainichi newspaper obtained Foreign Ministry documents about a Chinese trial of a Jappanese offucer who ordered the use of poison gas in northern China during May 1942.

Allen, Louis. Burma: The Longest War (London, 1984).

De Blois, Nicky. AP Writer. "Chinese, Japanese experts dismantle World War II poisin gas shells found in Chins" AP Worldstream (September 12, 2003). This reports describes the disarming of Japanese chemical shells found near Luquan.

Pinal County Staff. "History of Chemical and Biological Warfare: 1901-1939 A.D.". Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response, Pinal County. (2003).

U.S. War Department. "Civil Protection Against Gas Warfare in Enemy Countries" Tactical and Technical Trends, No. 17, (January 28, 1943).

Created: 6:58 AM 10/3/2004
Last updated: 4:19 AM 1/23/2010