Kojima Hisajiro and Takayoshi Eizo

Case Summary

Sub-Lieutenant Kojima Hisajiro was an under-officer in charge of local civilian labourers on Nancowry Island and Takayoshi Eizo was an cilivian overseer under Kojima's command. The labourers were employed to perform forestry work. Sometime in July 1945, two locals, Najiro and Ramadi ran away from camp but returned a few days later. They were then tied up and beaten by Takayoshi Eizo with a stick for several hours and they died a few days later. In the same month, Daulat, a local foreman, became ill and could not work. Daulat was forced to work as a coolie with reduced rations and was beaten for an hour every day by Takayoshi Eizo. On the 6th day, Daulat stole biscuits from a Japanese store and was beaten by Takayoshi Eizo for 4 hours, afterwhich he died. Both Sub-Lieutenant Kojima Hisajiro and Takayoshi Eizo were charged with the deaths of the labourers in both incidences, Sub-Lieutenant Kojima Hisajiro was implicated as he was Takayoshi Eizo's superior but was acquitted as the court-martial found that he had no knowledge of Takayoshi Eizo's actions. Takayoshi Eizo was found guilty of both charges and hanged.

For more information see:

http://www.legal-tools.org/doc/ac2e1c

In acquiting Sub-Lieutenant Kojima Hisajiro, the court-martial remarked that it was fortunate he was tried under English law, which does not admit confessions extracted from him by torture or otherwise. The court also observed that Sub-Lieutenant Kojima Hisajiro was afforded the assistance from both Japanese counsels and a British officer, a privilege not afforded to any British prisoner.