Ocean Island massacre


The Ocean Island massacre occurred on 20 August 1945 when between 150 and 200 civilians were killed in a mass execution by members of a Japanese naval garrison unit. The civilians, all originally inhabitants from other parts of the Gilbert Islands, had been brought to Ocean Island as slave labour. Perpetrated five days after the official Japanese announcement of surrender at the end of the Second World War, the nature of the massacre was only revealed four months later due to the emergence of a sole survivor, Kabunare Koura of Nikunau, who had remained in hiding until December 1945. Initially, the commander of the unit, Suzuki Naoomi, claimed that the civilian population had been killed during a rebellion, but the revelation of Kabunare's testimony and subsequent confessions from lower ranking participants led to war crimes prosecutions by an Australian military court. In total, 21 Imperial Japanese Navy personnel were convicted, of whom eight, including Naoomi, were executed, for their roles in the massacre.

War crimes trials

‡ On the recommendation of the Judge Advocate General, death sentence was commuted to a prison term of 20 years.
* Lieutenant-commander Suzuki's execution was delayed due to appearing as a witness in the trial of Major General Akira Hirota.
NameName RankSentence at trialConfirmed sentenceRef.
Arai Kakuzō荒井角蔵Chief petty officer7 years imprisonment7 years imprisonment
Hanawa Eiji塙栄次Sub-lieutenant20 years imprisonment20 years imprisonment
Hiraki Sakae平木榮Sub-lieutenant20 years imprisonment20 years imprisonment
Iijima Tadashi飯島重Ensign20 years imprisonment20 years imprisonment
Ishii Sadazō石井定臓Sub-lieutenant20 years imprisonment20 years imprisonment
Kiyohara Naoyoshi清原直美Sub-lieutenant20 years imprisonment20 years imprisonment
Konno Hiroshi今野浩Warrant officer7 years imprisonment7 years imprisonment
Shinozawa Yoshiharu篠澤美春Ensign15 years imprisonment15 years imprisonment
Sugino Tsuchinosuke杉野土之助Ensign15 years imprisonment15 years imprisonment
Tsuchiike Masatarō土池政太郎Sub-lieutenant20 years imprisonment20 years imprisonment
Yasuda Harumi安田春美Ensign15 years imprisonment15 years imprisonment
Yoshida Itsuo吉田逸雄Sub-lieutenant20 years imprisonment20 years imprisonment