| Birth date | April 14, 1890 |
|---|---|
| Death date | September 17, 1949 (aged 59) |
| Birth place | Tottori Prefecture, Imperial Japan |
| Death place | Sugamo Prison, Tokyo, Occupied Japan |
| Death cause | Execution by hanging |
| Conviction | War crimes |
| Conviction status | Executed |
| Criminal penalty | Death |
| Trial | Yokohama War Crimes Trials |
| Allegiance | Empire of Japan |
|---|---|
| Service years | 1911–1945 |
| Rank | Lieutenant General |
| Battles | World War II |
Tasuku Okada (岡田 資, Okada Tasuku, April 14, 1890 – September 17, 1949) was a Japanese officer during World War II. After the war he was put on trial during the Yokohama War Crimes Trials for ordering executions of captured American aircrew in 1945. Okada was found guilty, sentenced to death, and hanged in 1949. Okada took responsibility for ordering the execution of 38 captured U.S. POWs, after he considered them to be war criminals for the firebombings of Japan.[1][2]
In popular culture
The war crimes trial of Okada was depicted in the 2007 film, Best Wishes for Tomorrow. He was played by Makoto Fujita.[3][4]
References
- ^ Pulvers, Roger Maj. Gen. Okada: a rare leader who took the blame June 24, 2007 Japan Times Retrieved February 23, 2016
- ^ Morio, Norio Japanese film a poetic look at a WWII war crime trial March 9, 2008 Archived March 9, 2016 at the Wayback Machine Stars and Stripes Retrieved February 23, 2016
- ^ Pulvers, Roger An exemplar of where the war-crimes buck stops May 20, 2007 Japan Times Retrieved February 23, 2016
- ^ Pulvers, Roger Maj. Gen. Okada: a rare leader who took the blame June 24, 2007 Japan Times Retrieved February 23, 2016