A. A day before embarkation I was ordered by the Commander of the Anchorage Command to be the Ship’s Commandant.

Q. How many prisoners of war altogether did you transport?

A. In the beginning the number was fixed at 750 but actually the number that sailed was 738.

Q. How is that there were 12 less?

A. On the day of embarkation we had medical examinations and 8 were found unfit by the Japanese medical officer and the prisoners of war medical officer leaving 742 and the 742 went on board but we stayed about two weeks in the boat before sailing and during that period there were a few sick cases and finally before sailing another 4 were found to be not fit and they were left behind, so the actual number was 738.

Q. From where and on what boat were the prisoners of war made to embark?

A. They embarked on the Asaka Maru at Singapore which was a cargo boat.

Q. In which part of the ship were the prisoners of war put?

A. In the beginning the prisoners of war were supposed to make use of No. 3 hatch but the place was too crowded, therefore I asked the master of the ship to get another place for the prisoners of war. As a result of that they were allowed to use the decks by the kindness of the Ship’s master.

Q. Who ordered the prisoners of war to be put in that No. 3 hatch?

A. That was the order from the Anchorage Command.

Q. Did you not receive any complaints from the prisoners of war saying that the compartment was too small?

A. It was not a complaint but they had asked me to allow them more spaces.

Q. What steps did you take?

A. As I have mentioned just now I requested the Ship’s master to allow them more spaces.

Q. What happened then?

A. As a result of that the Ship’s master was kind enough to allow them to make use of the different decks of the ship.

Q. How were the decks used?

A. Soon after the ship left the wharf they made use of the decks.

Q. How many persons were accommodated on decks?

A. About 450.

Q. Why were they not allowed to use the decks before the ship left the wharf?

A. I was told by the Anchorage Command that while the ship was in the wharf it was not advisable for the prisoners of war to use the decks on account of possible espionage . . .

Q. How was No. 3 hatch equipped?

A. We used the mid-deck of the third hold . . . The capacity was 50 feet square and about 10 feet high and this hold was divided into two layers of beds and of course the top layer was smaller than the lower by the dimension of the hatchway.

Q. Was it dark or bright inside the hatch?