At Manila we were made to stay in the Asaka Maru for quite a long period and the conditions were quite bad inside the ship. So I approached the authorities for the transfer of the prisoners of war into another ship but the Authorities told me that they did not have enough ships. Most of the ships were sunk so they did not have enough ships for all the prisoners of war to be transferred. So they asked us to stay in the ship, the same ship. I told them that the prisoners of war were made to stick into the ship for quite a long period and they did not have any proper exercise, so they should be allowed to have a little exercise on the shore. But that was rejected on account of possible espionage. I believe that I had done my best with regard to the accommodation of the medical arrangements for the prisoners of war.

Q. On board the Hakusan Maru did you not have any complaints from the prisoners of war relating to the closing of the portholes at night and the usage of the decks?

A. Not complaints; well they approached me and asked me whether I could do anything for them.

Q. What measures did you take on that occasion?

A. So I explained to the prisoners of war the reasons why they were not allowed to open the portholes and the use of the upper decks. I told them that they were not allowed to open the portholes on account of black out and there was every danger of being detected by submarines if we allowed too many people on the upper decks. The prisoners of war understood me.

Q. Were the ship’s crew friendly with the prisoners of war?

A. I explained to the ship’s crew the real motive for transporting the prisoners of war to Japan. I told them that we lacked in working hands. We did not have enough labourers in Japan, that we should try our best to transport as many prisoners of war in the most healthy conditions so that we would be benefited by it. So the crew were taking that into consideration and the crew were kind to the prisoners of war. As a result of this, I’d like to give one or two instances. When the prisoners of war officers became very friendly with the senior crew of the ship, eventually the ship’s officers allowed them to make use of the saloons and their own accommodation and their own cabins were given to the prisoners of war officers. Also the prisoners of war medical officer treated the sick crew very kindly. On several occasions I had seen prisoners of war officers going into the crew’s cabins and talking with them in English.

Q. What was the relation between the prisoners of war and the guards.

A. There was no incident between them.