SEPTUAGENARIAN'S NOTES

 (April 3, 2024)

By Philip M. Lustre Jr.

Japan’s military governors in the PHL

Japan occupied the Philippines for three and a half years during the Second World War. In 1942-1945, Japan had four Japanese military governors: Masaharu Homma; Shizuichi Tanaka; Shigenori Kuroda; and Tomoyuki Yamashita. The High Command in Tokyo appeared not satisfied with the performance of the first three military governors. This explained they did not last long in their posts.

Unbeknown to many Filipinos, the four military governors had overseas stints as Japan’s military attaches in several countries like the United States and British India. Homma, the most senior, served as a military attache in United Kingdom. Kuroda was a military attache in U. K. (England) and British India, while Tanaka served as one in Mexico and the U.S. Tanaka studied English literature in Oxford University, mastering in Shakespearean works. Yamashita served as military attache in Switzerland, Germany, and Austria. Except Yamashita, who spoke fluent German, the three military governors were proficient in English.

Contrary to popular beliefs, the four military governors were not cruel or hard-driving military generals, who ordered or tolerated abuses by the Japan Imperial Army soldiers, a number of whom were Korean and Taiwanese conscripts, who were given Japanese names and assigned here. They had differing temperaments to indicate their high education. Despite the rise of Japanese militarism during their time, they were assigned here under varying circumstances.

The task to conquer the Philippines fell on Gen. Homma, the first military governor. Because he failed to deliver PHL surrender on time, he was said to have derailed Japan’s overall timetable to conquer East Asia. Homma was an Army general, who was said to be against abuses by his soldiers. Homma presided over the Battle of Bataan, where Filipinos and American soldiers fought with unparalleled ferocity to delay the Japanese advancement here.

Because of the atrocities committed in the Bataan-Tarlac “death march,” Homma underwent trial and was convicted and hanged in 1946. Scholars later found out that Homma was engaged in bitter power struggle with fellow generals who opposed his predominantly Western values in the conduct of war and lenient attitude toward civilians. His fellow officers gave Tokyo negative reports about his performance in the Philippines leading to huis relief immediately after the May 6, 1942 fall of Corregidor.

Tanaka replaced Homma days after the surrender of Corregidor, where the last American and Filipino soldiers held out. Tanaka was a serious, old school soldier, who became the hero of the August 15, 1945 rebellion of middle ranking officers to oppose Japan’s surrender to the U.S. Tanaka president over the consolidation of Japanese forces here. Tanaka’s tenure here lasted only nine months after he contracted malaria here and went back to Japan to recuperate. He committed suicide when Japan surrendered.

Kuroda replaced Tanaka and led in the participation of Filipino leaders in Japan’s Occupation. It was under the tenure of this reputed fun-loving general that the Japanese sponsored Philippine Republic emerged. Kuroda nurtured Jose P. Laurel Sr. and other Filipino leaders like Jorge Vargas, Camilo Osias, among others. He was the longest serving Japanese military governor at 14 months.

But Kuroda was known for his womanizing ways. He was said to have fallen into the charms of several beautiful Filipino women, some of whom were movie actresses and entertainers. He was reported to have hosted parties, of which his superiors in Tokyo did not appreciate. Because he became notorious for his hedonistic and complacent ways, he was recalled in Tokyo and given an inconsequential assignment toward the end of the war. He was extradited to face trial here, but was given amnesty in 1952 by then President Elpidio Quirino. He died in the same year.

Yamashita, who earned the reputation as “Tiger of Malaya,” because he led the Japanese forces to press for the surrender of much bigger and powerful British soldiers in the Malay Peninsula, took over in 1944 at the waning days of the Japanese occupation and American Liberation forces about to land here. Contrary to popular beliefs, Yamashita was not the general responsible for the spate of abuses committed by Japanese soldiers at the 1945 Battle of Manila.

The responsibility for these misdeeds fell on Rear Admiral Sanji Iwabuchi, who commanded the Japanese Imperial Navy forces, which took over Manila after Yamashita’s Army forces retreated to the Cordilleras in northern Luzon. Under the Japanese military structure, the Japanese Imperial Army is separate from the Japanese Imperial Navy. Iwabuchi forces committed the Manila Massacre, where about 100,000 persons died during the pivotal Battle of Manila in 1945.

Iwabuchi committed suicide when it was certain that his forces faced defeat toward the end of the Battle of Manila. Yamashita, meanwhile, underwent trial after he surrendered towards the end of the war. He was hanged in 1946. Yamashita was more famous for the alleged treasures he looted in Malaya and Singapore, which he took when he was assigned here. The four Japanese military governors were said to be highly educated. They were not barbarians as painted by some irresponsible and uninformed quarters.#