Tokyo War Crimes Trial

Abstract The eastern counterpart of the Nuremberg Trials, the Tokyo War Crimes Trial (1946–1948) was a watershed moment in the history of modern Japan. It presented the Japanese people with a unique opportunity to examine voluminous oral and documentary evidence of the war of aggression and atrocities that were committed by the Japanese armed forces during the Asia‐Pacific War (1931–1945). This trial, in this respect, marked a crucial starting point of the Japanese confrontation with war guilt, a process that continues to this day. The Tokyo Trial carries special significance also in the field of international law. The Tribunal delivered a landmark judgment that determined individual criminal responsibility not only of military commanders but also of state leaders for war crimes. Confirming the Nuremberg precedents, the Tokyo Tribunal thus put an end to the immunity that high‐ranking government officials had historically enjoyed and contributed to building the foundation of international humanitarian law.