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War Crimes and Historical Awareness of Japanese Class A War Criminal Entrepreneurs through the Tokyo Trials -Focusing on Goko Kiyoshi-

KANG KYUNGJA 1

1부산대학교

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ABSTRACT

This study examines the war crimes and historical awareness of Japanese entrepreneurs implicated as Class-A war criminals, with a focus on Goko Kiyoshi, the former CEO of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, through interrogation records from the Tokyo Trials. Cross-referencing his testimonies with historical evidence reveals Goko's attempts to downplay his responsibility for war crimes, deny corporate-military collaboration, and glorify Japan's imperialist wars. However, historical records confirm his active role in wartime economic policies, including justifying forced labor and exploiting resources for corporate gain. Goko’s distorted historical awareness was aimed at evading legal and moral accountability. The Tokyo Trials, constrained by Cold War priorities that prioritized Japan's economic reconstruction, failed to hold economic leaders like Goko accountable. As a result, figures such as Goko avoided indictment and punishment, which influenced Japan’s postwar reconstruction. This lack of accountability perpetuated the evasion of responsibility, left forced labor compensation unresolved, and deepened Japan-South Korea tensions. Re-examining the war crimes and responsibilities of Japanese wartime corporations is essential for historical reconciliation. An empirical reassessment of corporate accountability is key to addressing grievances and fostering trust between the two nations.

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* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.

This paper was written with support from the National Research Foundation of Korea.
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