Masanobu Tsuji

Masanobu Tsuji (11th October 1901 - Declared dead 20th July 1968) was an officer in the Imperial Japanese army during World War II.

Biography
Tsuji was an officer in the Japanese army, who was stationed in the Kwangtung Army during the leadup to the Soviet-Japanese border conflict. His insubordinate attitude exacerbated the tensions, and incited the battle of Khalkin Gol in 1939. After the Japanese lost the battle, Tsuji became adamantly opposed to any further conflict with the Soviet Union. However, he was also a fervent advocate of the Attack on Pearl Harbour, and planned the assassination of the Japanese prime minister if he achieved peace with the US.

After Tsuji's dreams of war with the US and UK were realised, Tsuji was placed on the staff of Tomoyuki Yamashita, and was responsible for planning the Sook Ching, the systematic murder of Malayan Chinese. He was later transferred to the staff of Masaharu Homma in the Philippines, where he was placed in charge of the assault on the city of Bataan. After the surrender of Bataan, Tsuji sought to have all the American prisoners killed, and orchestrated the Bataan Death March as a result. He also ordered the execution of captured Filipino officials and was in charge of meeting with Chinese collaborators and agents of Chiang Kai-shek's government.

After Imperial Japan was defeated in 1945, Tsuji went on the run to avoid being prosecuted and hanged for his involvement in the Sook Ching, like General Yamashita, and the Bataan Death March, like General Homma. He was last heard of escaping to Laos in 1961, and was officially declared dead in 1968.