Tasuku Okada


Tasuku Okada was a Japanese officer during World War II. After the war he was put on trial during the Yokohama War Crimes Trials for ordering executions of captured American aircrew. He was executed by hanging.
Okada took responsibility for ordering the execution of 38 captured US prisoners of war, after he considered them to be war criminals for the firebombings of Japan. Okada took full blame for the war crime, in effect, shielding his subordinates from harsh punishment and earning him wide respect.

In popular culture

The story of the trial of Okada and his subordinates was depicted in the 2007 film, Best Wishes for Tomorrow. He was played by Makoto Fujita.