Unit 9420

Imperial Japanese Army

Formed in 1942 to support the Japanese Southern Army, Unit 9420 or Oka Unit consisted of two units; the Umeoka Unit, which specialised in the plague, and the Kono Unit, which specialised in malaria.[1]

Commanded by Major General Kitagawa Masataka, the unit was headquartered in the Permai Hospital in Tampoi, Johor, near the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, 13 km northeast of Johor Bahru and Singapore,[2] with some evidence that it also had sub-units operating in Thailand and working on unknown diseases. Coupled to its work on the plague, the unit was also responsible for rat catching.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b David K. Japan's dark background 1881-1945: Singapore- Headquarters of the Oka Unit (Unit 9420) [4 July] 2000
  2. ^ マレー半島南端ジョホールバルの北東約13キロのタンポイにある精神病院「プルマイ病院」にあり... http://hide20.blog.ocn.ne.jp/mokei/2008/06/post_9ec0.html

See also