Kamo Unit

... Research and development of biological weapons in Japan began in August 1932 with the establishment of an epidemic prevention laboratory at the Army Medical School, headed by Ishii Shiro, a third-class military surgeon (equivalent to a major at the time). In the same year, Ishii went to Manchuria and established the Kwantung Army Epidemic Prevention Unit (codenamed the Kamo Unit) in Beiyinhe near Harbin. From then on, the defensive aspects of biological and chemical weapons were handled by the Military Medical School, while the offensive aspects (weapons development and actual combat) were handled by units in Manchuria. In 1936, the Kwantung Army Epidemic Prevention Unit became the Kwantung Army Epidemic Prevention Department (codenamed the Togo Unit, commanded by Ishii), and from 1938 to 1939, it moved its headquarters and experiment facilities to Pingfang near Harbin, and carried out its first bacteriological warfare during the Nomonhan Incident. ...

*Some of the terminology that refers to the "Kamo Unit" is listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…　日本における生物兵器の研究･開発は，1932年8月，陸軍軍医学校に3等軍医正(当時，少佐に相当)石井四郎を主幹とする防疫研究室が設置されたことに始まる。また，同年石井は満州に赴き，ハルビン近郊背陰河に関東軍防疫班(秘匿名，加茂部隊)を設立し，以後，生物化学兵器に関して，防御面は軍医学校，攻撃面(兵器開発と実戦)は満州の部隊で進められることになった。関東軍防疫班は36年に関東軍防疫部(秘匿名，東郷部隊，部隊長は石井)となり，38年から39年にかけてハルビン近郊平房に本部･実験施設を移転，ノモンハン事件に際して初めて細菌戦を実施した。…

※「加茂部隊」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報