The IMTFE Exhibits are one of the trial’s most valuable legacies. The Exhibits are made up of a 93 volume (3916 exhibits) compilation of evidence from both the Prosecution and the Defence. Evidence from countless topics involved with the general history of East Asia in the first half of the twentieth century is amassed in the Exhibits. Particular focus is given to the growth of Japanese Imperialism. The Exhibits are one of the Northcroft collection’s most distinguishing sections. Only a handful of other libraries and archives in the world have as extensive a collection of IMTFE exhibits.
The Northcroft collection’s volumes of Exhibits are remarkably complete. Only three exhibits are missing outright. These missing exhibits are Exhibit 858 "Chart of Gold Production in Japanese Empire 1925 - 1941", Exhibit 860 "Chart of Expansion of Industry in Japan Proper 1931 - 1941", and Exhibit 882 "Copies of a Map Prepared and Issued by the American Army Map Service Showing Mandated Islands of Japan and Their Situation with Respect to Other Countries". The whereabouts of these is unknown and they are likely lost. A Note from Justice Northcroft on the exhibit prior to Exhibit 882 says that the map was put in a "Judge's Map Folder". Perhaps the same happened to the charts of Exhibit 858 and Exhibit 860. The location of this “Judge’s Map Folder” is unknown.
Otherwise, the Northcroft collection of Exhibits is complete. The list below marks many exhibits other than the three mentioned above as “missing”. Beside each of these entries is a brief explanation of the reason for the omission of the particular exhibit. A number of these exhibits (Charts, Maps, Books, Scrolls, etc.) were not officially admitted into evidence because of their size. Most of these oversized exhibits were marked for identification only and were never meant to be included in a collection of the evidence. Often, excerpts from such exhibits were entered into evidence as substitutes. The Northcroft collection has these excerpts. Others were rejected by the tribunal and thus not admitted into evidence. The exhibits listed below as “missing” are the only missing exhibits of the entire Northcroft collection. Unless indicated as “missing” below, the Northcroft collection has all other exhibits. This includes exhibits that were “rejected”, “revised”, “withdrawn”, or marked “for identification only” during the IMTFE. Many of these are likely unique to the Northcroft collection.
Kenneth M. Wells’ Index to the Records of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East (Japanese War Trials 3 May 1946 – 4 November 1948 (1983), is the best tool for sorting through the vast number of exhibits. This invaluable index links place names, events, personalities, and other notable ideas to specific exhibit numbers. Wells’ index was made using the Northcroft collection and is perfectly suited for use at the University of Canterbury. It can be found in both the Macmillan Brown Library (call number JX 6731 .W3 .I61 Index a) and the Central Library (ask at the Information Services Department for the History Librarian) of the University of Canterbury. Use the table below to determine what volume of the Exhibits the desired exhibit is in. Request this volume from the Macmillan Brown Library staff. Use the Index of Exhibits for further details on specific exhibits. This is particularly useful when used in conjunction to Wells’ index. The Index of Exhibits gives the name of each exhibit. Wells’ index only gives the exhibit number. The Index of Exhibits is found in the Northcroft collection’s “Indexes and Finding Guides” section. To link an exhibit number from either the Index of Exhibits or Wells’ index, refer to “A Brief Guide to Trial Phases and Divisions” (1xvii-1xxi) in Pritchard and Zaide’s Comprehensive Index and Guide to the Proceedings of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East (1987)
