Those who commit "crimes against peace" are Class A war criminals who "plan, prepare, launch or execute a declared or undeclared war of aggression, or a war that violates international laws, treaties, agreements or guarantees, or participate in the same plan or conspiracy of any of the above crimes", mainly former Japanese military and political leaders.
Those who commit "war crimes" are Class B war criminals, who commit "criminal acts that violate the laws and customs of war", and most of them are generals who lead troops and fail to restrain military discipline.
Those who commit "crimes against humanity" are Class C war criminals. They committed "killing, extermination, slavery, forced relocation by violence and other inhuman acts" before or during the war, and most of the defendants were the actual perpetrators of atrocities.
Legal basis: Charter of the Far East International Military Tribunal
Article 5 jurisdiction over persons and crimes.
The court has the power to try and punish Far East war criminals who are accused of committing various crimes, including crimes against peace, in their personal capacity or as members of a group.
The following acts, or any of them, constitute a criminal act, and our court has jurisdiction, and the offender shall take full responsibility:
(a) The crime of violating peace refers to planning, preparing, launching or executing a declared or undeclared war of aggression, or a war that violates international laws, treaties, agreements or guarantees, or participating in any of the above crimes.
(b) Ordinary war crimes refer to criminal acts that violate the laws or customs of war.
(c) Crimes against humanity refer to crimes committed against any peaceful population before or during the war.