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'Sugamo Prison' (''Sugamo Kōchi-sho'',:巢鴨拘置所,:巣鴨拘置所) was built in the 1920's for political prisoners, using the prisons of Europe as a model. It was located in the city of Ikebukuro, which is now part of the Toshima ward of Tokyo. During World War II, many communists and other dissenters were incarcerated at Sugamo.
After Japan's surrender, the US Eighth Army commissioned Sugamo to house Japan's war criminals as they awaited trial before the International Military Tribunal for the Far East. While the prison was operated by Japanese personnel, American GIs oversaw the operation.
In 1971, with all of Japan's war criminals either dead or on parole, Sugamo Prison was demolished, and in 1978 the Sunshine 60 building, at its completion the tallest in Japan, was built on its place. All that is left to commemorate the prison is a rock, in the shadow of Sunshine 60, that says "Pray for eternal peace."