I am surprised they did not have the foresight to view this humans as "nonpersons" like some of our medical medical ghouls are suggesting we do with patients like Terri. Take the organs while the patient lives--- This entire situation is so sick and depraved.
Oh, believe you me, the satanic men in Unit 751 and other "experimentation units" classified them as non-persons alright. Otherwise, how could you kill them? The terminology used was not "shujin" (prisoner), or even "chugokujin" (Chinese), but rather--get this (it's sick), as "maruta" (logs).