During World War II, the Japanese engaged in cannibalism against Allied prisoners. Some cases were motivated by lack of normal supplies. An Indian POW in New Guinea testified that:
The Japanese started selecting prisoners and every day one prisoner was taken out and eaten by the soldiers. I personally saw this happen and about 100 prisoners were eaten at this place.
The remainder of us were taken to another spot 50 miles away. At this place, the Japanese again started selecting prisoners to eat. Those selected were taken to a hut, where their flesh was cut from their bodies while they were alive. They were then thrown into a ditch, where they later died.
第二次世界大戰期間，日軍以俘虜到的盟軍士兵為食。有時，這是因為缺乏正常補給。一名在新畿內亞的印度籍戰俘有以下證詞：
日軍開始挑選戰俘，每天帶走一人，給士兵吃。我目睹這樣的事。在這個地方，給吃掉的戰俘有一百人左右。
我和餘下的戰俘，被帶到五十英里以外另一個地點。在這裏，日軍又着手擇人而噬。被選中的，給帶到一間小屋裏，活生生被割下身上肌肉，然後被扔進溝壑裏，慢慢死去。
＊Cannibal指「食人肉的人」或「動物之食同類者」。當年哥倫布抵達西印度群島，以為島上的加勒比人（Caribs）是食人族，而西班牙語叫Caribs為Canibales。這就是cannibal一字的來源。