"Water cure," a form of water torture, was widely used by Japanese troops (specifically the Kempeitai, the Japanese military police) in occupied territories during World War II.
The method involved forcing water, sometimes with irritants like soap, into the victim's body.

Process: The victim was typically tied or secured in a prone (face-down) position. A cloth was placed over their mouth and nose, and water was continuously poured or "pumped" in, filling the lungs and stomach until the person was near unconsciousness from asphyxiation.

Physical Trauma: Once the victim's body was bloated with water, pressure was applied to the abdomen—sometimes by beating it or a guard jumping on it—to force the water out.

Repetition: The victim would be revived, and the brutal process repeated multiple times during interrogation.

Survivors described the experience as feeling like drowning, "just gasping between life and death". The torture causes extreme physical pain, potential organ damage, and severe, lasting psychological trauma.

This method, along with other extreme acts, led to a high mortality rate among prisoners of war under Japanese control compared to other theaters of the war. After the war, Japanese war criminals were tried for these atrocities at the International Military Tribunal for the Far East.