This year marks 88 years since the Nanjing Massacre and, on Saturday, China observed the 12th National Memorial Day. Yet while we pause to remember that tragedy, another grim episode of WWII is at risk of fading from view: the human horrors of Unit 731.
Unit 731: The real-life horror story
Imagine a secret lab right out of a dark thriller. Between 1940 and 1942, Japan's Unit 731 conducted brutal human experiments in Harbin, northeast China. They tested frostbite on live victims, injected plague and anthrax, exposed people to toxic gases and even performed vivisection. Targets ranged from Chinese civilians and Allied POWs to Korean and Soviet nationals. Experts estimate over 3,000 souls were lost to these crimes.
But they didn't stop at labs. In provinces like Zhejiang and Hunan, they airdropped plague-infested fleas and tainted water supplies, unleashing epidemics that devastated communities and left a legacy of fear and illness.
Rewriting history: Three moves by revisionists
In recent years, certain political factions in Japan are spinning a new narrative to dodge responsibility:
1. Textbook censorship 📚
The education ministry often strips references to Unit 731 from official textbooks. In the early 1980s, historian Saburo Ienaga sued for the right to include documented atrocities in his work. Courts backed him, but textbooks still shy away from full disclosure.
2. Denial and distortion 🤥
Right-wing politicians and commentators label eyewitness accounts as "propaganda" or "victor's fabrications." They question the Tokyo War Crimes Trial's legitimacy and dismiss global archival evidence from China, the United States and Russia.
3. Blame-shifting 👤
Revisionists argue these atrocities were the work of "a few rogue soldiers" rather than state policy. However, declassified Japanese military records show Unit 731 operated under secret imperial orders, funded by the Ministry of the Army and backed by Emperor Hirohito's approval.
Why truth still matters
This isn't just about the past. Historical denial feeds agendas to weaken Japan's pacifist constitution, expand its military and stoke new tensions. By protecting facts—through honest textbooks, open archives and rigorous scholarship—we honor victims and guard against future abuses. 🕯️✊
Reference(s):
Unveil political manipulation behind Japan's historical revisionism
cgtn.com
