Date of letter:1994-09-26
Address of author:Japan
Date of event:Not mentioned
Location of event:Not mentioned
Name of author:Shigeo NISHIMORI (translated by Ma Haiyan)
Name(s) of victim(s):Not mentioned
Type of atrocity:Others (OT)
Other details:Attached is a photo and a copy of the newspaper article expressing views on “claim for compensation” and “Japan and China will never fight a war again”.
Mr. Tong Zeng:
We’ve seen so much hot weather in this summer. It seems that everything is dried up. But as the saying goes that “Cold weather ends at the spring equinox and hot weather ends at the autumn equinox”, the weather is finally better after the Mid-Autumn Festival.
You and Ma Haiyan met in early August. I heard that you are active and energetic. My health is also covered. At the end of August, well-known writer Saotome Katsumoto and I visited South Korea, once a colony of Japan for a long time. There is an old saying that states “Hearing one hundred times is not better than seeing once.” Travelling has opened our eyes.
On September 18, a gathering was held in Kochi to “reveal the truth about the Unit 731” and memorize the “September 18 Incident”. Nearly 60 people participated in the second anniversary of the establishment of the “Japan Is No Longer in War with China” monument. These were very large, meaningful events and were reported as key reports by both newspapers and TVs. Han Xiao, curator of the Japanese Unit 731 crime evidence exhibition hall and Jing Fuhe, a relative of a plague victim participated in the two historic gatherings. We read your speech at the ceremony. Your words of “Only through free communication between peoples can a true friendship be developed” are right to the point. There was a report about the gatherings in the Short Review column of Kochi News. Please read about it.
Mr. Han expressed understanding of your program and hoped that you could carry it on with confidence. Mr. Han said that he had seen the evidence materials about a compensation of 180 billion USD against Japan from the magazine of the American Overseas Chinese Association. What’s shameful is that it’s been half a century since the war, but the Japanese government still refuses to face the fact of victimizing civilians and compensate to them. This is a violation of the spirits of Japan’s Constitution and must be changed by improving public opinion. On July 29 and 30 of next year, the National Liaison Conference of War Disasters will be held in Kochi in memory of the Kochi Raid. If possible, we’d like to invite you to Kochi. Please think about our invitation. Send my regards to Mr. Yin and Mr. Zhang.
Take care.
Shigeo NISHIMORI
September 26, 1994
(Translated by Ma Haiyan from Japanese to Chinese)
11 Former Members of the Unit 731 Promises to the Families of Chinese Victims not to Use Bacterial Weapons Again /Kochi
On 17th, at the Kochi Unit 731 Research Symposia in Kochi, President Toru KURIHARA responded to the call of Chinese representatives and 11 Kochi people including Meiji YAMAMOTO (former president of the Kochi Parliament, 70, Liberal Democratic Party) confessed the past experience of being members of the Unit 731 and pledged that there would never be another Unit 731. Although the confession of former Unit 731 members happened sometimes in different places, it’s still rare to have so many members confessing at one time.
The symposia invited Han Xiao (57 years old), the curator of the invading Japanese Unit 731 crime evidence exhibition hall (Harbin, China), who made a speech on “What is the Unit 731 like” and appealed that “Despite being members of the Unit 731, they were forced to perform the task without being fully informed, so they are also victims from a certain perspective. So, let’s meet and have a good chat as friends. ”
About 100 people participated in the symposia, including Shigekura, Kansuke MORIOKA (73 years old) who admitted he was an important member of Kochi team and other 11 former Unit 731 members. They came forward one by one and shook hands with Mr. Han.
Mr. YAMAMOTO was a parliament member and a friend of President TORU of the Kochi Parliament of the Socialist Party. Being deeply moved by the sincerity of Mr. Kurihara, Mr. YAMAMOTO publicly explained for the first time the reason for his being a member of the Unit 731.
Mr. YAMAMOTO described that he was assigned to the Hailaer (a district in Hulunbuir, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China) army branch in February of the 19th year of Showa (1944) and he assumed the position of secretary of the branch minister (military major) for a period before Japan’s defeat. At first, the army branch set the goal of disease prevention, but since the second year, there had been rumor about researching bacterial weapons. Mr. YAMAMOTO was startled himself.
Mr. YAMAMOTO said, “When I was secretary, I searched and read papers on bacterial weapons. Accurately speaking, the experiment was conducted on the rats, but in fact the bacteria also invaded surrounding villages. As a Japanese person who once did this to the Chinese people, I am reallyashamed of myself. We should make adequate compensation. ”
Other members also provided evidence such as “My job was to catch rats and report information about the increase in the number of rats to the headquarters. The fleas were also proliferated (with plague bacteria as the medium).
When the Unit 731 was dismissed, the members were ordered not to expose their identity to conceal its existence, so there were few cases of former Unit 731 members making a confession.
The symposia also invited Mr. Jing Fuhe (60 years old) from Heilongjiang, China who lost 12 relatives in the second year after the war due to the plague bacteria left by the Unit 731. He made a speech titled “Evidence of a Relative of Victims” to share his personal experience with us.
Mr. Han said, “The responsibility for invading China shall be borne by the Japanese government instead of the Japanese people. Most Japanese people have admitted the existence of the Unit 731 and actively conveyed the historical truth to the younger generation, which have paved the way for the Sino-Japanese friendship. Hopefully more members can tell the truth here.”
Meiji YAMAMOTO (former president of the Kochi Parliament) shaking hands with Curator Han Xiao (left)
September 18, 1994
Losses Caused by the Unit 731
A Report from A Relative of Chinese Victims/ Kochi
On September 17th, a meeting was held at the NTT square along the Takajomachi Street, Kochi. The meeting included speeches from the standpoint of the Chinese people on the losses caused by the former Japanese 731 Unit to former Manchuria (now Northeast China) due to the bacterial warfare and human experiments during the World War II.
The meeting was launched by the Kochi Unit 731 Research Institute (President Toru KURIHARA), attracting about 100 citizens, including 13 former members of the Unit 731. The participants listed to the evidence of victims who lost families due to the plague bacteria near the post-war base.
Mr. Jing Fuhe (60 years old) who once lived near the Unit 731’s stationed base in Harbin, China said, “The Unit 731 destroyed the facilities before its retreat. I saw with my own eyes the sight of many horses, monkeys and rats escaping from the base. The next year, plague became epidemic in near-by villages. My family had 19 members, 12 of whom died in 20 days.” Moreover, Mr. Han Xiao (57 years old), the curator of the invading Japanese Unit 731 crime evidence exhibition hall(Harbin, China) said, “Only by facing up to the history can a Sino-Chinese friendship be developed.”
September 19, Kochi
Commemorative ceremony of the “Japan Is No Longer in War against China” Monument in Kochi
“Wish a long last of Sino-Japanese Friendship”
Speech Made by Mr. Han (Curator of the Japanese Unit 731 Crime Evidence Exhibition Hall)
On September 18th, 1994, 63 years after the September 18 Incident, the second anniversary of the establishment of the “Japan Is No Longer in War against China” monument was held at Sakurababa, Kochi. The visiting Mr. Han Xiao, curator of the Japanese Unit 731 crime evidence exhibition hall, made a speech. Mr. Han and his party met with former members of the Unit 713 from Suzaki and said to them, “I am your friend”.
Curator Han made a speech before the monument (Sakurababa, Kochi)
The “Japan Is No Longer in War with against China” wooden monument was set up at Fujinami Park in the 42rd year of Showa (1967), and the formal monument was established at Sakurababa 2 years ago. On that day, the organizer Mr. Eikura UEDA made a speech at first, “Today in history was the first day when Japan launched the war. This monument is of value to those marching towards a military power.” He described the construction process of the monument. Then, Curator Han said, “I am so glad to see the monument. It’s a symbol of the Sino-Chinese friendship. I pray that the friendship between Chinese and Japanese people will last for generations to come.” His words were greeted with thunderous applause.
The Japanese Unit 731 Crime Evidence Exhibition Hall is a place of facilities that exposes the truth about the Japanese Unit 731 headquartered in the suburban of Harbin in former Manchuria. The “major players” of the unit were staff members other than doctors and soldiers. The general soldiers responsible for chores in the unit are mainly from Shikoku, Japan (about 150 people in this case). Curator Han also communicated with them.
Before the ceremony, Curator Han visited a former member of the 731 Unit, Mr. Masumi HIROTA (73 years old) who live at No. 1 Avenue, Former Street, Suzaki.
About 7 years ago, when attending a comrade meeting as a a knowledgable person from Kochi, Mr. HIROTA suddenly had a cerebral infarction and became bedridden. Curator Han held Mr. HIROTA’s hands and said, “We are your friends. You must work hard. Hope you get better soon.” After hearing this, Mr. HIROTA held Curator Han’s hands tighter, his eyes suffused with tears.
Those from Kochi were assigned to Hailaer (a district in Hulunbuir, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China) branch of the Unit 731. It was known to be different from the headquarters. Their main task was to catch rats and they knew nothing about the “bacteria troops”. About 130 people including calligrapher Shokaku NAKAHIRA and former President of the Kochi Parliament Mr. Meiji YAMAMOTO persist upon holding a comrade meeting every year.
Additionally, at the night of the day, Curator Han and his party had a long talk at the Symposia in the Peace Museum “Grass House” in Kochi.
Monday September 19, 1994 (6th year of Heisei)
A memorial ceremony before the “Japan Is No Longer in War against China” monument. 50 participants swore a friendly coexistence at the second anniversary of the establishment of the monument.
In memory of the second anniversary of the establishment of the monument, 50 citizens made a promise to have no Sino-Japanese war before the monument in the park in the west of Kochi on September 18 before the founder of the monument.
Today marks the 63rd anniversary of the Sino-Japanese War. The monument, built as an evidence of the war, is a reflection of the tremendous losses and damage that Japan caused to China during the war. Among the participants before the monument is Han Xiao, curator of the Japanese Unit 731 crime evidence exhibition Hall who has come a long way to visit Japan. He said, “Correct understanding of the history, learning from lessons and communication are a cornerstone for a Sino-Japanese friendship and an inevitable path to prevent wars.”
Before the monument, a memorial gathering was held at the square of Kochi, where an animated cartoon titled “Song of Raiyantsuri” about laborers being taken away from China is shown on the screen. Then, Shigeo NISHIMORI, curator of the Peace Museum “Grass House”, talked about post-war compensation, “Only by listening to the voice of Asian people and building a bridge of friendship in the heart can we make true international contributions.”
Curator Han Xiao made a speech before the monument in the park in the west of Kochi.
Torch relay in Kochi
Asian Athletic Conference
The 12th leg of torch relay for the Asian Athletic Conference to be held in Hiroshima in October reaches Kochi on September 18.
