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Respected Comrade Tong Zeng , a Young Scholar:
　　Hello!

　　On December 21 last year, I mailed a letter containing materials for claiming damage compensation from the Japanese government to you. Have you received it? I am quite worried since I haven’t received any reply from you since then.

　　I am a native of Matou Town, Tancheng County, Shandong Province, currently residing at No. 1, 3F, West Unit, 174 South Minzhu Road, Xuzhou (for the sake of receiving correspondence safely, my correspondence address is: Li Diting c/a Li Jin; Social Work Department of Xuzhou Daily, 142 South Zhongshan Road, Xuzhou City)

　　In October 1939, in the climax of the anti-Japanese patriotic movement, under the leadership of Wang Bingzheng, Section Chief of the Staff of Division Headquarters, and Huang Li, Deputy Director of Political Department, the Eighth Route Army’s 115 Division Dongjing Detachment led by Communist Party of China liberated Matou Town, Tancheng County in south Shandong. Afterwards the anti-Japanese democratic government of Tancheng County was founded in Matou Town, and people’s long pent-up anti-Japanese enthusiasm was fully mobilized. All kinds of anti-Japanese mass groups emerged one after another like bamboo shoots after spring rain. Tancheng County Merchant National Salvation Association was established, and Lin Xueyi was elected as Chairman, Li Diting and Wang Zunyang as Vice Chairman. Meanwhile it set up mobile merchant branch, elected Chen Guiyi as Chairman; at this time the primary task of the Merchant Salvation Association was to take the intiative to donate anti-Japanese fees, collected firearms and ammunitions. Mobile merchants went to the then occupied zone Xuzhou, and Jinan to buy cotton cloth and western drugs and so on for military use. The goods purchase fund was issued by the Finance Section of Tancheng County Anti-Japanese Democratic Government (Chen Panqin as Section Chief), the money collection was mostly handled by myself. The Anti-Japanese campaign developed robustly, it was called the “golden age” of Anti-Japanese work in Tanma.

　　Owing to rapid development of Anti-Japanese work in Tanma area, it became a threat from within for the Japanese invaders, who assembled massive troops in October 1940 (recorded in Tancheng Party History Material and Tancheng CPPCC Cultural and Historical data) and dispatched three routes of troops from Xin’an Town, Zhongfang, and Dabu in a “Iron Arm Besiege” maneuver. Once again occupied Tanma, the Japanese invaders burned, killed and looted everywhere.

　　This time after the Japanese invaders occupied Tanma, it set up puppet organization (the first time occupation of Tanma is on April 23, 1938). Before occupying Tanma this time, the Finance Section of the Anti-Japanese Democratic Government issued 95,000 dollars of cloth purchase money (orginally 100,000 dollars, but 5000 dollars was stolen by a wily merchant called Xu Shenxi when buying cloth in Xuzhou, he absconded. Xu was a native of Zhoucun, Shandong Province) to mobile merchants of the Merchant Salvation Association. This amount of cloth purchase money stored at the Tancheng County Merchant National Salvation Association, totaling KMT paper currency 95,000 dollras, was entirely looted by the Japanese Army. Today the Japanese government should repay RMB 9,500,000 yuan based on current value, which is quie reasonable. The money that it robbed us should be returned now, the Japanese government should be sensible. On the second day of my return from the countryside to Matou Town, the enemy Puppet egime colluded with the Japanese, and arrested Chairman Lin Xueyi, Vice Chairman Li Diting of our former Tancheng County Merchant Salvation Association, and former town chief Yang Shanru, under the name of collusion with the Eighth Route Army; detained them at the detention house of Matou Town Japanese Army Military Police, and declared to escort us three persons to the then Xuzhou, so as to threaten our family members. They detained us for two days and one night, later with mediation by others, they extorted us three persons a total of KMT paper currency 5000 dollars. (2000 dollars from Lin Xueyi, 2000 dollars from Li Diting, 1000 dollars from Yang Shanru). Certainly this bandit behavior of kidnapping violated the law? Today the Japanese government should return RMB 500,000 yuan, which is also reasonable. This kidnapping is done by “Corporal Kobayashi”of the Japanese Invasion Army Matou Town Military Police, now it’s time to return this extortion money.

　　About the looted cash KMT paper currency 95,000 dollars, which troop is the Japanese Army? And which code name? The corporal “Kobayashi” must know it. The Japanese government has the responsibility to search files of your history during the invasion period in China.

　　On April 23, 1938, when the Japanese Invasion Army for the first time occupied Matou Town, after more than one month the Japanese Army withdrew. Before departure they set fire to 6 houses of my home, 1 mill, 1 kitchen (all goods in the shop were looted with nothing left). For these 8 houses, we demand the Japanese government to pay RMB 100,000 yuan (shop goods are calculated separately). All goods in the Hefeng Grocery run by my grandfather were taken away by the Japanese Army, including silk and cloth, exotic foods from land and sea, and assorted general merchandises etc. All properties were worth 50000 silver dollars according to the then goods value (Tancheng CPPCC Cultural and History Data)

　　On December 12, 1941 on the lunar calendar, the Japanese military police in Xuzhou delivered two truckloads of fully armed Japanese Army military police to Matou Town. They stopped in front of the gate of the Japanese Army Matou Town Garrison Command. One person was escorted from the vehicle, with upper body covered, escorted by two Japanese military policemen, and entered the Japanese Army Garrison Command (this person was Zhu Changjun). In the evening, the Japanese Army Military Police were all sent out, they closed four gates of Matou Town. In cooperation with Garrison Command, Japanese Army and Puppet military police were all mobilized, and an all-out search of merchants and residents in Matou Town was under way. I knew a disaster was coming, so I hid myself in the roof ditch, the Japanese invaders came to my store three times without any result, so they captured my cousin Zheng Minduo, and forced him to search elsewhere but without result. Finally they captured my wife and seven month old suckling baby, and escorted them to the Japanese Garrison Command. Only my four-year-old daughter was left at home. Before this, I learned Xuzhou’s Japanese Military Police captured 7 merchants from Matou Town to go to Xuzhou to buy goods (including Zhu Changjun, whose upper body was shrouded), at the Ermalu Zhaoshang Hotel in Xuzhou. They were tortured by the Xuzhou Japanese invaders military police, and acknowledged the existence of Tancheng County Merchant National Salvation Association. This time they came to Matou Town to capture suspects.

　　In Matou Town, the Japan Xuzhou Military Police interrogated the captured suspects while continuing the arrest. At 9 o’clock in the morning of the second day, after one night’s meditation, I felt that as Vice Chairman of Tancheng County Merchant National Salvation Association, I should not incriminate my wife and seven months old baby to be captured to Xuzhou as hostage. The consequences would be inconceivable, so I decided to sacrifice myself. when I walked to the Dashengchang Drugstore on the South Street, I was captured by the Japanese Army Military Police coming from south. They took me to the Garrison Command, and handed over to a Japanese military officer. This officer put me on handcuffs (of course they released my wife and child). At Matou Town they arrested about 200 persons, in which 12 persons with the most serious crime considered by Japanese military police were escorted to two trucks in front of the gate (the remaining were all set free). We changed to train at Xin’an Town, and were escorted to Xuzhou, detained at the Japanese invaders military police prison in Xuzhou. The previously arrested 6 persons in Xuzhou (excluding Zhu Changjun) and 12 persons from Matou Town, total number was 18 persons. At Xuzhou prison two persons were killed (Lin Xueyi, Fan Jingyuan), the rest were transferred to Nanjing Central China Japanese Expeditionary Army Headquarters military court; 7 persons (Wang Zunyang, Liu Yishi, Yin Guifang, Zheng Jitong, Jiang Yuanze etc) were sentenced to three years of imprisonment, and 8 persons released in Xuzhou without any charge. I myself suffered three months of imprisonment, received all kinds of tortures, pillar torture, hound attack, water dungeon, with two hands handcuffed, rope bound in the waist, two arms were twisted to the back of the head, inserted with a stick. It was indeed inhuman, although I didn’t die and survived, the enemy finally extorted me 3500 silver dollars, which reduced me to poverty and ruin, narrowly escaped death. All goods of the shop were sold, fortunately my fellow friend in the shop Wang Shanyi helped to save me, and he entrusted others to put in a good word for me and spent 1500 dollars. Although I tried every means, the shop was on the verge of closedown, fortunately I survived, today the Japanese government should repay me RMB 500,000 yuan. The Japanese government should have reason, do not cover up your atrocities, the arch criminal who generated Xuzhou injustice case is Iwao TAKAHASHI, Corporal of the Japanese Xuzhou Military Police, a devil killer who could kill without blinking. He may be still alive today, the Japanese government should respect history, and realistically solve some unsettled cases left behind by the Japanese Army’s invasion war in China, covering up can solve no problem.

　　The above injustice case included a total of 19 persons (including Zhu Changjun whose upper body was covered), apart from two persons who were killed soon after they were escorted to the Japanese invaders military police prison in Xuzhou, up till now a total of 17 persons had died. Only Yin Guifang in Matou Town (now over 80, already a victim of paralysis (sentenced to 3 years of imprisonment) and I are still alive. I’m now 78, I am weak and illness-prone, and already have difficulty in walking around; if I die of illness, this case of injustice will sink like a stone dropped into the sea.

　　For this reason I request your assistance and support, I’m prepared to lead victims’ remaining family members, to go to the Japanese Embassy in China in Beijing, and demand repayment of money looted and extorted by the Japanese Invasion Army, along with compensation for the illegal arrest and killing of our endeared ones Lin Xueyi and Fan Jingyuan by the then Japanese Army Xuzhou military police. We will carry written “Chinese Civilian Claim against the Japanese Government”. After arriving in Beijing, we request Comrade Tong Zeng to guide victims, and victims’ remaining family members; and go to the Japanese Embassy in China to demand compensation. We will wait for your reply letter, and we will leave Xuzhou for Beijing only after receiving your consent, please tell us in the letter where we should go, your residence or your work place; then we prepare to take the train at 8 o’clock in the afternoon, which departs from Xuzhou to arrive at the Beijing Yongdingmen Railway Station. After arriving in Beijing we have friends and relatives to solve accommodation problem, and we will contact you via telephone.

　　You uphold justice for compatriots of the Chinese people who suffered persecution and death, in order to demand repayment for debt of blood and loss. You made painstaking efforts, tasted all kind of hardships, solemnly negotiated with the Japanese Embassy in China, and worked tirelessly. We feel uneasy, but how could it be otherwise? Even today we are not sure when you take us victims to go to the Japanese Embassy in China to demand compensation, how the chief persons of the Japanese Embassy in China plan to settle these blood-soaked atrocities by the Japanese Army military police? Or how they plan to give us reply? Could you please tell us? Since we take the trouble to go to Beijing, without any definite result we will not be able to return with the peace of mind! Could you please inform us such relevant info? We will feel eternally grateful.

　　Regards
Sincerely yours

Li Diting, a survivor leading victims’ descendants
Li Diting (name seal)
1993.5.8

(We will decide after receiving your reply letter, whether or not to go to the Japanese Embassy in China in Beijing to demand compensation)

Japanese invaders were innocent?
And the invaded Chinese citizens who received extortion and slaughter are criminals!?

　　In the May 3 Tragedy in 1928, the Japanese bandits used bayonet to pry open the mouth of Cai Gongshi, cut off the tongue! Gouged out his eyes! Severed the ears and the nose! Clerk Zhang Linshu was also cut off ears and nose! Immediately afterwards a round of shots rang out, excluding one person who escaped, 17 diplomatic personnel were all killed! How can there be such cruel Japanese bandits in the world!?! Why?

　　In the May 3 Tragedy, the Japanese Army killed 3,945 Chinese soldiers and civilians, injured 1,537 persons, and looted properties valued at 29,570,000 yuan.

　　A person like Tong Zeng, a scholar, should be elected delegate of the National People’s Congress!

　　Heaven! Why don’t you open your eyes!?! Common people are calling for justice!

Respected Scholar Comrade Tong Zeng:
　　Hello!

　　In my opinion, about the matter of Chinese civilian damage claim against Japan, from the perspective of China: After 44 years, there is finally a pioneer like you? Among our civil servants, some even dampened the spirit of the commoners, saying that “government will have no involvement” and so on; and this bolstered the confidence of the wicked Japanese government, therefore they have no fear as they have support, like what General Secretary Jiang Zemin has said (to Japanese journalists): Abandoned the demand for Japan to give war compensation, but there is no restriction on civilian efforts for compensation movement. The last sentence is very precious for the China today!

　　Our attitude is best represented by “fear”, aren’t we afraid the Japanese side won’t give loans to us? Afraid the Japanese side won’t come to China to make investment? South Korean victims collectively demonstrated in front of the gate of the Japanese Embassy in South Korea, burned the effigy of Japanese Emperor Hirohito. Will such action be allowed in China? Isn’t it a misplaced phenomenon to see in China?!

　　When can we collect signatures of 100 million people? (Since it cannot be collected openly) some young people had no idea at all about the Anti-Japanese War, nor are they aware of the bullying, suppression, and massacre by imperialism (especially Japan) in the history of the Chinese people!

　　A claim spanning 50 years filed by three generations from grandfather to grandson, there is still no end in sight for one lawsuit. Chen’s family spent USD 1 million for the claim, till today it is still unresolved. Chen Chun said when receiving interview from journalists that “Chen’s family is engaged in a lawsuit against the Japanese side for 50 years, what is being disputed is no longer the issue of two ships, instead it’s the responsibility to be accountable to the nation and the people.” I feel the thought of Chen Chun as a third generation successor is true, however for some of our civil servants, they may still feel indifferent!

　　Chen Chun’s family is able to spend USD 1 million. But for our injustice, we could in no way match Chen’s family in terms of economic ability, in our case of injustice, for the killed victim Fan Jing, his fourth younger brother Fan Haoyuan even had not enough money to buy a train ticket to Beijing. What can we do about it? I can only ask his fourth younger brother Fan Haoyuan to sign name and affix seal on the claim letter.

　　In view of the above, I request Comrade Tong Zeng to understand our difficulties, please write a letter to us. After we arrive in Beijing, you must make sure to lead us to go to the Japanese Embassy in China to claim fact-to-face (not merely delivering documents), surely there must be some reasonable outcome! (there will also be some struggle for sure! )

　　This time the materials I mail to you are for your reference, you must know much more atrocities by the Japanese Army in China than me; before going to Beijing, should I first mail some copies of the atrocity materials of the Japanese Army to the Japanese Embassy in China? I look forward to seeing your reply.

　　Regards
Sincerely yours

Victim Li Diting (name seal)
1993.5.10

Correspondence address:
Li Diting c/a Li Jin
Xuzhou Daily, 142 South Zhongshan Road, Xuzhou City

When we arrive in Beijing, if necessary, can we paste materials about Japanese Army’s invasion atrocities onto the wall of the Japanese Embassy in China? I have made many copies.

[Reported by Japan “Mainichi Shinbun” February 3, 1992]
　　This South Korean woman, who was forced by the Japanese Militarists to work as “army comfort women” (i.e. army prostitute) during war-time, pitifully denounced the Japanese Invasion Army’s towering crimes at the international hearing about Japan’s post-war compensation in Tokyo recently.

　　At this hearing, woman victims from South Korea, the Philippines, Korea, the Netherland and China strongly protested the Japanese government’s attempt to wipe out history even 47 years after the war. They demanded the Japanese government to respect human rights, apologize to victims, and give economic compensation.

Journalist of Xinhua News Agency　Photo by Zhou Guangzhong

According to the Japanese government on February 2, recently discovered data indicated that during the Sino-Japanese War period. There were also Chinese women working as army prostitutes in brothels opened by the Japanese Army.

“Ambition unfulfilled, sacrifice at Hanaoka incurred bitter hatred; when the debt of blood will be repaid, 10000 people lamented in grief at the public ceremony.”

Reference News
January 11, 1993

Heavy Workload, Cruel Torture, Slaughter　
Chinese slave labors tainted Hanaoka with blood
——Another tragedy created by Japanese Militarism during the WWII

　　【Singapore “United Evening Paper” December 29】Title: Chinese slave labors tainted Hanaoka with blood

　　During the Japanese invasion in China, Japan wantonly detained Chinese war captives and slave labors to work as slave slave labor, wherein more than 40,000 persons were transported to Japan, and assigned to 135 national work places of 35 enterprises, and received hellish slavery and torment.

　　The 986 Chinese war prisoners and slave slave labors escorted to “Nakayama Ryo” Concentration Camp in Hanaoka Town, Akita Prefecture, Japan, controlled by the Kajima-gumi, were engaged in Hanaoka River Course Alteration Project, with heavy workload, hunger and freezing coldness, cruel slaughter, the death toll escalated. Some received burning pillar torture, others were beaten to death by whip. Extreme hunger forced slave slave labors to dig grass to ease hunger; there was even man eating tragedy. In order to protest inhuman slaughter, under the leadership of team leader Geng Zhun, in the evening of June 30, in 1945, captives and slave slave labors of Nakayama Ryo decisively rebelled, killed Japanese foremen, and collectively fled into mountain forests. In the end the rebellion was cruelly suppressed by the Japanese military police, more than 130 persons received torture and died, and the number of previously abused and killed slave labors was nearly 300 persons, and total death toll reached 418 persons!

　　The Hanaoka Incident unfolded on Japan’s territory was extremely cruel, it is a typical representative of tens of thousands of tragedies during Japan’s invasion in China, and also undeniable and uncoverable incident and crimes by direct chief responsible persons of militarists that waged the invasion war.

　　According to post-war reports by Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a total of 41,760 Chinese people were escorted from China’s captive camp to Japan, including students and anti-Japanese guerrilla soldiers, 11-year-old children and septuagenarian or octogenarian seniors. Nonhuman treatment resulted in deaths or unknown whereabouts of large number of slave labors. Chinese people forced to work as slave slave labors in Hanaoka mostly came from Hebei, Henan and Shandong.

　　”Ambition unfulfilled, sacrifice at Hanaoka incurred bitter hatred; when the debt of blood will be repaid, 10，000 people lamented in grief at the public ceremony”. In 1950 after the war, when Japanese friends from all social circles and Chinese expatriates in Japan were holding the first “Hanaoka Incident Spirit Appeasement Ceremony” at Tokyo Asakusa Honganji Temple for the martyrs. The above elegiac couplet was written. On June 30, 1987, Akita Prefecture Odate City Government and representatives from all social circles held the 42nd mourning activity in front of the “Chinese Victim Martyrs Monument” inside the Memorial Park. Meanwhile, in response to invitation from Japanese friends including Japanese Diet Congressman Hideo DEN, Takako DOI, and Tokuma UTSUNOMIYA, Geng Zhun, former commander of the Hanaoka rebellion, currently member of the Standing Committee of Henan Province Pingdingshan City CPPCC paid a special visit to Japan, and dedicated a bouquet of white chrysanthemum on the grave of dead fellow workers.

　　Geng Zhun said: “A slave labor named Xue Tongdao picked up an apple core on the way due to extreme hunger, which was discovered by the foreman; he received severe beating, and died on the spot. All Chinese people at Nakayama Ryo were immersed in grief and indignation, everyone felt they had had enough and decided to rebel, even at the price of sacrificing themselves. So the rebellion on June 30 erupted……”

　　Less than two months after the Hanaoka Rebellion was suppressed, Japan announced unconditional surrender. But the Akita local court still sentenced heavy penalty to rebellious warriors with ideal and integrity according to pre-war laws even after Japan surrendered. In March 1948, the United Nations Far East International Military Tribunal at Yokohama BC class war criminal military court (The Eighth Military Court), sentenced death sentence or 20 years of imprisonment to 4 foremen and 2 policemen of the “Kajima-gumi” of Hanaoka Office (later all were released) on the ground of slaughter and abuse of war captive crime.

　　It is worth noting that for this true historical episode of abusing and cruelly suppressing slave slave labors that sent shock waves across the Japanese society; even today Japan’s relevant authority still has not uttered an apology or regret on public occasion; even today relevant authority still denied violation of international convention, committed abuse and captivity crime.

Never Forget National Humiliation! May 3 Tragedy!

Tidbits of History

Reminiscing Honorable Cai At the May 3 Park
Xu Ping

　　Dear friends, do you know that “Jinan is as beautiful as the South of the Yangtze River”, and its heartland is the most beautiful; but I wonder if you know that this most beautiful place today has experienced a most humiliating and tragic moment in history!

　　Here one can find well-known old town of the Jinan now in constant upgrading, with bustling business shopping area in the west, and newly expanded modern-looking Luoyuan Avenue and Minghu Avenue in the south and north, surrounded by brand new high-rises and scaffoldings of buildings under construction. Amid this prosperous downtown district, famous gardens along Daming Lake, Xiaoming Lake, Black Tiger Spring were linked up by the newly built round-city park; indeed it is a place of calmness and tranquility surrounded by hustle and bustle. The section of round-city park linking up Baotu Spring and Five Dragon Pool is called May 3 Park. In the second year of “May 3” disaster, in order not to forget national humiliation, Jinan residents changed the name of former Shuncheng Street into May 3 Street, and erected a monument in the middle of the street, engraved with the wording “Jinan May 3 Tragedy Monument”; below it was signed “Erected on May 3, 18th year of the Republic of China”. After the May 3 Street was changed into a park, the stone monument remained intact. I often came here to take a stroll; each time when I saw this monument, it would immerse me in contemplation and sorrow and grief, and I would naturally think of our dead compatriots such as Cai Gongshi!

　　In 1928, with support from English and American imperialists, Chiang Kai-shek moved north to attack the Feng Faction of warlords. Japanese Imperialism then wanted to prevent English and American powers to develop toward north China, and dispatched troops to Jinan on the pretext of protecting expatiates. KMT Army had just entered Jinan City on May 1 after Zhang Zongcang fled north, the Japanese Army occupied Jinan business shop zone, and repeatedly opened fire toward Chinese soldiers and civilians in an act of provocation. On May 3 they began all-out attack. Commander of City Defense Fang Zhenwu breached the order and led a group of righteous soldiers to brave bombing and bullets. They rushed out from the broken city wall destroyed by the Japanese Army, and on this Shuncheng Street they died together with the attacking enemy! Then the Japanese Army killed all peaceful civilians, regardless of male or female, old or young, who lived on this street since their ancestors and made a living by producing bird cages! Houses were burned with not a single tile left! Chiang Kai-shek helped the wicked perpetuate wicked deeds, and instructed all troops to evacuate from Jinan immediately on that day; the Japanese Army behaved more scrupulously. “At this time all Japanese soldiers raped, looted, and burned; whenever they saw Chinese people, they opened fire regardless of soldier or civilian, woman or children. Instantly streets were littered with human bodies, dead bodies lay here and there. Those wounded moaned on the ground, gunshots and cries erupted simultaneously; it was indeed a horrible scene to see and hear! At 10 o’clock the enemy started artillery fire ……”(“Personal Experience of Jinan May 3 Tragedy”, China Literature and History Press) according to field survey by Jinan Red Cross Society, the Japanese Army killed 3,945 Chinese soldiers and civilians, injured 1,537 persons, and looted properties worth 29.57 million yuan.

　　Cai Gongshi, Chief of the Diplomatic Section of War-zone political Committee and Liaison Officer of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, braved the bombs and sniper fire and led staff to visit the Japanese Army Headquarters at the Specie Bank to negotiate, but was evicted by the Regiment Chief Hikosuku FUKUDA. Soon after his return, the National Government’s Liaison Office in Jinan (now Jinan Hotel) was surrounded tightly by the Japanese Army, they cut off telephone line, searched diplomatic files, and beat messengers. Cai Gongshi immediately protested in Japanese, and he pointed out solemnly that: Japanese expatriates received China’s protection, there’s nothing wrong with it. Anything should be solved through diplomatic channels, and dispatching troops meant invasion. Even if two countries were in war state, you should guarantee the safety of messengers. Without listening to his words, Japanese soldiers overbearingly abused him verbally, and stripped 18 persons in the office of their clothing and bound them. Then used bayonet to force them kneel and kowtow! Cai Gongshi flew into a towering rage, and furiously scolded the Japanese atrocities. He said, ‘those who should kneel and kowtow are you Japanese bandits!’ Hardly had he finished speaking, when the Japanese soldiers immediately showed their barbarian side, they pried open his mouth and cut off tongue with bayonet! Although unable to speak, Cai Gongshi still showed strong sense of righteousness, he glowered with chilling vision. Japanese soldiers dared not look squarely at him, they gouged his eyes, removed his ears and nose! Clerk Zhang Linshu followed the example of Cai Gongshi and together furiously scolded the villains; he was also cut of ears and nose! Then a round of gunshots was heard, excluding one person who escaped, 17 diplomatic personnel all met disaster!

　　Cai Gongshi is a native of Jiujiang, Jiangxi, born in 1888, graduate of Japan Tokyo Imperial University. In 1902 he joined the United League of China; after the Revolution of 1911 he was appointed Director of Transport Department and Director of Commerce Bureau in the Jiangxi Military Government. After the Northern Expedition he was assigned member of Shanghai Workers’ Ruling Committee, and Supervisor of Jinling Customs. He followed Mr. Sun Yat-sen and devoted his life to the national democratic revolution, made painstaking efforts and tasted untold hardships. This time in front of the barbarian enemy, he displayed lofty national integrity, for which well deserved being called a heroic Chinese!

　　The Japanese Army’s atrocities, especially humiliation and massacre of Chinese diplomatic messenger, coupled with Cai Gongshi’s undaunted loyalty and righteousness, activated unprecedented indignation among Jinan people. The “underground” CPC Shandong Province Committee immediately distributed flyers overnight, and called for people from all circles to be mobilized to fight the enemy. On the second day seven social groups from industry, commerce and academic circles formed May 3 tragedy diplomatic aid organizations, sent telegrams to the whole country, and whipped up anti-Japanese mass campaign centering on resisting Japanese goods, which received nationwide response and support from people of a number of countries. Finally the Japanese imperialists were forced to withdraw troops from Jinan.

　　The May 3 Tragedy Monument faces west, in front of the monument the Luoshui River flows from Baotu Spring to the north. At this moment, I looked at the pure flowing water in front of me, thinking of the horrible scenes of fire and blood in the war time years. The gurgling water sounded like people complaining the Invasion Army’s atrocities! At the back of the monument there is a cluster of cypress and a row of tower pine, with straight trunks and towering crowns, they very much resembled the image of unyielding patriots Cai Gongshi and others under the enemy’s threatening guillotines. The monument was surrounded by peony, which is acclaimed as national flower and flower of wealth. In the peripheral flower bed, a riot of colors in graceful elegance, they are symbols of the Chinese people marching toward modernization eager to accomplish prosperity and wealth!

　　Our diplomatic personnel Cai Gongshi and others were pried open mouth and cut off tongue by the Japanese Army with bayonet! Then they gouged out his eyes, and cut off ears and nose! Clerk Zhang Linshu followed the example of Cai Gongshi and scolded the enemy, he too was cut off nose and ears! Then a round of shots was fired, excluding one person who escaped, seventeen diplomatic personnel were all killed! According to field investigation by Jinan Red Cross Society, the Japanese Army killed 3,945 Chinese soldiers and civilian, injured 137 persons, looted properties with 29.57 million yuan. This is the May 3 Disaster created by the Japanese invaders in Jinan in 1928.

1993.2.23
People’s Daily

Xuzhou Daily
May 16, 1992　Saturday　Page 4

An Account of Japanese Army’s Atrocities in Xuzhou
●Yin Xingdi

　　In April 1938, after the Taierzhuang Victory, the Japanese Invasion Army flew into a rage from shame, and mobilized massive troops to surround Xuzhou, aiming to destroy KMT large scale army. Since the enemy was strong and our force was weak, the KMT troop was forced to retreat.

　　Since May 10, the Japanese Army dispatched several hundred sorties of aircrafts to bombard Xuzhou and peripheral areas. According to the then “Xinhua Daily”: “in the morning and noon on May 10, Xuzhou received four air raids, a total of over 320 bombs were dropped, including incendiary bombs……On both sides of the Tianjin-Pukou Railway, the Japanese Army destroyed over 1,000 civilian houses, more than 300 civilians were killed or injured.” Apart from bombing both sides of railway and railway stations, plus concentrated civilian residential areas, the Japanese Army also attacked industrial facilities, transport hubs, bank buildings and cultural units, such as Xuzhou Daily, Xuzhou High School, Xuzhou Female Normal College.

　　On May 19, after the Japanese Army occupied Xuzhou, wantonly burned, killed, raped and looted, almost everything in the city were looted. On May 20, Seishirō ITAGAKI of the Japanese Army’s Fifth Regiment Headquarters in Xuzhou instructed subordinates to go to the countryside to burn and kill and loot in several routes. A group of Japanese troop ventured to Tongshan and Yanwo area. They searched every house. Pots and bowls were smashed, chicken, duck, cattle and sheep were slaughtered, old men and children who were late in finding hiding place were bloodily massacred. They also looked for escaped civilians all over the mountain. From 8 o’clock in the morning to 12 o’clock noon, they forced over 670 civilians hiding in mountain gullies or reed marshes around Yanwo, Xingpo, Wangshan, Lindong villages to the Central Hall and East Hall. The barbarian invaders first persecuted people in the Central Hall, while shooting with machine guns, they sprayed gasoline around the house, and set on fire. People rushed out desperately, at the doorway, they were hit by machine guns of the Japanese Army. Bodies of dead people at the doorway piled high, inside flesh sizzled in the flame, blood splashed in all directions. 32-year-old Liu Zhide was hit by several bullets, yet he jumped from the roof top into the reed marsh and survived. After killing over 300 people in the Central Hall, they began to persecute the crowd detained in the East Hall. Excluding Liu Zhide, more than 670 compatriots were all killed, which created the sensational “Yanwo Disaster”.

　　Furthermore, the Japanese Army also created Hanwang Disaster and Lvliang Disaster in Tongshan, and created “Tushan Disaster” in Pi County.

　　During the period when the Japanese invaders occupied Xuzhou, their dens for killing and ravaging our compatriots are listed below:
Japan Xuzhou Military Police Headquarters　　Middle Datong Street, Xuzhou, now the address of Xuzhou Branch
Japanese Special Agent Office　　　　　South of Datong Street, Dongshou Road, Xuzhou (Now Laoguangdong Restaurant)
Japan Xuzhou Military Police Prison　　North of Datong Street, East Zhonglou Road, Xuzhou (containing water dungeon)
Japan Xuzhou Military Police Interrogation Office　West of Tongyi Street, Nantou Road in Xuzhou (behind the now Xuzhou Health Quarantine Station)
Japanese Puppet Xuzhou Police Station Special Task Force　Japanese Puppet special agents were everywhere

The Japanese Invasion Army created sensational “Yanwo Disaster” in Xuzhou suburbs.
The Japanese Invasion Army created “Hanwang Disaster”, “Lvliang Disaster” etc in Tongshan.
The Japanese Invasion Army created “Tusan Disaster” in Pi County.

［US “International Herald Tribune” June 25, 1992］Title: Expecting Japan to “Stage a Roaring Comeback” (Lee Kuan Yew considered) Japanese “Plutonium” is a time bomb in the future! Japan actively sought ways to become permanent member of the Security Council. Now it is building its strength in order to attain its ambition.

Reference News
September 12, 1990

“Japan Must Acknowledge War Atrocities”
One Japanese journalist wrote an article to criticize Shintaro ISHIHARA

　　Unless Japan is willing to admit its past errors and tries to draw lessons from it, otherwise Japan has no way to refute the following accusations from other countries: Japan has not separated itself from its period of military invasion. It is exactly on such key point that Japan’ former allies German and Italy differed greatly. Even the United States admitted: “Yes, it is not appropriate for us to put Japanese Americans into settlement camps.”

　　Ishihara is a typical anti internationalist. From the fundamental sense, he is no different from common narrow-minded anti-internationalist rightists. Ishihara is despicable, he argued that Japan had done nothing wrong in the international community, and shouted “no!” to accusation of other countries against errors committed by Japan.

　　It is very strange that Ishihara rarely mentioned Asia in the concluding chapter “Let Japan coexist peacefully with Asia”. It seems his theories are mainly in the following several paragraphs:

　　Countries like South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore that have good economic conditions are all countries that Japan had ruled before the end of the war.

　　Of course, we must admit we have done wrong things and feel sorry for them, but we also cannot deny the fact that we have left good impact.

　　Among economic regions that provided funds in the world, only Southeast Asia has good social and economic conditions. I don’t want to say form whom these countries received benefit, part of their success belongs to efforts by Japan. Japanese is also Asian……

　　The problems in the future lies in that, how can Japan combine the design of a political strategy for Southeast Asia with its own economic and political strength in positive sense and compiling details for it; in this way, while helping Asia’s development, Japan can coexist with Asia. Now that we have entered a new century of the Pacific, and Japan’s development all the more needs Asia rather than America.

　　In the ultimate sense, the meaning of “letting Japan coexist peacefully with Asia” proposed by Ishihara is something dreamed of by those trumpeting the construction of “Great East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere” with Japan as the center during the WWII. Irresponsible and anti-international theories like “Countries such as South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore with good economic conditions are all countries that Japan had ruled before the end of the war”, not only insulted the countries being mentioned, but also do not conform with facts. His points of view can only stand true when corresponding reasoning can stand true. This corresponding inference is: Countries with poor economic conditions are countries that Japan had not ruled before. Then people will ask: “How do you explain the situation in the Philippines and Indonesia?”

　　What’s more despicable is that, in his “Co-existence with Asian countries” chapter, it rarely mentioned Japan’s invasion crimes. Japan put forward “coexistence” with Asian countries, but it has not the least sense of regret toward atrocities it committed in Asian countries in the past. This is like slapping others’ face while wishing to shake hands with others.

　　Japan has no way to refute the following accusations from other countries, unless it can admit its past mistakes and try to learn lessons from them, otherwise. Japan has not separated itself from its period of military invasion. It is exactly on such key point that Japan’ former allies German and Italy differed greatly. Even the United States admitted: “Yes, it is not appropriate for us to put Japanese Americans into settlement camps.” However, according to materials that I have made reference to, after Japan surrendered, the United States gave 20,000 US dollars to every one of the 120,000 Japanese Americans who were put into settlement camps, this is witnessed by everyone. Since 1894 when the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895 began till August 15, 1945, when Japan surrendered, Japanese invaders killed 10 million Chinese! Now they still refuse to admit it?! This is incomparable!

Reference News
September 26, 1988

Article from Japanese newspaper

From Nanjing Massacre to Lüshun Massacre

　　【Article of Japan “Asahi Shinbun”August 23】: From Nanjing Massacre to Lüshun Massacre (Author　Shyuichi KATOU)

　　As the Japanese side forgot or distorted the historical facts of Nanjing Massacre, Sino-Japanese relation encountered unharmonious factors, this is widely known. Even if invaders have forgotten, those being invaded will never forget.

　　Nevertheless, before the Nanjing Massacre, there was a Lüshun Massacre. Which I knew nothing about previously, it was my intimate friend Kouko NAIDOU who aroused my attention.

　　After scoring victory in the Yellow Sea Battle in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895 and usurped sea power, the Japanese Army transferred the Second Army led by General Iwao OYAMA to Liaodong Peninsular, and conquered Lüshun. The time was November 21, 1894. On that day, Japanese soldiers entered Lüshun, “regardless of man or woman, old or young”, wantonly massacred Chinese people in the city for 4 days. One soldier wrote in his diary that: “Seeing Chinese soldiers I want to slash them into meat, seeing Lüshun residents I want to kill them all……all those who hid in the home were killed, generally for each family 2 to 6 people were killed.”

　　Witnesses of the killing included not only the parties involved, but also European and American army journalists and military attaches. In November 1894 European and American newspapers all published reports related to “Lüshunkou Massacre”.

　　The Japanese government did not investigate invaders’ responsibility, nor did they adopt any remedial policy, and concealed the truth from Japanese nationals. Therefore, people in the world especially people inside Japan gradually forgot this thing. Therefore, after 1943 the Nanjing Massacre broke out. Invaders participating in the Nanjing Massacre did not remember Lüshun Massacre, but victims of Nanjing Massacre did not forget Lüshun Massacre, till today they still remembered it deeply in heart.

　　Today, it seems not entirely true to say all Japanese nationals have forgotten Lüshun Massacre. Needless to say experts understand the truth in the world, several historians also described this incident. Nevertheless, though the overwhelming majority of nationals still remember Nanjing Massacre, they have forgotten Lüshun Massacre. Comparing these two incidents may help save the Japanese contemporary history from distorted facts, and facilitate objective understanding.

　　The two incidents resemble each other in the point that the Japanese government did not hope to tell the truth of major incidents that attracted international repercussion to its nationals. What’s more, they resemble each other on the point that it did not hope to openly admit its responsibility and accept its deserved punishment. In other words, assuming no responsibility for the victims is the common feature of these two incidents.

Reference News
September 20, 1991

Professor Mizuno AKITO of Japan Aichi Gakuin University wrote article and pointed out the Japanese Government should deeply reflect on the Japanese Army’s invasion into China and apologize to China

　　On November 21, 1894, Japanese soldiers entered the Lüshun, “regardless of soldier or civilian, man or woman, old or young”, wantonly massacred Chinese people in the city for 4 days. One soldier wrote in his diary that: “Seeing Chinese soldiers I want to slash them into meat, seeing Lüshun residents I want to kill them all……all those who hid in the home were killed, generally for each family 2 to 6 people were killed. ” In the 1895 “Treaty of Shimonoseki”, Japan forced the Qing Government to pay 200 million taels of silver, plus 30 million taels as Liaoning’s renewal money. It occupied Chinese territory Taiwan, Penghu Archipelago (until 50 years after Japan surrendered.)

　　Following the Lüshunkou Massacre, in 1943 Nanjing Massacre occurred. Invaders taking part in Nanjing Massacre did not remember the Lüshun Massacre, but victims of Nanjing Massacre never forgot Lüshun Massacre, and they remembered it even today.

Li Diting, a survivor (name seal)

Reference News
August 17, 1991

Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary of Japan Nobukuma ISHIHARA alleged
Countries around the world should all reflect on the WWII responsibility issue

　　[“Sankei Shinbun”, Japan, August 16] Title: Deputy Cabinet Secretary Ishihara said “Countries around the world should all reflect on” the WWII responsibility issue.

　　Regarding Japan’s responsibility issue in the World War II, Deputy Cabinet Secretary Nobukuma Ishihara emphasized at the press conference on the afternoon of August 15: “At anytime war is an unfortunate thing for the mankind, and must be avoided.” He also said: “Wars have various reasons, about the matter of failure to prevent it from happening. All related parties must reflect on it. The so-called related party means everyone in the world”, which indicated the understanding that all countries related to the WWII should conduct profound reflection.

　　However, about the WWII evaluation issue, Ishihara said “I’m afraid only after several dozen years or several hundred years will it be possible to make correct judgment”, which indicated its view on the uncertainty of evaluation toward the world war.

　　Japanese Militarism still refuses to admit its responsibility issue during the WWII, and refuses to acknowledge its invasion into China.

Reference News
August 20, 1989
After extensive and in-depth investigation, Chinese and Japanese historians recently revealed a rarely known barbarian “Village Amalgamation Plan” of the Japanese Army
　　[Dispatch of Agence France-Presse in Tokyo, August 15]Title: Investigation report revealed the Japanese Army’s massacre in China.

　　One team consisting of Chinese and Japanese historians said: From 1933 to 1945, Japan occupation troops massacred 46000 Chinese people for the sake of executing a large-scale “Village Amalgamation Plan”, its aim is to build a “defense buffer zone” in North China. Today, the 44th anniversary of the ending of the WWII, “Mainichi Shinbun” published the investigation report of this team.

　　According to this scholar team led by Chinese historian Chen Ping (pronunciation) and Professor of Tokyo Chuo University Mitsuhiro HIMEDA, the Japanese Army forced residents of some Chinese villages to totally evacuate. All villagers unwilling to leave were killed. These historians have been collecting data since August 1988, including survivors’ description and documents in official archives.

　　According to these documents, the Japanese Army tried to evict all Chinese people living on a tract of land 150 km long from Tangshan to Shanhai Pass, so as to facilitate its defence of Beijing.

　　One document supplied by the Communist Party of China revealed that, “the Japanese Army set up no man’s zone in order to cut off the contact between the people and Chinese troops”, and the number of civilians being killed reached 46000. Historians wanted to find documents from the Japanese side, but they encountered numerous difficulties.

　　In a document of Japan’s Defense Agency, they found brief mentioning of Village Amalgamation Plan, which disclosed “evicting all residents in villages which are difficult to control, so that the village will become unoccupied and deserted”.

　　The then North China Commander-in-chief Suzuki of the Japanese Army said his troop used force to implement Village Amalgamation Plan. He also said that people hated this plan to the bone, therefore, it became a “propaganda weapon” of the Communist Party of China.

　　A book consisting of survey reports by these historians will soon be published in Japan.

(Excerpted from August 1 “Party History News”)
Japanese Army’s “Sustaining military action with drugs”

　　Japan long held the opinion that, Chinese people “is a nation addicted to opium and can never extricate itself”, and asserted, so long as China has 40% drug addicts, it will be forever Japan’s dependent country. In February 1904, Sino-Russian War broke out on the Chinese territory with Japan emerged as a winner, and it immediately used its privilege in Manchuria to sell drugs.

　　The drugs dumped by Japan included not only opium, but also refined drugs such as heroin, most of them used Shenyang as the concentration and distribution place. The drugs came from international drug dealing groups, Rehe and Korea. Such organized military drug dealing activity enabled the Kuantung Army to quickly earn enough military expense to wage invasion war. In 1931 when Seishirō ITAGAKI initiated September 18 Incident. The Japanese Cabinet contributed not a penny of expense, for all military fees came from drug selling network of the Fourth Section and the Second Section, in addition to 50,000 dollars supplied by Korea Bank.

　　After the Japanese Army occupied Northeast China, drug selling turned from the previous underground activity into legitimate activity, and the number of drug addicts swelled from the previous 50,000 persons to 900,000 persons. According to statistics of the United Nations, 1 in every 40 persons was opium addict. After that, following the footsteps of the Japanese Army, drug sales expanded to Central China, South China, and even Hong Kong. After the war, ruling of the Far East International Military Tribunal once pointed out: “The aim of Japan to engage in narcotics trading is not only to corrupt Chinese people, it had more sinister aspect,” This means “Sustaining the military action with drug dealing”.

Reference News　 JIJI News Agency

The Japanese Army Indeed Manufactured Opium in China

　　[Dispatch of JIJI News Agency, Beijing, December 7] Recently at the home of one Chinese resident in Beijing, people discovered two confidential documents prepared by the old Japanese Army soon after the setup of the Japanese Puppet Government “Manchuria” in the name of South Manchuria Railway Economic Survey Committee. These two confidential documents recorded some basic info about Manchuria operation, yet they vividly disclosed the then Japanese Military Ministry’s secret participation in opium production despite its façade of “Five races under one union”. Experts commented that: “this revealed Japanese Army shrouded in secrets.

　　Production and sales of opium in China Main Land not only brought huge amount of income to the Japanese Army, it also weakened Chinese people’s resistance, and the latter is also one of the intentions of the Japanese Army’s adoption of this policy. Opium’s production and selling activities were kept in secret, and many things are still unclear. This time’s documents being discovered proved the Japanese Army attacking Rehe noticed this province was a famous poppy planting zone and tried to take advantage of this point.

December 9, 1991

Reference News Weekend Supplement
March 6, 1992

One hotline　One string of bloody tears

　　[Dispatch of Reuters Tokyo, January 22]One hotline finally laid bare the truth about the war-time Japanese imperialist authority forcing several thousand Korean women and even high school students to work as prostitute which has long been denied.

　　The Korean side who worked for the issue and the lawyers for human rights affairs said, the Japanese Imperialist Army once forced at least 100,000 persons, perhaps 200,000 women to go to army brothels set up in China and Asian countries occupied by the Japanese Army to work as prostitute, in which 80% were Koreans.

　　However, the Japanese Army destroyed most file documents, and those associated with this matter are unwilling to mention this matter either due to shame or out of fear of social denunciation. Their high school textbooks which never straightforwardly mentioned Japanese war-time crimes also avoided this issue.

　　Several days before Kiichi MIYAZAWA visited Seoul in mid January, the dam of silence broke. One newspaper in Tokyo first published military files discovered by a university professor. The files recorded details about action plans of the Imperial Army. This disclosure forced the government’s spokesperson finally admitted the involvement of the army.

　　Afterwards, some feminists who fought with Japanese officials’ collective amnesia opened a hotline. Through the hotline, veterans of the WWII one after another called in to describe things they knew about war prostitute.

　　A total of 230 calls were received, they were made by former army soldiers, physicians, and nurses. They excitely recounted what they had done and witnessed half a century ago. Many people shed tears when making the call, while disclosing this secret strictly forbidden to be mentioned since 1945. Many people even never mentioned it to their wives and children. Now they want to acknowledge the crime.

　　They narrated a meticulously arranged military action, sometimes they set up “comfort station” in train compartments. Even some women who were already mother of children were too forced to work as prostitute. According to one woman, a 13 year old Chinese girl was also forced to be sent to the Japanese Army’s brothel.

　　Most of those making the call supplied their names and addresses. A lot of people agreed to provide evidences. Former lieutenant Yamada said: “I was responsible for one comfort station in Hankou.” He said: “Back then everyone knew such comfort station was controlled and managed by the army.” One military document in 1938 proposed to quickly establish such “comfort station”, so as to meet soldiers’ sexual needs under the army’s control.

　　One 81-year-old soldier of the former military police team described how the army and the police divided the occupied South Korea territory into several special zones on “Asahi Shinbun”. Every special zone must provide certain number of women to meet the “needs” of nearly 1 million Japanese Army in China. He said they were shipped along with weapons and ammunitions to Japanese military base in Central China and South China.

(Translated by Qian Meiyi)

Reference News
September 19, 1991

Japan “Mainichi Shinbun”
China Commemorated the 60th Anniversary of the “September 18 Incident”

　　[“Mainichi Shinbun”, Japan, September 16]Title: Commemorating 60th anniversary of the “September 18 Incident”, China unfolds propaganda campaign for not forgetting the Japanese Army invasion history (Journalist Riichiro OKATANI from Beijing)

　　September 18 marks the 60th anniversary of the “September 18 Incident” leading to the outbreak of war between China and Japan. Before the day, Chinese authority published history book that revealed Japan’s invasion into China. Chinese authority unfolded a propaganda campaign calling for its nationals to “Never forget Past Invasion History”. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the “September 18 Incident”, China unfolded this historical campaign to reveal the true nature of the Japanese Invasion Army.

　　At Liutiaohu in the northweat of Shenyang, about 7 km away from the city center, construction of the “September 18 Incident Memorial” was in full swing. On September 18, 1931, it was at Liutiaohu where the Japanese Army bombed railway, an incident that embroiled Japan and China in a war spanning 14 years. This memorial was planned to formally open on September 18. Inside the memorial. There is an oil painting illustrating the background of “September 18 Incident”, outside there is a calendar-like monument engraved with the wording: “September 18 of the 20th Year of the Republic of China, Friday”. Nearby there was a monument destroyed by the Japanese Army before Liberation, it was once erected by the Japanese Army to flaunt its “battle achievements”.

　　In order to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the “September 18 Incident”, China also published a 4-volume history book “Invasion War of the Japanese Army”. Chinese media pointed out: “This is the first history book that makes systematic research, and recorded the whole process of the Japanese Army’s invasion in China.”

　　In the process of disclosing the Japanese Army’s invasion history, Yu Haiying , a historian from Changchun City published “Laoheigou Massacre Incident”. Laoheigou is a small village in Guanlan County, Jilin Province; as it is a stronghold of anti-Japanese campaign, in May 1935 the Kuantung Army attacked this village. Within 5 days it killed about 1,000 people, over 300 families totally disappeared. Yu Haiying angrily denounced: “This troop later also participated in the Nanjing Massacre.”

Remember the Japanese Army Lüshun Massacre! Never forget Laoheigou Massacre!
Remember Japanese Army’s invasion “September 18”! Never forget Nanjing Massacre!

“World of Youths” disclosed
Liu Wencai “water dungeon” turned out to be opium war house

　　At the age when “class struggle was the guiding principle”, everyone who had visited Sichuan Dayi Liu Wencai Feudal Landlord Manor Museum would remember there was a hair-raising hell on earth in the museum: namely the “Water Dungeon”. However, is there a water dungeon in the Feudal Landlord Manor after all? This point remained a focus of suspicion and dispute for the past 30 years.

　　After the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh CPC Central Committee, people who had worked as long term slave labor at Liu Wencai Feudal Landlord Manor and those who had taken part in the construction of the “water dungeon”, plus the former Chief of the Dayi County Security Corps all testified that the so-called “water dungeon” was non-existent.

　　Since 1981, through 70 person times of investigation, staff workers of Sichuan Dayi Liu Wencai Landlord Manor Museum read massive volume of archives, and finally discovered the “water dungeon” was none other than Liu Wencai’s “Opium Warehouse”.

　　On April 5, 1981, on the basement wall of the Feudal Landlord Manor Museum, that original plaque illustrating “water dungeon” has been removed discreetly, in its place one can found an “Opium Warehouse” plaque.

(Excerpted from Issue 2 of “World of Youths” by Wang Anyun)

I Stayed at “Water Dungeon” in Japan’s Xuzhou Military Police Prison

　　That Liu Wencai “Water Dungeon” turning out to be Opium Warehouse has been proved by history as fake.

　　However, during Japan’s occupation of Xuzhou period, in the north of Datong Street, Middle Road of Xuzhou (opposite the People’s Bank), inside the Japanese Invasion Army Military Police Prison, there was a “water dungeon”. It was specially set up by the Japanese invaders military police for killing and ravaging our Chinese compatriots.

　　On December 13 in 1941 on the lunar calendar, I myself was captured by Japan’s Xuzhou Military Police from Matou Town, Tancheng County, Shandong Province to Xuzhou, imprisoned in this prison for more than three months, and stayed in the “water dungeon” built by this prison. It was Corporal Iwao TAKAHASHI of the Japanese Army Military Police who forced me to stay in this “water dungeon”. This “water dungeon” was merely one of the torture forms of the Japanese Army military police. I didn’t die, I am a survivor, I hereby file the above accusation.

Survivor Li Diting (name seal)
1993.5.10

Stevenson revealed atrocities of the Japanese Army during WWII
Ferocious as Tiger and Wolf　Marinated Chinese Civilians’ Body Meat

　　69-year-old George Stevenson was an Australian driver who had been detained by the Japanese Army during the WWII period. Recently, he denounced that in February 1943, he shipped 300 boxes of human meat to the concentration camp for imprisoning allied army’s captives. The boxes contained meat slices marinated with sugar and ginger, smelling of rotten odor, and the meat slices were infested with “maggot”. All captives thought it was horse meat or pig meat. One Japanese Army’s office told him it was Chinese people’s body meat. The body meat of Chinese civilians massacred by the Japanese Army was sliced before being marinated into dried meat. Most “good meat” was given to Japanese soldiers for consumption.

　　Stevenson said, recently secrets about the Japanese Army’s atrocities were successively revealed to the public, which prompted him to shatter 16 years of silence, and reveal the truth to the world. Australian government also said this incident was never mentioned in the past, but the Australian government has promised to open relevant military files, in order to verify the above accusation.

(Excerpted from “Liberation Army Daily”) 1986

Learn from South Korea People, Pay Them Respect!

Reference News
January 19, 1992

Before the Visit by Kiichi MIYAZAWA
South Korea Anti-Japanese sentiments Surged High

　　[JIJI News Agency, Tokyo, January 17] Before Prime Minister Miyazawa’s visit to South Korea, the anti-Japanese sentiment in South Korea surged to an unprecedented high level. On January 16 many social groups staged demonstration parades in many places in Seoul, demanding Japan to give apology and compensation for conscripting Korean women as army prostitute during the WWII period. South Korea’s news media also put on massive attack, and demanded the Japanese side to properly settle this issue.

　　At the Pagoda Park in the city center of Seoul, “Pacific War Victims’ Family Member Association” and “South Korea Independent Activists League” and other organizations convened about 100 members, and held a “Denouncing Japanese Prime Minister’s visit to South Korea Convention”.

　　Convention attendants said with indignation that: “Throughout Prime Minister Miyazawa’s visit to South Korea, he failed to give formal apology on Japan’s past coercion of Korean women to work as army prostitute, nor did he give compensation commitment, we can no longer tolerate it. ” They also burned the Japanese Emperor’s effigy.

　　Afterwards, convention attendants went to the Japanese Embassy, but were obstructed by motor vehicle fleet. Meanwhile, some victims’ family members staged demonstration in front of the Japanese Embassy, and yelled slogans demanding Japan to give compensation.

　　On this day, all major newspapers and TV stations in South Korea also devoted massive coverage to the miserable treatment of women who were forced to work as army prostitute in the past. One woman described her personal experience back then with tears. She said: “I lived in a crude dormitory, and each day had to satisfy the beastly desire of more than 20 Japanese soldiers.

Reference News
July 5, 1990

Former Army Journalist Bessho during the Japanese Army’s Invasion in China
Will Hold Photography Exhibition on Atrocities of the Japanese Army in China

　　[Dispatch of Kyodo News Service, Tokyo, July 2]As a Japanese army journalist joining the Sino-Japanese war the during the WWII, Yahachiro BESSHO (73 years old) once took a large number of precious historical photos. Recently he discovered about 700 negatives at his residence. These photos clearly recorded horrible bodies of Chinese soldiers after being killed and the despairing silhouette of Chinese girls whose parents were robbed by the Japanese soldiers. In order to “tell people the cruelty of war”, Yahachiro BESSHO plans to select 50 photos to hold a photo exhibition in regions across Hokkaido since the end of this month.

　　Now responsible for static photography at Toho and Shochiku Film Company, Yahachiro BESSHO joined the Sino-Japanese War in 1944 as army photography journalist. He first went to Beijing, then travelled southward to Guilin and Liuzhou. He recollected the scenes then: “Chinese people’s bodies replaced road signs, I followed the bodies to catch up with the Japanese Army.”

　　Yahachiro BESSHO said: “I not only want to reveal the preciousness of life to those who know nothing about war, but also wish to take these photos to the Chinese Embassy, and apologize for the behaviors of the Japanese Army during the war.”

Reference News
February 23, 1992

Forced to Work as Slave Slave labor during the WWII
South Korean Victims Demanded the Japanese Government to Give Compensation

　　[Dispatch of the Associated Press, Tokyo, February 17]The Kwangju Branch of the South Korea Pacific War Victim Association which has 1,100 members filed lawsuit against the Japanese government on February 17, and demanded open apology and compensation for South Koreans who were conscripted as slave slave labors and soldiers during the WWII period.

　　The Japanese government recently apologized over the South Korean army prostitute issue, but it insisted on its previous stance, namely colonial compensation issue had been settled in 1965 when bilateral relation was restored. Meanwhile, Japan compensated USD 800 million in the form of soft loan, but those who had been conscripted as slave slave labors said it was not enough.

Reference News
February 1, 1992

Agence France-Presse—Relation Normalization Talk between Japan and Korea Came to a Standstill due to Serious Disagreement

　　[Dispatch of Agence France-Presse, Beijing, January 30]Delegates of Japan and North Korea today still had serious disagreement in the talk on normalization of diplomatic relation held here, although North Korea has signed nuclear safeguard agreement. When the sixth round of the scheduled two-day meeting on normalization began, North Korea signed an agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna to open all its nuclear installations to receive international inspection.

　　Signing this agreement removed one major obstacle for the talk. But Tian Renche, Leader of the North Korea Delegation and Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that if Japan refused to admit its crimes during its occupation in Korea from 1910 to 1945, the negotiation would not make any progress.

　　Tian Renche told reporters that: “Without offering total settlement of the past and appropriate compensation to support the Korean people, it’s impossible to accomplish relation normalization.” Obviously he is re-mentioning financial compensation requirements.

　　Tian Renche accused that Japanese negotiation delegates attended the talks with “wrong attitude”, and raised the Korean “comfort women” problem. One extremely important issue is: Japan alleged that the treaty of 1911 used to annex Korea was legally valid before the end of war in 1945 when it was abolished.

　　As for Japan, it requested North Korea to provide info about the Japanese woman who was kidnapped to North Korea to teach terrorists Japanese and Japanese customs.

Reference News
December 11, 1987

British newspaper reported Japanese Expiation Delegation visited Nanjing to attend the 50th anniversary commemoration of Massacre
Massacre Participant Refuted Japanese Government’s Excuse with Facts

　　[“Daily Telegraph”, Britain, December 3] Title: Japanese Expiation Delegation visited Nanjing to attend the 50th anniversary of Nanjing Massacre commemoration activity.

　　Before the 50th anniversary of Nanjing Massacre, Shiro AZUMA will accompany one Japanese Expiation Delegation to go to Nanjing, China. There, he will meet with victim relatives and survivors of the Nanjing Massacre, and express apology to them.

　　75-year-old Shiro AZUMA is currently the owner of a factory in Japan. As a soldier of the 20th Regiment, 10th Division of the Japanese Army, he took part in the world-shocking Nanjing Massacre; today he can still remember the scenes back then vividly. On December 13, 1937, the Japanese Army’s atrocities in China culminated in climax.

　　When the Japanese Army entered Nanjing, they showed no compassion toward unarmed residents, just like toward Chinese soldiers. His Imperial Highness Prince Yasuhiko ASAKA, uncle of Japanese Emperor Hirohito and Commander of Nanjing Headquarters appointed by him, issued the command to “get rid of all captives”.

　　One of the key tasks of the 16th Division to which Shiro AZUMA belonged was to go to the so-called “safe zone” to search Chinese soldiers who came to seek shelter. “We would grab their hands. If the hands were calloused and coarse, we would think he was a farmer, if the hands were soft, we would consider he was a soldier and arrest him”. In this way he and his fellow soldiers killed 7,000 persons. They bound them up, and drove them out of the city. Shiro AZUMA witnessed Japanese soldiers and officers looking for fun by killing Chinese people. He said: “I saw a soldier put a Chinese into a mail bag, then he set the bag to fire.”

　　”Finally, the Yangtze River was crammed full with bodies, which even obstructed the path of boats for sending Japanese soldiers to board a gunboat. We had to step on the floating human bodies to walk toward the direction of the gunboat, hopping from one body to another body, just like stepping on stones.” During the Massacre period, the Japanese Army raped young women in an organized way.

　　Shiro AZUMA kept a diary which recorded this time’s 6 week long massacre, raping and looting. He had been persuaded to publish this diary in Japan.

　　Shiro AZUMA said: “On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Nanjing Massacre, I feel that I must say sorry for Japan’s such inhuman behavior.” He hoped people can understand the truth, though this will very much embarrass the Japanese authorities.

　　The Japanese government obstinately refused to obey the conclusive ruling by the Far East Military Tribunal, namely Nanjing Massacre is an organized deliberate action under instruction from the Japanese Army’s supreme commander.

　　The testimony of Nanjing Massacre’s participants like Shiro AZUMA thoroughly refuted the Japanese authority’s argument that this was an “unorganized” atrocity. Shiro AZUMA said: “In the Japanese Army, it was impossible for soldiers to do whatever they wished. There were authorized to commit the massacre. Everything was carried out in an organized way.”

　　When speaking of the Japanese Emperor in war time, one historian named David Bergamini mentioned the following facts that even today the Japanese are unwilling to talk about the fact that Supreme Commander Hirohito back then implemented stringent supervision on Nanjing action in Tokyo, and awarded commendations to criminals; he did not give penalty to anyone of them.

　　Officers and soldiers of 10 divisions of Japanese army wantonly massacred, looted and raped women in Nanjing. Back then they were aware that they were enforcing the Emperor’s command. Shiro AZUMA who will come to Nanjing next week said: “Only by honestly admitting our crimes can we Japanese avoid making such mistake again.”

Kyodo News Service
China finished the filming of “Massacre in Nanjing”

　　[Dispatch of Kyodo News Service, December 7] Title: Nightmare of Nanjing Massacre re-appeared; a movie based on this incident finished production (Journalist Tsukagoshi)

　　The first Chinese movie based on Nanjing Massacre incident “Massacre in Nanjing” (jointly filmed by two film studios in Nanjing and Fujian), has been completed before the 50th anneversity of the occupation of Nanjing (December 13 this month), next year it will be openly screened. Many scenes in this movie described Japanese soldiers’ atrocities. This will remind Chinese people of the nightmare half a century ago.

　　The movie reproduced miserable incidents: Scenes in which Chinese people were killed one by one; Chinese people bound on posts were stabbed to death with bayonet, and their intestines flowed out. Chinese people were crammed into mail bag and burned. These scenes one after another appeared in front of the audience. Furthermore, the raping of women in this movie marks the first time that such scenes appear in Chinese movies.

　　Director Luo Guanqun said: “We must unite to oppose militarism. If possible, we hope it can be screened in Japan.”

New York Chinese Made Preparations for the 50th Anniversary of Nanjing Massacre

　　[“Zhongbao”, New York, December 7]A memorial painting exhibition hosted by the “Preparation Work Society for Claims against Japan” is scheduled to display “Nanjing Massacre ” works by over 60 Chinese painters at New York Soho District since December 11.

　　From 2 to 4 o’clock, on December 13, the memorial day of the 50th anniversary of the “Nanjing Massacre”, the “Compatriot Society” will set up memorial mourning hall at the Yung Wing Auditorium in New York China Town, and commemorate dead victims in Buddhist rituals.

　　Participating painters came from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Mainland, and Singapore. Work varieties included wood engraving, oil painting, sketch, photo, water color, and cartoon.

　　The society said it hoped to raise an education fund or scholarship through fund-raising method, in order to assist dedicated personnel to conduct research on the Japanese Army’s invasion history in China.

　　Ms Cong Su, Chairman of the society found American journalist Dalton’s reports in the library, which was published on the Page 1 banner headline of the New York Times on December 18, 1937. It cited scenes witnessed by Western missionaries in the then Nanjing, and described how the Japanese Army killed Chinese soldiers and civilians, women and children, just like “unbelievable barbarian”.

　　Journalist Tian Bomeng of British “Manchester Report” pointed out in an article “Collection of Japanese Beastly Atrocities” that “In Jingling University alone, girls aged 11, and women aged 53 were all raped. In other refugee groups, 72 years and 76 years old women were also raped mercilessly. On the drill ground, 17 soldiers gang raped a woman in broad daylight.”

　　According to the ruling given to the Japanese Army’s war criminal Hisao TANI after the War: The number of Chinese soldiers and civilians being collectively killed by the enemy reached 190,000 persons. Furthermore in sporadic massacres, 150,000 bodies were collected and buried, and the total number of casualty topped 300,000. Resident Yao Jialong took his family members to avoid disaster. The enemy raped and killed his wife, his children sobbed nearby, and were pierced by bayonets and tossed into fire to die.

　　Woman farmer Xie Shanzhen was over sixty; the soldiers stabbed her with knife, and inserted bamboo pole into the vagina. A girl surnamed Ding was gang raped by 13 enemy soldiers, and killed by stabbing the belly after the rape.

　　Cong Su said, when she travelled to Northern Europe in 1981, in each big city in Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark one could see Nazi German Invasion Historical Memorial Museum. In contrast, Chinese people have done too little in displaying war-time invaders’ history and evidences, so as to keep our nationals vigilant.

Irrefutable Evidences　No Room for Denial

　　[Dispatch of Agence France-Presse, Tokyo July 4]Because of the discovery of one movie believed to be the only documentary of the 1937 Nanjing Massacre atrocities, the role that Japan played in this tragedy leading to deaths of over 100,000 Chinese civilians again aroused concern in Japan.

　　After Japan’s official NHK TV Station first broadcast this movie, “Mainichi Shinbun” today published some heart-rending photos from this 10-minute long documentary. Kyodo News Service also said it has a copy of the film.

　　It is reported that this movie was filmed by an English missionary. In 1937 when the Japanese Army entered Nanjing, the English priest was the chief person of the International Red Cross Society Nanjing Office.

　　In this documentary there was a frightened young Chinese woman, it is said she was raped up to 20 times each day on average during her detention period. The documentary also contained a scene of a man being stabbed by bayonet who received treatment in a hospital.

　　On the occasion of international outcry targeting at the allegation of Japanese rightists that Nanjing Massacre was non-existent. The discovery of this film holds considerable significance.

　　It was reported that this movie, which is now stored in Los Angeles, is the only remaining one among 4 movies being sent to the United States, Japan, German and other countries.

　　[“Mainichi Shinbun”, Japan, July 2]About the “Nanjing Incident” in December 1937 and the massacre captives on the bank of the Yangtze River northeast of the Nanjing City, civilian social groups in Shizuoka City produced a documentary based on the back then war-time footages, testimonies of former Japanese soldiers and Chinese people who were involved in the massacre, as well as army diary. The movie was called “The Vanished 14,777 people——Revealing the Truth of Nanjing Massacre”. This movie was recorded on video tape, which lasted for 32 minutes. Former Japanese soldiers corroborated the scale and scenes of the Massacre in front of the video camera.

　　This civilian group is the “Movie “Invasion” Broadcasting Committee” consisting of teachers and housewives, whose representative was Masataka MORI. They collected interrogation records of 130 former Japanese soldiers, army diary and Chinese people’s manuscripts, and organized exclusive on-the-spot interview of Nanjing in December last year. In May this year, they took a video of 8 former Japanese soldiers, and recorded their testimony.

　　About the massacre on the bank of the Yangtze River as depicted in the theme of the movie, it was considered as being caused by shooting of Chinese captives by the Infantry 65th Regiment on October 16 and 17, 1937. About the number of the then captives, according to “Fukushima Minyu Shinbun” (published on October 17 and October 18) of the native place of this regiment, it was reported as 14,777 persons. One theory about the number of persons in this massacre is about 3,000 persons, another theory is about 25,000 persons, if added with captives captured later.

　　The movie introduced the army diary written by a former lieutenant of the Japanese Infantry 65th Regiment, the diary recorded: “(On October 16) took about 3000 captives to the banks of the Yangtze River, and implemented slaughter targeting at them.” The diary also said: “(On October 17) we departed to dispose of captives, because we must dispose of more than 20,000 persons. In the end we did deal with it properly and finally made a show of ourselves, and brought much casualty to the fellow troops.”

　　The movie collected the testimony of the former machine gun operator (77 this year) of the Third Machine Gun Team of this regiment. He said: “(On October 16) we shot simultaneously from two gun turrets; the gun muzzle was turned by 180 degree.” A former soldier of the First Battalion of this Regiment (84 this year) said: “The captives being killed on October 17 were over 10,000 persons. Those survived were stabbed to death with bayonet.” Through interview in Nanjing, it confirmed the old site of captive detention house and the venue considered as the massacre site. Delegates from social organizations or groups listened to testimonies of more than a dozen Chinese people in Nanjing. In the movie it is inferred that the 14,777 captives were nearly all massacred.

　　On December 13, 1941, on the lunar calendar, the then Japanese Xuzhou Military Police, the devils headed by Military Police Corporal Iwao TAKAHASHI, arrested 12 patriots including Lin Xueyi, Li Diting, Wang Zunyang, Fan Jingyuan in the business circle on the excuse of collusion with the Eighth Route Army. We were escorted from Matou Town, Tancheng County, Shandong Province to Xuzhou. After arriving at Xuzhou, we 12 persons were imprisoned in Japanese military police prison on Datong Street, Xuzhou. Amid severe tortures, 2 persons were beaten to death (Lin Xueyi, Fan Jingyuan); 7 persons were transferred from Xuzhou to Japan Central China Expeditionary Army Headquarters Military Court in Nanjing, and sentenced to three years of imprisonment (Wang Zunyang, Yin Guifang, Zheng Jitong etc). 2 persons were released in Xuzhou after interrogation. I myself was imprisoned for over three months, and received tortures such as water dungeon, and twisting arms behind head. Iwao TAKAHASHI again extorted 3,500 silver dollars, plus allowance fee 1,500 dollars, which forced me to become bankrupt. I narrowly escaped death, fortunately I survived, now I demand the Japanese government to repay this debt of blood.

Li Diting (name seal), a survivor
93.5.10

Jiangsu Workers’ Daily
December 2, 1992

Who is the Real Chief Culprit of Nanjing Massacre?
●Guo Jianhong

　　Known as an unforgettable tragedy for all Chinese people——”Nanjing Massacre”, who is its arch criminal? Generally people would think it’s Iwane MATSUI, this is because Nanjing City was captured under his command. According to the sentence of the post-war Far East International Military Tribunal, after Nanjing fell into the hands of the enemy, Iwane MATSUI entered Nanjing city and stayed between five to nine days. Naturally he should be aware of what had happened, but he did not prevent the tragedy from happening, therefore, “there is no way not to consider he shoulders responsibility for the crime”. Iwane MATSUI was sentenced to garrote in November 1948.

　　Iwane MATSUI has received due punishment. But back then the one who really instructed Japanese Army to take action is not him, instead it was His Imperial Highness Prince Yasuhiko ASAKA, a relative of the emperor; and this point was overlooked by the later generations.

　　Before attacking Nanjing, Iwane MATSUI, Commander of the Japanese Army in Central China, admonished soldiers: ‘Nanjing was China’s capital, and occupying a capital city is a world-class incident; therefore we must proceed cautiously’. Therefore, at this moment, Matsui was not prepared to order massacre. However, after Yasuhiko ASAKA arrived at the frontline on December 8 and listened to reports, he immediately issued secret order to “kill all captives”. Yasuhiko ASAKA also instructed his subordinates to violate Matsui’s instruction, and let all Japanese soldiers enter the city, arrange accommodation by themselves; so it further enlarged the Massacre.

　　Yasuhiko ASAKA was appointed to come to the frontline to command the army not long before occupying Nanjing. At this moment, Japan’s headquarters had formulated strategy, i.e. through severely hitting Nanjing, they try to dampen the anti-Japanese fighting spirit of the Chinese people, and force Chiang to surrender. Iwane MATSUI might not know this conspiracy, whereas His Imperial Highness Prince Yasuhiko ASAKA had all the advantages to overrule Matsui and acted willfully. Therefore it is clear that it is Yasuhiko ASAKA who instructs Nanjing Massacre action.

Reference News
January 25, 1993

New Japanese Book Disclosed Witness Diary by American Missionary
Another Historical Evidence of Nanjing Massacre

　　[Dispatch of Reuters, Tokyo, January 10]Title: Japanese read records of a witness of Nanjing Massacre.

　　”Japanese soldiers killed all 13 people in the room, including a 75-year-old man, a 74-year-old woman, a mother and her three daughters aged respectively 16, 14, and 1 year old. Before that, two girls were raped three times before killed in an extremely hideous way.”

　　This is one paragraph from the diary of American missionary John Magee. John Magee is one of the few foreign witnesses of Nanjing Massacre, which is one of the cruelest atrocities in this century, for Japanese soldiers killed about 200,000 Chinese people in 6 weeks.

　　No one knew John Magee’s diary for more than 50 years. It was not until 1991 that people discovered it in the basement of John Magee’s son’s residence in the suburb of New York.

　　Last month John Magee’s diary was published as a part of the book “Witnessing Nanjing Incident” by Japanese author Jiro TAKIYA. The book also contained some narrations of nearly 70 years old Chinese soldiers and civilians who survived the disaster.

　　What happened in these 6 weeks is still an issue triggering endless argument in Japan. When receiving interview from the “Playboy” magazine, Shintaro ISHIHARA, rightist member of the Liberal Democratic Party, said China’s description of the Massacre was a lie.

　　Japanese textbooks rarely contained detailed description on this incident.

　　After the Japanese Army occupied Nanjing, Japanese drove away 5 foreign journalists who stayed, and there were only several foreigners in the city. John Magee and others set up a special refugee zone in the city center to accept Chinese refugees, and gave them food and accommodation. Soon the place was crowded.

　　John Magee wrote in the diary that, by December 19 it became a commonplace for Japanese soldiers to rape and kill. He described the scene of one Chinese standing close to him being hit by two bullets: “Two Japanese soldiers looked indifferent like having killed a rat; they smoked, talked and laughed.”

　　He also described massacre scenes: Large crowds of Chinese people fell under the machine gun, piles of bodies were burned.

　　John Magee spent most of his time trying his utmost to prevent Japanese soldiers from raping Chinese women in the refugee zone, John Magee also took 4 films, totaling 37 minutes; later, he secretly carried the film outside of China, it was not until 1991 that these films were discovered.

Reference News
July 5, 1992

Kyodo News Service
Japan’s New Textbook Described Japanese Army’s Atrocities during the WWII Period

　　[Dispatch of United Press International, Tokyo, June 30]According to Kyodo News Service, Japan’s new textbook will use voluminous texts to describe Japan’s atrocities afflicted on Asian countries it occupied in the WWII period, and narrate forced labor of Koreans and people of other Asian countries.

　　It has been reported that the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology encouraged publishing houses to use relatively strong wording to describe the role played by Japan in the WWII in the textbook for the next school year.

　　Japan’s action to gloss over its war-time behaviors in the past in textbooks issued to students has received criticism from neighboring Asian countries.

　　According to the new textbook, Japan inflicted “intolerable misery” to Asian countries, which replaced the “trouble” wording used in past textbooks.

　　This news agency said, some textbooks also mentioned that under Japanese rule and about 2 million Vietnamese were starved to death. Japanese Imperial Army also massacred about 6,000 Chinese in Singapore. The new textbook did not mention that the Japanese Army’s brothels were abundant in Asian countries.

People’s daily
June 12, 1992

Japan Published Army Photograph Album of the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895

　　According to dispatch by Xinhua News Agency in Tokyo on June 10 (by journalist Jiang Zhi), the “Army Album of Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895” published by “Kashiwa Shobō” was sold in all major bookstores in Tokyo today.

　　This photo album consisting of precious historical photos reproduced the scenes of the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895 from 1894 to 1895, the photos were taken by Koreaki KAMEI (1861-1896), the then Japanese Earl when following in the army.

　　This album assembled 210 photos, including photos on scenes of massacre after the Japanese Army entered Lüshun; and scenes of the Japanese Army landing at Huanyuan Hekou, conquering Jinzhou and the fleeing women and children.

　　Furthermore, this album also collected “Diary in the Army” written by Koreaki KAMEI from September 1894 to May 1895, which recorded what he saw and heard at that time in details.

Reference News
February 6, 1992

Conscripting Army Prostitute——Historical Leftover Case Became New Dispute

　　[Dispatch from Pyongyang on February 2] Title: Conscripting army prostitute——historical leftover case became new dispute (Journalist: Gao Haorong)

　　Japan’s historical leftover issue of conscripting Korean women as army prostitutes during the WWII not only became an unsettled case between South Korea and Japan, it also became a new dispute in the normalization negotiation between Korea and Japan.

　　In January this year, when the Japanese Prime Minister visited Seoul, Japan’s conscription of Korean women as “Army comfort women”(also named “Women’s Volunteer Corps”) issue during the WWII period became one of the main issues in the discussion between both sides. In the recent Sixth Korea-Japan Relation Normalization Talk, the Korean side strongly demanded Japan to apologize, reflect and compensate for historical crimes including the “Women’s Volunteer Corps” issue, otherwise, it would be difficult to achieve normalization of relation between Korea and Japan.

　　About Japan’s conscription of Korean women as army prostitute, it was revealed in some publications in South Korea in the 1970s. Back then it did not attract much public attention. In the recent several years, as economic friction between Japan and Korea escalated, North Korea and Japan held talks on relation normalization and Japan displayed the trend of moving toward “military power”, and this issue became the subject of people’s concern.

　　In the past the Japanese government always considered the conscripting army prostitute issue “was done by civilians, and not connected with the government”; however, immediately before the visit by Japanese Prime Minister Kiichi MIYAZAWA to South Korea in January 16 this year, Yoshiaki YOSHIMI, professor of Japanese modern history at the Chuo University in Japan, discovered materials on the Japanese military side instructing and supervising setup of “Comfort Station” and collecting “comfort women in Army” during Sino-Japanese War and the Pacific War period at the Library of the Defense Agency. Meanwhile, when Shogi IKEDA, a Japanese teacher at the Seoul Fangyou National School during Japan’s rule of Korea period, was looking for the whereabouts of the then 12 year old girl students who were conscripted as army prostitute back then. He discovered their enrollment registration booklet in Seoul. The enrollment registration booklet noted that, they “voluntarily joined the Women’s Volunteer Corps for the nation”. Ikeda corroborated that, “conscripting students to join Women’s Volunteer Corps at war-time is the Emperor’s command, and could not be resisted”. Japan’s crime of conscripting Korean women, especially conscripting under-aged girls as army prostitutes triggered righteous indignation among North and South Korea people. Confronted by facts, the Japanese government was forced to change its tone that this matter “had nothing to do with the government”, when Kiichi MIYAZAWA visited Seoul, he gave formal apology and reflection. On January 29, Miyazawa for the first time apologized for the “Women’s Volunteer Corps” issue in the Japanese Diet. He said, “War-time imperial army’s conscription of ‘comfort women’ incident is undeniable”, and the government “apologizes for the untold anguish experienced by Korean women, and feels the sting of conscience”.

　　However, the issue was far from the end. According to reports of South Korean newspapers, back then there were 80,000 to 200,000 Korean women being conscripted as “comfort women”, whereas the North Korea side identified the number as 200,000 persons. In December last year, 3 South Korean women who were conscripted as “comfort women” filed lawsuit at Japanese court, and demanded Japan to give compensation. Now whether or not there should be compensation became one focal point of the dispute between Japan and North / South Korea.

　　The Japanese government considered that, on the issue of “Women’s Volunteer Corps”, apology and compensation are “two different things”, and compensation issue “must be handled by law court”. Japan had settled “asset settlement issue” with South Korea in 1965 at the time of relation normalization, therefore in the legal sense there no longer exists the new compensation on “Women’s Volunteer Corps” issue. When mentioning “Women’s Volunteer Corps” issue at the Diet on January 29, Prime Minister Miyazawa also avoided the compensation issue. However, Lee Sang-ok, senior officer of South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, considered that, in 1965 when discussing “asset settlement” with Japan there was no mentioning of the “Women’s Volunteer Corps” issue. South Korea had set up “Women’s Volunteer Corps Issue Countermeasure Task Force”, and decided to investigate historical truths before the end of June, and compile countermeasures to demand Japan’s compensation. The North Korea side accused Japan had no sincerity toward reflecting on historical crimes, forcing the government to admit responsibility for the “Women’s Volunteer Corps” issue alone “took half a century’s time”. Article of the “Labor News” said: “Women’s Volunteer Corps” issue left a “permanently incurable wound” in the heart of Korean people, and “one sentence” of self-reflection cannot atone for the expiation”.

　　Historical leftover case became a new dispute. It seems to indirecitly reflect the vigilance, misgiving and worry of North and South Korean people who have suffered the cruelty of Japan’s 36 years colonial control toward some people in Japan who attempt to steer Japan onto the old road of militarism.

Reference News
December 13, 1987

Japanese Newspaper Published Article to Discuss Invasion War and Compensation issue
Tokuma UTSUNOMIYA wrote article to say if Japan compensated loss back then there would be no subsequent economic revival

　　[ November Issue, “Journalist League News” , Japan ,] Title: War and compensation (Author　Shunsaku KANNO, President of Japan Nagano College of Economics)

　　Since the Meiji Reform, our country kept invading China, which brought huge loss to China both physically and mentally. In the 15 years of invasion war beginning from the “September 18 Incident”, Japan caused about 10 million Chinese to lose life, and brought about loss equivalent to USD 50 billion. Human life cannot be measured by money; and in the aspect of financial strength and material strength, excluding complex factors, in pure statistics term, based on foreign exchange rate in 1949, China’s property loss reached about 18 trillion yen while in 1949 Japanese government’s annual expenditure budget was 669.4 billion yen. , based on this figure, if we had compensated China’s loss, we needed to make payment for 25.7 years.

　　Japanese Congressmen Tokuma UTSUNOMIYA published an article in this year’s “Journalist League News” that: “In the early period of the 30th year of Showa period (late 1950s), some people in Japan objected to restoration of Sino-Japanese diplomatic relation. Their biggest argument was the compensation issue. Back then Japanese banks’ maximum loan amount was only USD 1 billion; and if Japan compensated for China’s loss based on this figure, it would take 50 years to fully repay the USD 50 billion. If such scenario became the case, there would be no recovery of Japanese economy, people’s life will be extremely difficult.”

　　If Japan repaid huge amount of compensation to China, the two countries’ political, and economic conditions would be drastically different from now.

　　On the other hand, 3,100,000 Japanese people also lost their lives in the invasion war; meanwhile Japan also sustained huge economic loss. I consider this is also due retaliation for their crime of afflicting huge loss and tragedy to all other countries.

　　From the standpoint as the persecutor, it is all the more hoped Japan and China can keep peaceful and friendly relationship.

Japan’s invasion atrocities

Heart-breaking scenes of Chongqing after bombing by Japanese aircrafts

After bombing of Shanghai South Railway Station, one blood-smeared toddler was crying on the ruins.

The Japanese Army “100” Troop used Chinese people in bacteria war experiment

Invading Japanese Army massacred Chinese compatriots

Chinese female compatriots after being raped by the Japanese Army

Never Forget National Humiliation
——the 60th Anniversary of the September 18 Incident

　　On September 18, 1931, the then Japanese Kuantung Army stationed inside the territory of Northeast China made elaborate plan to bombard one section of the South Manchuria Railway in Liutiaogou in the northern suburb of Shenyang, and instead shifted the blame on Chinese troops. Then they followed its scheme, and bombarded the north camp of Chinese troops north of Shenyang city, followed by intrusion into the East Camp, and created the world-shocking “September 18 Incident”. Under the no-resistance command of the KMT government, officers and soldiers of Northeast China suffered heavy casualty, and were forced to withdraw from the camp with tears in eyes, so that the Japanese invaders easily occupied the entire Northeast region.

Japan killed our Northeast Army of Volunteers

On September 19, the Japanese Invasion Army armor troop entered Shenyang

After the Japanese Army occupied Northeast China, they frantically looted China’s economic resources, and expanded invasion war.
The photo shows the Japanese Army were loading looted food materials for shipping to the frontline.

Bridges and factories destroyed in the September 18 Incident by the Japanese Invasion Army

December 29, 2018