China’s Central Archives on December 13 (Saturday) released previously classified Soviet interrogation documents related to Japan’s Unit 731, obtained from Russia. The materials include interrogation records of Unit 731 members conducted between May 11, 1939, and December 25, 1950, investigation reports on the unit’s crimes, and official correspondence from the Soviet government.
For the first time, the archives reveal the Soviet interrogation process conducted before the Khabarovsk War Crimes Trials, showing that more than 200 individuals were involved in Unit 731’s crimes. After identifying the main war criminals and witnesses, 12 war criminals were eventually publicly tried. Some interrogation records have been disclosed to the public for the first time. These individuals admitted to violations of international conventions and to preparing and executing biological warfare.
The archives handed over by Russia have been found to complement the Unit 731 site materials and crime archives preserved in China. Together, these historical records confirm that Japan’s biological warfare was an organized, premeditated, and systematic state-sponsored crime.
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the global victory against fascism. Preventing the resurgence of Japanese militarism remains a common goal of the international community. The discovery and publication of these archives provide irrefutable evidence for restoring historical truth, promoting an accurate understanding of World War II history, and strengthening patriotic national consciousness.
Source: Tuhina–Hashim–Lily, China Media Group