Kathmandu— China has unveiled a collection of newly acquired evidence detailing wartime atrocities committed by the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. The artifacts, gathered in the lead-up to the 81st anniversary of Japan’s surrender, include private letters from soldiers involved in the 1937 Nanjing Massacre, oral testimony confirming biological warfare practices by Unit 731, and extensive archival documents detailing widespread aggression. These materials, donated by individuals and institutions both within China and internationally, aim to solidify a historical record of Japanese war crimes and seek greater international recognition of these events.

Nanjing Massacre Accounts Unearthed

The Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre has collected over 150 sets of artifacts and more than 100 archival documents in the first half of 2026, many donated by young students. Among these is a series of letters written between 1937 and 1939 by a Japanese soldier from the 16th Division, who wrote on December 20, 1937 – just after the fall of Nanjing – that his unit had “killed over ten thousand defeated soldiers.” This firsthand account corroborates existing diary entries from fellow soldiers in the same division, providing further evidence of the scale and brutality of the massacre.

Unit 731's Biological Warfare Confirmed

New historical records detailing the activities of Unit 731, Japan’s notorious biological warfare division, were also made public. A 70-minute oral testimony from Hitoshi Tanizaki, a former medic at a branch of Unit 731, confirms that Japanese forces buried large quantities of chemical shells in China as they retreated during the war. Tanizaki stated that his unit cultivated bacteria and conducted toxicity tests on water sources, and deliberately concealed their activities by posing as regular infantry. Researchers say this testimony corroborates evidence of abandoned chemical weapons which have caused over 2,000 casualties in China since WWII.

Comfort Women Testimony Preserved

The Nanjing Museum of the Site of the Lijixiang Comfort Stations is now displaying new artifacts documenting the experiences of surviving “comfort women” – women forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military. Photographers Li Xiaofang and Yan Meihua spent years collecting testimonies and photographs, donating over 200 photos of 70 survivors, replica handprints, and personal belongings to the museum. Li recalled one survivor telling him she felt compelled to bathe daily “hoping to wash away the humiliation and pain from my body,” highlighting the lasting psychological trauma inflicted by the system. Yan Meihua documented the life of a Korean-born survivor, compiling over 7,000 images and 10 video clips.

International Collaboration Aids Evidence Gathering

Archival materials donated jointly by Marcus Detrez and Bastien Ratat from France, and Zhong Haosong from China, comprise 861 pages of documents from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs relating to Japanese aggression in China. These are alongside over 50 Japanese-language publications including wartime magazines and frontline war records. Researcher Meng Guoxiang emphasized that these artifacts “reveal the atrocities committed by Japanese forces…from various perspectives,” forming an “irrefutable chain of evidence.”

Calls for Greater Historical Recognition

Researchers at the Exhibition Hall of Evidences of Crime Committed by Unit 731 are urging greater international attention to Japan’s wartime medical atrocities, noting that awareness remains insufficient compared to recognition of Nazi Germany's crimes. Yang Yanjun called on scholars worldwide to enhance research into Unit 731 and foster a more accurate historical understanding. The newly disclosed records, combined with existing testimonies, aim to build a comprehensive account of the unit’s gruesome activities, which resulted in at least 3,000 people subjected to human experimentation and over 300,000 deaths in China.

The ongoing collection and release of these historical materials demonstrate China's commitment to preserving the memory of wartime suffering and seeking accountability for past atrocities. Researchers hope that continued investigation will further illuminate the full extent of Japan’s war crimes and contribute to a more complete understanding of this period in history.

(With inputs from Xinhua)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.