In brief
In late‑autumn 2026, a Japanese delegation from the Association for Inheriting and Propagating the Murayama Statement toured former Unit 731 facilities in Heilongjiang. The delegation, composed of scholars and activists, expressed shock, apologized to Chinese victims, and condemned rising revisionism in Japan.
A Japanese civil‑society delegation visited former Unit 731 sites in northeastern China on October 31, 2026, expressing remorse and urging accountability for wartime atrocities, according to Xinhua. The delegation—formed by the Association for Inheriting and Propagating the Murayama Statement—stood at exhibition halls in Heilongjiang Province that lay on the grounds where the infamous Japanese biological‑warfare unit had operated during World War II.
The Association for Inheriting and Propagating the Murayama Statement, created in Tokyo in 2013, is a progressive force that includes scholars, journalists, lawyers and civic activists. Its purpose is to keep alive Japan’s acknowledgement of the Murayama Statement, the 1995 governmental statement in which Japan accepted responsibility for wartime aggression and expressed heartfelt remorse.
During the tour, members stepped into a remote section of the former Unit 731 complex, a site that once housed laboratories and execution chambers. The visitors halted in silence for extended periods, allowing the stark evidence of clandestine experiments to settle into their consciousness.
Shigenori Kanehira, a veteran Japanese media professional and delegation member, reflected on the impact of the visit. Although he was already familiar with these events through books and documentary footage, walking through the historical site heightened the sense of reality. He described the experience as “shockingly close” to the atrocities committed by Imperial Japan.
Mitsuhisa Fukutomi, a university professor and delegation member, echoed a similar sentiment. He confessed to feeling profound shame and sorrow upon witnessing the crime scenes firsthand. The site’s stark remnants – skeletal remains, abandoned medical equipment, and the silent niches of former laboratories – confronted him with irrefutable evidence of the unit’s deeds.
Takakage Fujita, the head of the delegation, delivered a stark condemnation during a symposium with Chinese historians and museum curators. He characterized the actions of the Japanese Army as “demonic” and stressed that human beings were subjected to injections of bacteria without consent. He also expressed a heartfelt apology.
"The Japanese Army’s act of injecting bacteria into living people can only be described as ‘demonic.’ As a Japanese, I sincerely apologize to the Chinese people who perished in the disaster."
Fujita’s speech also targeted the resurgence of right‑wing revisionist voices in Japan. He warned that, since last year, certain politicians had made “absurd and ignorant remarks” that appear to stir regional tensions. This subversive rhetoric, he said, threatens to undermine the sincere apologies embedded in Japan’s post‑war reconciliation efforts.
Historical analysts emphasize that Unit 731’s crimes remain one of the most grave violations of international humanitarian law. After the war, the Japanese government destroyed much of the unit’s infrastructure and tried to conceal evidence. However, archaeological digs in Heilongjiang, combined with academic research, have confirmed the scale and nature of the experiments.
The delegation’s visit also highlighted the broader issue of historical memory in East Asia. Many Chinese citizens view the Murayama Statement as insufficient, arguing that Japan still fails to fully reckon with its wartime legacy. The confrontation of shameless revisionism by a Japanese civil‑society group thus carries symbolic weight for Chinese audiences.
Following the visit, the delegation criticized the trend of “right‑wing countercurrents” that have resurfaced in Japanese politics. These movements, the delegation argued, seek to rewrite history by casting doubt on the atrocities committed by the Japanese military. The rise of these groups is seen as a threat to regional stability and to the continued progress of reconciliation between Japan and its neighbors.
The delegation’s engagement with Chinese experts and scholars during the visit underscored a willingness to dialogue. Through exchanges of viewpoints, the delegation aimed to strengthen mutual understanding and to prevent the recurrence of historical denialism. The participants underscored that truth cannot be buried, regardless of attempts by former Japanese forces to erase evidence.
In the days following the visit, the Association for Inheriting and Propagating the Murayama Statement reaffirmed its mission: to ensure Japan’s history is remembered accurately, that national apologies are sincere, and that future generations are exposed to the full scope of wartime atrocities.
While the delegation’s statements call for accountability, they do not detail specific legal or diplomatic steps. The group emphasizes moral and historical reckoning rather than formal punitive actions. Nonetheless, their open condemnation of right‑wing revisionism offers a counterpoint to political narratives that in recent years have amplified nationalist sentiment.
In sum, the delegation’s solemn visit to former Unit 731 sites illustrated how civil society can bridge historical divides. It reaffirmed the Japanese commitment to acknowledge past wrongs, while raising concerns about the rise of revisionist politics. Whether this momentum translates into concrete policy changes or deeper regional healing will remain to be seen, but the gesture itself may influence public discourse in both Japan and China.
