via: JapanTimes.co.jp date: 16 Apr, 2018 Names of 3,607 members of Imperial Japanese Army's notorious Unit 731 released by national archives | The Japan Times The National Archives of Japan has disclosed the names of 3,607 members of the Imperial Japanese Army’s notorious Unit 731, which conducted germ warfare and other biological experiments mainly on prisoners in China before and during World War II, according to a researcher. I came across this doing some searches on the recent war crimes trial of the the German 94 year old ex-Auschwitz SS member. Reading the "research" this unit conducted will provide anyone with ample nightmare fuel. I wonder if there will be any effort to prosecute the names on this list? Given what I've heard about Japanese attitudes toward their own role in WWII, I find it mildly surprising that Japan is releasing this information at all. I may be a cynic, but I can see the Japanese officials waiting until all names on this list have passed away prior to this release.
I think you may have hit in something, Otto. My personal feeling is that anyone who was in Unit 731 should be prosecuted, no matter their role. That said, the Japanese have not admitted the barbarity of that unit. Like you, I am a bit surprised that they are publishing the names. It would be interesting to know how many are still living. It wouldn't shock me to find out there are no living members.
Wow! So far the Japanese have been keeping everything undercover. Never believed this would come out ever.
I'm sure there are probably less than 5 alive still, and I too am surprised Japan has released this, as many of you mentioned, their attitude towards the war is to not admit specifically their wrong doings, but apologize frequently to many nations and people.
I understand that these people committed heinous crimes, but what good will releasing their names do?
Well it's at least a tacit admission of guilt not only for the individuals but the IJA and implicitly the Japanese government of the time. Japan has received a fair amount of criticism, especially in recent years, for not acknowledging the severity or extent of their activities in WWII.
It is to verify that those first-hand accounts of Unit 731 and the Kwantung Army Epidemic Prevention and Water Purification Department were actually with said units, thus giving more credibility to those accounts. No more will people be able to say "Well, how do we know that he was there to observe this." Because, now we know who was there and who wasn't.