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New Evidence of World War II Germ Warfare Test Found
More remnants of Unit 731, part of the Japanese Kwantung Army conducting germ warfare in China during World War II, have been collected by residents in Harbin, capital city of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.
The relics include an oriflamme, an aluminium ashtray with the inscription "Japan's Kwantung Army", a porcelain bowl inscribed with "Manchuria Unit 731", an officers desk, and an airplane maintenance record.
It was the first time that "Unit 731" has been found on items left by the notorious troop, as most items were marked with "Kwangtung Army", said Jin Chengmin, vice-curator of the archives on Unit 731. The ashtray was the first piece of ironware ever discovered inscribed with Kwantung Army.
"It indicates that part of the Kwantung Army did have its designation changed into Unit 731 in 1941," said Jin.
The oriflamme is rare proof of the predecessor of Unit 731, whose relics have not been discovered yet, said Jin.
Unit 731 was part of Japan's Kwantung Army, whose headquarters were in Harbin in 1932. It is notorious for manufacturing materials for germ warfare that were tested on more than 10,000 live people.
A large part of the germ warfare test base was blown up before Unit 731 withdrew from China. Local historical researchers have found many articles at the site, but few of them contained medical data, was surgical equipment, or was evidence relating to top secrets.
China started clearing the site of Unit 731 in Heilongjiang last month. Local government initiated a city-wide collection of relics of Unit 731, hoping to find more solid proof of the crimes of Japanese invaders during World War II.
Over 300 relics have been found at the site, including anatomic appliances, incubators and shrapnel.
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