Japanese civil group calls for remembrance of Nanjing Massacre history

Attendees watch a documentary film featuring late U.S. physician Robert O. Wilson during a gathering held by the "Connecting Memories of Nanjing" civil group in Osaka, Japan, Dec. 9, 2023. A local civil group has held the gathering urging the Japanese public to reflect on the historical lessons and contemporary significance of the Nanjing Massacre in light of the current global situation, emphasizing the importance of not forgetting history in building peace. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)

OSAKA, Japan, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- A local civil group has held a gathering urging the Japanese public to reflect on the historical lessons and contemporary significance of the Nanjing Massacre in light of the current global situation, emphasizing the importance of not forgetting history in building peace.

The gathering was held by the "Connecting Memories of Nanjing" civil group in Osaka on Saturday to commemorate the 86th anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre.

The founder of the group, Tamaki Matsuoka, said in a speech, "I started conducting on-site investigations in Nanjing 35 years ago, interviewing survivors of the Nanjing Massacre and collecting testimonies from Japanese veterans who served in China."

"Throughout this process, I keenly felt the lingering pain inflicted on the survivors by the Nanjing Massacre that has yet to dissipate," said Matsuoka, also president of Meishinkai, an organization dedicated to calling on Japanese people to face up to and remember historical facts related to the Nanjing Massacre.

Following her address, all participants at the gathering stood in a moment of silence to pay tribute to the Nanjing Massacre survivors who passed away in the past year.

Chinese scholar Gao Wenjun, who attended the event, outlined the challenging process of conducting a joint investigation with Matsuoka into the massacre at Taiping Gate in Nanjing over the years.

Based on their research, Matsuoka funded the production of the documentary film "1,300 Lives Lost by Taiping Gate" which vividly reconstructs the atrocity. The film features Japanese veterans who on camera acknowledged their involvement in the heinous massacre of innocent Chinese civilians.

A documentary film featuring late U.S. physician Robert O. Wilson was also screened at the event. The film tells the story of Wilson's tireless efforts to save Chinese refugees during the Nanjing Massacre in 1937.

Among over 150 Japanese citizens participating in the event was Nomura, who noted that the modern history curriculum in Japanese schools barely covers Japan's military invasion of China.

She emphasized that many Japanese young people are unaware of this history, labeling it as a "major problem."

Kimura, a regular attendee of the annual gathering, criticized the Japanese government for not responding to disturbing voices denying the massacre committed by the Japanese Imperial Army in China during WWII.

Highlighting the significant increase in Japan's defense budget, he warned that people should be vigilant against any signs of a dangerous shift toward repeating the mistakes of the past.

Established in 2014, the "Connecting Memories of Nanjing" holds regular gatherings every year to remember the history of the horrendous Nanjing Massacre.

Tamaki Matsuoka, founder of the "Connecting Memories of Nanjing" civil group, delivers a speech during a gathering in Osaka, Japan, Dec. 9, 2023. A local civil group has held the gathering urging the Japanese public to reflect on the historical lessons and contemporary significance of the Nanjing Massacre in light of the current global situation, emphasizing the importance of not forgetting history in building peace. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)