Former member of Japanese germ-warfare unit exposes war crimes in China

Hideo Shimizu offers an apology in front of an apology and anti-war monument at the former site of Unit 731 in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Aug. 13, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Jianwei)

HARBIN, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Hideo Shimizu, a former member of Unit 731, the notorious Japanese germ-warfare detachment during World War II, identified the crimes of the Japanese army on Tuesday at the site where he served 79 years ago in China.

Shimizu, 94, was among the last batch of Unit 731 Youth Corps members sent by Japan to Harbin, China, where he spent more than four months witnessing the war crimes committed by the unit, including the cultivation of pathogens, human dissections and human experiments. He fled China with the retreating Japanese forces on August 14, 1945.

This visit is Shimizu's first return to Chinese soil in 79 years.

Hideo Shimizu (2nd R) takes pictures at the former site of Unit 731 in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Aug. 13, 2024. (Xinhua/Xie Jianfei)

Hideo Shimizu identifies the crimes of the Japanese germ-warfare at the former site of Unit 731 in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Aug. 13, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Song)

Hideo Shimizu (C) identifies the crimes of the Japanese germ-warfare at the former site of Unit 731 in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Aug. 13, 2024. (Xinhua/Xie Jianfei)

Hideo Shimizu (C) identifies the crimes of the Japanese germ-warfare at the former site of Unit 731 in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Aug. 13, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Jianwei)

Hideo Shimizu (2nd L, front) puts his palms together as he identifies the crimes of the Japanese germ-warfare at the former site of Unit 731 in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Aug. 13, 2024. (Xinhua/Xie Jianfei)

Hideo Shimizu (C) identifies the crimes of the Japanese germ-warfare at the former site of Unit 731 in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Aug. 13, 2024. (Xinhua/Xie Jianfei)

Hideo Shimizu (C) identifies the crimes of the Japanese germ-warfare at the former site of Unit 731 in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Aug. 13, 2024. (Xinhua/Xie Jianfei)

Hideo Shimizu (C) identifies the crimes of the Japanese germ-warfare at the former site of Unit 731 in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Aug. 13, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Jianwei)

Hideo Shimizu takes pictures at the former site of Unit 731 in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Aug. 13, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Song)

Hideo Shimizu (2nd R, front) identifies the crimes of the Japanese germ-warfare at the former site of Unit 731 in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Aug. 13, 2024. (Xinhua/Xie Jianfei)

Hideo Shimizu (1st R) takes pictures at the former site of Unit 731 in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Aug. 13, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Jianwei)

Hideo Shimizu offers an apology in front of an apology and anti-war monument at the former site of Unit 731 in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Aug. 13, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Jianwei)

Hideo Shimizu offers an apology in front of an apology and anti-war monument at the former site of Unit 731 in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Aug. 13, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Jianwei)

Hideo Shimizu offers an apology in front of an apology and anti-war monument at the former site of Unit 731 in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Aug. 13, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Song)

Hideo Shimizu offers an apology in front of an apology and anti-war monument at the former site of Unit 731 in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Aug. 13, 2024. (Xinhua/Xie Jianfei)

Hideo Shimizu offers an apology in front of an apology and anti-war monument at the former site of Unit 731 in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Aug. 13, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Song)

Hideo Shimizu (L) offers an apology in front of an apology and anti-war monument at the former site of Unit 731 in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Aug. 13, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Song)

Hideo Shimizu offers an apology in front of an apology and anti-war monument at the former site of Unit 731 in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Aug. 13, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Song)