Chinese researcher acquires new evidence of Nanjing Massacre

NANJING, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese researcher from Changzhou University has acquired two photo albums from Japan, providing new evidence of war crimes related to the 1937 Nanjing Massacre perpetrated by the invading Japanese troops, the university said on Monday.

One album, containing 73 photos, was taken during Nanjing's occupation. Among them are photos documenting the routine operations of a Japanese military organization located near Xiaguan Wharf in Nanjing, now revealed for the first time.

During the Nanjing Massacre, the organization was not only responsible for logistical support for the invaders but also had a secret task -- destroying the bodies of the massacre victims to erase evidence, according to Lu Yanming, a Chinese researcher from Changzhou University.

The discovery of this album confirms the historical records related to the Nanjing Massacre, said Sun Zhaiwei, a historian of the Nanjing Massacre and researcher at the Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Social Sciences.

The other album contains over 150 photos related to wartime air defense facilities in Nanjing.

"These photos serve a clear military investigative purpose and are irrefutable evidence of the Japanese troop's invasion of China," said Lu.

The Nanjing Massacre took place when Japanese troops captured the then-Chinese capital on Dec. 13, 1937. Over six weeks, they killed approximately 300,000 Chinese civilians and unarmed soldiers in one of the most barbaric episodes of World War II.