Scholars and experts from China, Japan, the U.S., and other regions gathered this week to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, urging Japan to confront its wartime history. The symposium, held simultaneously at Changchun Normal University and Musashino University, spotlighted untold stories of Japan’s wartime atrocities through oral histories and rare artifacts. 🕊️
Tamiko Kanzaki, a former NHK translator, shared chilling childhood memories of militaristic indoctrination in 'Manchukuo,' a puppet state created by Japan during its invasion of China. She condemned policies like the 'Three Alls' (kill all, burn all, loot all) and the Nanjing Massacre, calling them 'unforgivable chapters in human history.' 📜
Yoichi Jomaru, ex-Asahi Shimbun journalist, exposed how Japanese media whitewashed wartime aggression. 'They highlighted Japan’s suffering but erased its crimes,' he said, urging modern media to 'defend truth, not myths.' 📰
An exhibit at Musashino University displayed wartime letters and military gear—'silent witnesses' to Japan’s invasion. Historians stressed oral histories as vital tools to 'prevent history from repeating.' 🔍
Li Suzhen of the Sino-Japanese Oral History Association emphasized: 'Remembering isn’t about hatred. It’s about building peace.' ✨
