Japan's National Archives on Wednesday released rosters of three Japanese Imperial Army germ-warfare units, further evidencing Japanese aggressors' atrocities during World War II.
The rosters contain detailed personal information on members of Unit 1644, Unit 8604, and Unit 8609, including names, birth dates, family registry data, addresses, and military assignments.
Originally held by Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the documents were transferred to the National Archives in March 2024 and appeared in the archive's newly released document index in March 2025.
The release was made at the request of biological warfare researcher and professor emeritus of Shiga University of Medical Science Katsuo Nishiyama and other researchers.
Nishiyama applied for the release of documents such as the rosters of Unit 1644 and others involved in biological warfare. In order to obtain these roster files, he navigated through various Japanese official departments and waited for over six years before finally gaining access to them.
Nishiyama said that he hopes these roster files released to the public will serve as evidence for further historical research and contribute to the in-depth development of related studies in the future.
"There is very little investigation or research conducted in Japan on biological warfare units other than Unit 731. I hope that the release of these rosters will break down the first major barrier to related research," he said.
Nishiyama also said that over the course of more than six years, he navigated through multiple departments in Japan, including the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare and the National Archives of Japan. The process of obtaining the relevant historical documents was arduous, and at one point, he even considered resorting to legal action to push for their release.
"Many young people in China are already using such historical literature to advance their research, and I'm worried about the future of related research in Japan. My persistence is not to satisfy my personal desires, in fact, I was born in 1942, after the war broke out. I believe this is a responsibility I must shoulder as Japanese. It is a responsibility I must shoulder," he said.
As a leading scholar in Japan involved in research on the biological warfare conducted by the Japanese Imperial Army, Nishiyama said that on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, and the World Anti-Fascist War, he hopes the Japanese government will take this as an opportunity to face the history squarely.
"Japan should study and reflect on various war crimes, which is not only a subject concerning China and Japan, but is extremely important for the people of Asia and the whole world. I believe this needs to be addressed through international action," he said.
During the Japanese invasion of China from 1931 to 1945, the Japanese military established several units specialized in biological warfare. Among them was the notorious Unit 731.
Newly released rosters evidence Japan's germ-warfare in China
Newly released rosters evidence Japan's germ-warfare in China
