Seiichi Morimura, a brilliant Japanese writer known for his mystery novels, passed away at the age of 90 on July 24th. Although his fiction work gained recognition in Japan, it was his groundbreaking nonfiction book, “The Devil’s Gluttony,” published in 1981, that brought him international acclaim and forever changed the discourse surrounding World War II in Japan.
In a Guardian Weekly interview in 1982, Morimura highlighted the skewed perspective of Japanese war narratives, which often portrayed Japan as a victim. He aimed to shift this narrative by examining Japan’s role as an aggressor and shedding light on the atrocities committed by Unit 731, a secret biological warfare branch of the Imperial Army.
Morimura’s reportage initially appeared in the Communist daily newspaper Akahata and was later released as a best-selling book. He conducted interviews with numerous veterans from Unit 731 and meticulously documented the horrific experiments conducted on thousands of victims, primarily Chinese, but also Koreans, Russians, and prisoners of other nationalities.
The unit, disguised as an epidemic prevention and water purification department, conducted sadistic medical experiments to perfect biological weapons. Victims, referred to as “marutas” or wooden logs, were infected with deadly diseases and subjected to vivisection without anesthesia. The extent of the atrocities was compared to the inhumane experiments carried out by Nazi doctor Josef Mengele.
Morimura’s work sparked further investigations in the 1980s and 1990s, leading to a court case that exposed the full scale of the atrocities committed by Unit 731. The death toll from the medical experiments is estimated to be around 3,000 or more, with additional deaths caused by the germ bombs tested on Chinese cities or the outbreaks of diseases orchestrated by the unit.
Despite the publication of Morimura’s book and the subsequent acknowledgment of Unit 731’s activities by the Japanese government, justice for the victims remained elusive. Members of the unit were granted immunity in exchange for their research records, and many went on to hold influential positions in Japan. It wasn’t until 2002, when a Tokyo court confirmed Japan’s engagement in germ warfare during World War II, that a small measure of justice was served.
Seiichi Morimura leaves behind a legacy of truth-seeking and a commitment to historical accuracy. Through his writings, he aimed to prevent future wars by ensuring that Japanese aggression is not forgotten or repeated. His contributions have brought about a reckoning within Japan and shed light on the dark chapters of history that must never be forgotten.
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