In July 1989, a significant number of human bones were discovered at the site of the former Army Medical School in Toyama, Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo. The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare released investigation records of former members of the Military Medical School in response to a request for information disclosure from a civic group. Multiple testimonies suggested a connection to the former Japanese military’s biological warfare unit, Unit 731, and the civic group believes that these human bones may include specimens brought from Unit 731. (Nakamura Masaaki)
Unit 731 A former army unit located in the suburbs of Harbin in the former Manchuria (now northeastern China), its official name was the Kwantung Army Epidemic Prevention and Water Supply Department. It was responsible for the development of biological weapons. According to testimonies from former members, they repeatedly conducted human experiments on Chinese people. These subjects were referred to as “logs,” resulting in the deaths of approximately 3,000 people. The former Army Medical School also served as the research base for Unit 731 in Japan.
◆More than 100 bodies discovered during construction work
The civic group, known as the “Committee to Investigate the Issue of Human Bones Discovered at the Former Site of the Military Medical School,” discovered the bones during construction work for the National Institute of Health (now the National Institute of Infectious Diseases). These bones are believed to have belonged to over 100 bodies. An investigative report compiled by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in 2001 speculated that the bones were specimens stored at the military medical school. The report acknowledged that some bones may have been collected from battlefields but concluded that the connection to Unit 731 “might not be clarified.”
The association requested the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare to disclose interviews with regarding 300 former members of the Military Medical School and response forms from a mailed survey that formed the basis of the ministry’s report. These documents were released between last summer and this spring.
Representative Kazuyuki Kawamura explains the investigation records to former members of the former Army Medical School, in Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo on the 20th.
The association held a rally in the ward on the 20th. They presented testimonies such as, “I heard that they selected primarily head wounds from the many Chinese soldiers’ corpses abandoned on the battlefield, brought them back to the former Military Medical School and made them into specimens,” and “A drum of formalin-preserved severed heads was delivered from Harbin (where Unit 731 was located), and I was forced to help remove them. I vomited.”
◆Citizens’ group: “Establish a third-party committee to clarify the identities”
Representative Kazuyuki Kawamura (72), who verified the results of the disclosure, pointed out that it was possible to infer that some of the bodies were packed into drums and wooden boxes and transported from Unit 731 to the Military Medical School. He suggested that they were buried at the end of the war and that “there were flaws in the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare’s report. We are calling for the establishment of a third-party committee to clarify the identities of the human bones.”
Hideo Shimizu (94), a former member of Unit 731, also participated online from his home in Nagano Prefecture. He testified that “there were severed heads (at the unit headquarters),” and that “I will continue to pray that war will never happen once more.”
Human Remains Found at Former Army Medical School in Tokyo: Possible Link to Unit 731
In July 1989, a shocking discovery was made at the site of the former Army Medical School in Toyama, Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo – a vast number of human bones. This discovery has sparked a renewed investigation into the potential connection between these remains and the infamous Unit 731, a Japanese military biological warfare unit notorious for its inhumane human experiments during World War II.
The Unveiling of a Troubling Past: The Investigation Records
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare’s investigation records, released in response to a Freedom of Information request by a civic group, have shed light on the disturbing history associated with these human remains. Multiple testimonies from former members of the Military Medical School point to a possible link to Unit 731, leading the civic group to believe that “the human bones include specimens brought from Unit 731.”
Unit 731: A Legacy of Horrors
Unit 731, officially known as the Kwantung Army Epidemic Prevention and Water Supply Department, was headquartered in the suburbs of Harbin, in the former Manchuria (now northeastern China). It was responsible for the development and testing of biological weapons, utilizing horrific human experimentation on Chinese civilians and prisoners of war. These experiments were carried out with appalling brutality, resulting in the deaths of approximately 3,000 people. The subjects were referred to as ‘Maruta’ (logs) by Unit 731 personnel, further highlighting the dehumanizing nature of their treatment.
Over 100 Bodies Discovered: Building on a Sinister Past
The “Committee to Investigate the Issue of Human Bones Discovered at the Former Site of the Military Medical School” is the civic group leading the investigation into the human remains discovered during construction work for the National Institute of Health (now the National Institute of Infectious Diseases). The remains are believed to belong to over 100 individuals. A 2001 report by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare speculated that the bones were specimens kept at the military medical school. While it acknowledged that some might have been collected from battlefields, the report concluded that the link to Unit 731 “might not be clarified.”
Unveiling the Truth: The Power of Disclosure
The association requested the disclosure of interviews with approximately 300 former members of the Military Medical School and response forms for a mailed survey, which formed the basis of the Ministry’s report. These documents were released between the summer of 2022 and spring 2023.
Representative Kazuyuki Kawamura explains the investigation records to former members of the former Army Medical School, in Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo on the 20th.
The association held a rally in Shinjuku Ward on July 20, 2023, revealing shocking testimonies from former members of the Military Medical School. These testimonies point to the systematic collection and transportation of human remains from Unit 731.
One testimony stated, “I heard that they selected mainly head wounds from the many Chinese soldiers’ corpses abandoned on the battlefield, brought them back to the former Military Medical School and made them into specimens.” Another disturbing recount stated, “A drum of formalin-preserved severed heads was delivered from Harbin (where Unit 731 was located), and I was forced to help remove them. I vomited.”
Call for Justice: Establishing a Third-Party Committee
Kazuyuki Kawamura, the association’s representative, highlighted the disturbing possibility that the human remains were packed into drums and wooden boxes and transported from Unit 731 to the Military Medical School, where they were buried at the end of the war. He criticized the Ministry’s report for its lack of clarity and urged the establishment of a third-party committee to thoroughly investigate the identity of the human bones and the role of Unit 731 in their transfer.
Hideo Shimizu, a 94-year-old former member of Unit 731, participated online from his home in Nagano Prefecture, confirming the presence of severed heads at the unit headquarters. “There were severed heads (at the unit headquarters),” he testified, echoing the call for justice and accountability. “I will continue to pray that war will never happen once more.”
The discovery of human remains at the former Army Medical School in Tokyo serves as a poignant reminder of the horrific atrocities committed by Unit 731. Despite past attempts to cover up these crimes, the relentless pursuit of truth by civic groups and the testimonies of survivors have brought these dark events into sharper focus. The establishment of a third-party committee to investigate the identity of the remains and the role of Unit 731 is a vital step in achieving justice for the victims and ensuring that such atrocities are never repeated.
