China's Central Archives announced on Saturday, December 13, 2025, that it has received a significant batch of archival evidence from Russia related to Japan's notorious Unit 731, a covert biological warfare unit active during World War II. The documents, spanning from 1939 to 1950, include trial records of unit members, Soviet investigation reports, and internal correspondence detailing the unit's operations.
Unit 731, headquartered in Harbin in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, was a hub for inhumane human experiments and the development of biological weapons. Historical records indicate that at least 3,000 individuals from China, the Soviet Union, and other countries and regions were subjected to lethal testing by the unit between 1937 and 1945.
The newly acquired materials are expected to deepen global understanding of wartime atrocities and strengthen academic research into Japan's wartime actions. Analysts note the timing aligns with ongoing efforts to preserve historical accountability, particularly as surviving victims and their families continue to seek justice.
This collaboration between Chinese and Russian institutions underscores the enduring importance of cross-border archival work in addressing unresolved historical grievances. Researchers anticipate the documents will shed further light on the scale of Unit 731's operations and its impact across Asia.
