Archival Documents Reveal Fresh Insights into Japan's Germ-Warfare Unit
China's Central Archives announced on December 13, 2025, the acquisition of newly disclosed evidence from Russia related to Unit 731, the Imperial Japanese Army's covert biological and chemical warfare unit active during World War II. The documents, described as 'historically significant' by officials, include detailed records of human experimentation and germ-weapon deployment across Northeast China in the 1930s–1940s.
Zhao Cong, director general of the National Archives Administration's International Cooperation Department, emphasized the importance of these materials in 'exposing the full scope of crimes against humanity committed by Japanese militarism.' The evidence reportedly corroborates long-standing testimonies from survivors and previous findings about the unit's operations in Harbin.
This development coincides with ongoing global efforts to preserve wartime historical records, particularly as the 80th anniversary of WWII's conclusion approaches in 2025. Researchers note the documents could strengthen academic understanding of biological warfare ethics and inform contemporary international law discussions.
