Voice of the Proletariat has curated a new collection detailing Japan’s long history of war crimes and how the fascist legacy lives on today on the siT Unlearning Capitalism.
The creation of the collection “Imperial Japan: Then and Now” is not to harbour hatred toward the common people in modern Japan but to raise awareness of its many atrocities during the World Anti-Fascist War (WWII) and the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, events seldom covered in Western and Western-aligned education systems. Given the brutality of Imperial Japan’s actions, viewer discretion is advised.
In addition to covering historical events, the collection includes many reports and news articles in regard to Japan’s neomilitarist push under the current administration of Sanae Takaichi and continued failure to confront and take responsibility for their past aggression.
As the description states:
Japan is often described today as a technologically advanced country with a kawaii cultural aesthetic. This carefully crafted national brand circulates globally through the export of anime, manga, J-pop, and tourism. Behind this mask, however, lies its dark World Anti-Fascist War (WWII) history—which lives on in Japanese society to this day.
This collection compiles historical sources covering a mere portion of Japan’s numerous war crimes during the World Anti-Fascist War, including the “comfort women” system and the biological experimentation operation known as Unit 731, as well as news detailing the LDP’s neomilitarist push today. If you have ever questioned why many from East Asia, Southeast Asia, and parts of the former USSR dislike Japan so strongly, start here.
The linked resources vary in length and readability and are loosely sorted by topic. For instance, Chinese journalist Li Jingjing’s video “Why do so many Asian countries have beef with Japan?!” offers an accessible summary for general audiences, while books like Hal Gold’s Japan’s Infamous Unit 731 and academic articles such as Heisoo Shin’s “Voices of the ‘Comfort Women’: The Power Politics Surrounding the UNESCO Documentary Heritage” may be more challenging. Academic journal articles have been listed as “reports” rather than “articles” for easier differentiation from general news.
Under no circumstances will Japan be allowed to remilitarize and return to the path of fascist aggression. This is the common will of the international community.
The collection will continue to be updated with more historical documents and current events articles in the coming months.
Great work for a great cause!