China releases new wartime archives on Japanese military crimes

The Jilin Provincial Archives in China has released 60 original Japanese military documents from World War II, providing new evidence regarding the systematic use of forced sexual slavery, known as the “comfort women” system. These documents, recovered from remnants left by the retreating Japanese Kwantung Army, detail the establishment, authorization, and daily operation of “comfort stations” in Northeast China.

The release coincides with the 95th anniversary of the September 18 Incident, which began in 1931 when Japanese troops attacked a railway near Shenyang. The archives highlight the historical efforts of the “Nine Gentlemen,” a group of Chinese intellectuals who secretly gathered evidence of Japanese aggression in 1932 to present to the League of Nations. Their compiled evidence, titled “TRUTH,” played a critical role in the League of Nations' decision to recognize Northeast China as Chinese territory and reject Japan's claims of self-defense.

According to archive officials, these newly released documents add to a collection of 85 original Japanese military records documenting the institutionalized violence committed by the Japanese army during the war.