Japan conducted experiments on Filipinos during WW2

[StraightSix]

Another sad part is that after the war, the US did not prosecute officials of Unit 731 in exchange for data for their own germ warfare program against the Soviet Union.

[Jun aka Pekto]

i agree that we have to move on. but there's a difference between killing and experimenting then killing them later. it's worse than what the germans under hitler did to millions of jews during the WW2. why? the jews were killed using poison gas is is not very painful, our fellow filipinos were killed after expreiment of operation. it's one of the reasons why this is still a big news even in japan, because of the way they were killed. it's also the reason why that japanese confesed because there's still this guilt because of the way those filipinos were killed. if they were killed by the bullets or bayonet, it was expected because it was a war. but experimenting them then starggling them to death is a very brutal way of killing. imagine if those victims were operated without anesthesia.

What the Nazis did was horrifying in every way. There's no other way to describe their extermination of 6 million Jews and millions of other nationalities.

WW2 was a brutal war with atrocities on both sides. I say both because in the aftermath of the Battle of the Bismarck Sea (1943) where Allied airpower sank almost a whole Japanese convoy, Allied aircraft, submarines, and PT boats machinegunned and strafed over 8000 Japanese infantrymen stranded in the water. The reasoning was that the Japanese will fight to the death anyway and the less that made it to land, the less Allied soldiers will die by their hand.

Personally, I found that reasoning distasteful. To me, the Allies didn't need to machinegun the Japanese troops. The sharks would've finished them off long before any them saw land.

But, the bulk of atrocities by far were still committed by the Axis powers and mostly by Germany and Japan. Being Pinoy, I'm naturally more atuned to what the Japanese did. Our family suffered losses during that war. Still, it's best to put it behind in the interest of a peaceful existence. I'm just glad my Dad's not reading that article because it'll set off his fuse again.....

[Jun aka Pekto]

Another sad part is that after the war, the US did not prosecute officials of Unit 731 in exchange for data for their own germ warfare program against the Soviet Union.

That is true. There was a documentary in The History Channel about that. They also didn't execute "Tokyo Rose" although I'm not sure why.

[artpogi]

Japan conducted experiments on Filipinos during WW2

Associated Press
Last updated 09:33pm (Mla time) 11/25/2006

TOKYO--The Japanese navy conducted surgical training on Filipinos, including women and children, during World War II and then killed them, a repentant medic who said he took part was quoted as saying Saturday.

Akira Makino, 84, a former navy medic stationed on Mindanao island in the Philippines during the war, told Kyodo News agency that about 30 people were operated on as part of medical training before being strangled to death between December 1944 and February 1945.

Operations performed on the victims included severing legs and arms and abdominal surgery, in some cases after their faces were covered with a cloth and sprayed with ether, Kyodo quoted Makino as saying.

The bodies of the 30 Filipinos were later buried, he said.

Makino, who is now living in the western Japanese city of Hirakata, said he came forward because of nightmares after keeping the grisly secret for more than 60 years, Kyodo said.

"We should not repeat such miseries again," Makino said. "I want to tell the truth about the war, even if it is to only one person or two."

It was believed to be the first account of such atrocities by the Japanese Imperial Navy in the Philippines, Kyodo reported. The Imperial Army's Unit 731, based in northern China, is believed to have conducted medical experiments on Chinese prisoners during the war.

Unit 731, in Harbin, China, injected prisoners of war with typhus, cholera and other diseases for biological warfare research during the war, historians and former unit members say.

Researchers say at least 3,000 people died from injections, human vivisection and induced gangrene in experiments, or were executed later to keep them from talking.

Officials at Japan's Health Ministry and Foreign Ministry were not available for comment Saturday.

not to sound insensitive but I'm not surprised about this.

There are a lot of untold atrocities during WWII.

Pinoy's of the WWII generation are much better off during those times compared to what the Japanese Army did to Nanking.

But there are also people who can't forgive/forget, but who can blame them after going through hell.

But as they say, past is past, just let it be. Let's just pray that such atrocities will not happen again, ever.

[mazdamazda]

Am not surprised by this... the Japs did this horrific act on a much wider scale in China.

(edit: after rereading the article it was 30 Filipinos against 3000 Chinese murdered)

Though coming foward with this story is brave, I don't think that we should make a big deal out of it nowadays. The past is past. Filipinos also did some horrific things on surrendering / retreating Japanese troops during the later stages of the war.

[oliver1013]

In all wars talagang may ganyang atrocities. And usually ang nerereport lang ay yung atrocities ng talunan. The victors always get away with it.

[oldblue]

3000 chinese? laki galit ng hapon sa mga yun no? baka naman yun 30 filipinos eh 30 fil-chinese ...

[explorer]

Am not surprised by this... the Japs did this horrific act on a much wider scale in China.

(edit: after rereading the article it was 30 Filipinos against 3000 Chinese murdered)

it's the first confession from the japanese soldier. philippines has 7,100+ islands. we don't know which island(s) that 30 filipinos were killed. if that experiment was done by one group, it is also possible that other groups of japanese soldiers did the same or similar experiment in other area.

[swimstroke]

Ganun lang siguro talaga kapag nasakop ka...

[KoKoNAT]

No sons should be punished for the sins of their fathers (or in this case, possibly, their grandfathers).

I give the current generation of Japanese the benefit of the doubt that they will not commit the same mistakes as their fathers or grandfathers. The actions of the current generation does support the fact they are different from their forebears.

I actually pity (for the lack of a better word) the Japanese (and the Germans). Due to the actions of men long dead, their sins would continue to haunt generations and generations of Japanese and Germans. Paying a debt that cannot be repaid but would still willingly do so again and again. (Next to the US, Japan is the biggest provider of aid to the Philippines. Japan is also one of the biggest investor not only in the Philippines, but in China as well. On the other hand, Germany is Israel's biggest trading partner in Europe and second biggest trading partner after the US.)

My personal opinion: Let sleeping dogs lie, but remain vigilant so that events like those do not occur again in the future.