Osaka, Japan - August 11, 2024

Hideo Shimizu, a former member of the Japanese germ warfare Unit 731 Youth Corps, arrived in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province on Monday to apologize for the atrocities committed by the unit during World War II.

The 94-year-old, accompanied by a delegation of over 20 people from Japan's medical community, seeks to expose the unit's wartime atrocities amid ongoing controversy over Japan's lack of a sincere apology to China.

Shimizu and his delegation are scheduled to visit the Exhibition Hall of Evidence of Crime Committed by Unit 731 of the Japanese aggressor and the former premises of Unit 731 on Tuesday.

Speaking with China Media Group (CMG) before departing from Kansai International Airport in Osaka, Japan, Shimizu expressed his deep regret.

Conscripted into the army at just 14 years old in 1945, Hideo Shimizu was sent to Unit 731's headquarters near Harbin, where he witnessed the unit's horrific atrocities firsthand.

Even as a new recruit only involved in peripheral tasks, what he encountered was enough to deeply shock him.

Before leaving China, Unit 731 destroyed evidence of its crimes and enforced strict secrecy. After returning to Japan, Shimizu carried a heavy burden of guilt. Several years ago, he decided to break the silence, revealing the wartime atrocities through public speeches.

When talking about Japan's failure to reflect on its wartime actions, Shimizu pointed out the lack of apologies to people in China, Mongolia, Russia and the Korean Peninsula. He acknowledged that his truth-telling might lead to criticism from the Japanese government, yet he chose to speak out.

Accompanying Shimizu is Fumio Hara, former president of the Research Society for War and Medicine, who also advocates for exposing Japan's wartime atrocities.

Shotlist:
Osaka, Japan - Aug 11, 2024:
1. Content of "Journal of 15-years War and Japanese Medical Science and Service";
2. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Hideo Shimizu, former member, Unit 731 (partially overlaid with shot 3):
"Apart from apologizing, there's nothing else I want to do because the damages have already been done.";
[SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE]
Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province, northeast China - July 6, 2024
3. Copies of documents containing detailed information about military personnel from Unit 731;
[SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE]
4. Copies of documents containing detailed information about military personnel from Unit 731;
Osaka, Japan - Aug 11, 2024
5. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Hideo Shimizu, former member, Unit 731 (partially overlaid with shots 6-7):
"I was taken to the dissection room where my superior showed me the results of experiments on live subjects. The scenes were so gruesome that I was left speechless. What struck me the most was a pregnant woman whose unborn child was preserved as a specimen. I couldn't understand why even pregnant women and unborn babies were treated like that.";
[SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE]
Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province, northeast China - July 6, 2024
6. Copies of documents containing detailed information about military personnel from Unit 731;
7. Aerial shots of Exhibition Hall of Evidences of Crime Committed by Unit 731 of Japanese aggressor, germ warfare unit during World War II, of Japanese aggressor
[SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE];
Osaka, Japan - Aug 11, 2024
8. Various of journal content;
9. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Hideo Shimizu, former member, Unit 731 (with reporter asking questions):
"Now, all we can do is pray for those who lost their lives in the war. While I hope that people today will reflect on these issues, I fear that even if I speak out, Japan will not."
(Reporter: "What do you think Japan has failed to reflect on?")
"I believe Japan has not sincerely apologized to people in China, Mongolia, Russia and the Korean Peninsula. If I say this, I might be criticized by the Japanese government rather than by the Chinese.";
10. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Fumio Hara, former president, Research Society for War and Medicine (partially overlaid with shot 11):
"If we forget this cruel history, similar atrocities could happen again. As Shimizu said, we must clearly reveal the harsh truths of war, especially the facts of aggression.";
[SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE]
11. Various of journal content;
[SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE]
Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province, northeast China - Aug 12, 2024
12. Various of Hideo Shimizu, former member of Japanese germ warfare Army Unit 731 Youth Corps, walking at airport;
Osaka, Japan - Aug 11, 2024
13. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Fumio Hara, former president, Research Society for War and Medicine (starting with shot 12):
"This marks Shimizu's second visit to China in his lifetime. It is far from an ordinary trip. We ask for your understanding and support."

[Restriction - No access Chinese mainland]