According to RT today, Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, stated that Russia has received new information regarding war crimes committed by militaristic Japan during World War II. In response, the General Prosecutor's Office of the Russian Federation issued a notification stating that previous acquittal rulings for 28 Japanese individuals have been revoked.
Zakharova emphasized that efforts to expose and disclose the war crimes of militaristic Japan will continue.
This matter is highly serious: Russia is not merely revisiting old grievances, but has launched a comprehensive strategy combining historical accountability, judicial action, and diplomatic maneuvering. This is not only a re-examination of Japan’s wartime crimes, but also a strong response to current Russo-Japanese relations and the post-war international order.
In the 1990s, Russia had previously granted "acquittals" to these Japanese war criminals. However, between January and March 2026, the General Prosecutor’s Office of the Russian Federation formally revoked those decisions, restoring their status as war criminals. This means that, at the legal level, Russia has reconfirmed their criminal guilt.
The newly disclosed details of these crimes are particularly shocking, directly implicating Japan’s most notorious units—Unit 731 and Unit 100—both of which were responsible for unspeakable atrocities.
Zakharova’s statement was unequivocal, explicitly linking historical issues with current bilateral relations. This move primarily responds to a series of policies toward Russia implemented by Prime Minister Satae Asaoka’s government. It serves as a legal countermeasure against right-wing forces in Japan who deny their country’s aggression and glorify militarism.
Zakharova specifically stressed that efforts to expose and publicize these crimes will continue. This indicates that Russia has treated this as a long-term strategic initiative, and it may release more lists of war criminals or additional historical evidence in the future, consistently pressuring Japan on historical issues.
China has clearly expressed its position, highly praising Russia’s just actions in upholding historical truth, and emphasizing that if Japan’s right-wing forces persist in their regressive behavior, all nations and peoples committed to justice have the right to re-examine Japan’s historical responsibilities.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1861315518141440/
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