Separated By War Since 1942

Yang Youfu was 24 years old when he was drafted from his village in southwest China’s Sichuan province to fight in the war against Japan, leaving his one-year old son … Continue Reading →

Playing for Manchuria

It was the best of times, and it was the worst of times for Manchukuo’s national soccer team. In June 1940, while participating in a regional tournament in Osaka, it … Continue Reading →

A Bearded Army

When Japanese tank commander Fujita Sanehiko, pictured left, took part in the campaign in central China in late 1937, he was well-known back home. A gifted writer, he sent dispatches … Continue Reading →

The Awful Fate of Prisoners

Part of the Sino-Japanese struggle in the late 1930s was aimed at global public opinion, and movies were among the weapons. This short documentary, shot shortly after the fall of … Continue Reading →

OSS Agent on Suicide Mission

Beurt SerVaas, who died on February 2, 2014, aged 94, was one of the key American agents in China during World War 2, especially as the war with Japan ended … Continue Reading →

Victory Song

”Gongxi, gongxi” – ”Congratulations, congratulations.” That’s the name of a tune that will be played over and over again in the coming days as Chinese all across the world celebrate … Continue Reading →

The Japanese in Taiwan

Many foreigners who have spent some time in Taiwan and studied its modern history have noticed a curious phenomenon related to its recent past: Although the island was run as a colony by … Continue Reading →

Left Behind

When Hiroo Onoda died at a Tokyo hospital at age 91 on Thursday, the world was once again reminded of the incredible story of a Japanese soldier who refused to … Continue Reading →

Tokyo Surprise

When US President Franklin D. Roosevelt died in April 1945, the reaction in Japan was nothing short of astonishing. At a time when Japanese cities were being firebombed by American … Continue Reading →

Yasukuni Visits – How the Controversy Started

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe predictably stirred up a diplomatic storm when he visited Tokyo’s Yasukuni Shrine on December 26. China in particular was up in arms over Abe’s decision … Continue Reading →