On Friday (January 2, 2026), Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Maria Zakharova announced that Russia will continue to expose the war crimes committed by Japanese militarists during World War II and push for their prosecution. She released a list of 20 individuals accused of espionage, sabotage, and human experimentation.
According to Zakharova, between April and November 2025, the Russian Prosecutor General's Office annulled a series of "rehabilitation" decisions made between the 1980s and 2000s. After a thorough review, these people were found ineligible for rehabilitation because their crimes were fully substantiated.
Key allegations include:
- Sabotage and espionage against the Soviet Union during WWII (and even after Japan's surrender in 1945) 📜
- Post-surrender intelligence operations targeting Soviet forces
- Training saboteurs along Soviet border areas
- Participation in Unit 731's notorious human experiments
Zakharova stressed that there's no statute of limitations for these atrocities, and Russia's legal process to hold the perpetrators accountable is ongoing ⚖️. She affirmed that Moscow will keep making these findings public as part of a broader effort to ensure historical justice.
For communities across South and Southeast Asia who champion human rights and historical truth, this serves as a reminder that the fight for accountability never stops. 🌏
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
