Published on April 21, 2019.
Based on a chapter originally published on October 10, 2015, this essay examines the controversy surrounding UNESCO’s registration of the “Nanjing Massacre Documents.”
It argues that China’s application included photographs confirmed as fabricated, documents unsuitable as proof of a “massacre,” and photographs used without the owners’ permission.
Through this case, the author sharply criticizes the political use of UNESCO, the information gap created by the disparity in newspaper readership in Japan, and the urgent need for Japan to communicate historical facts more forcefully to the international community.

2019-04-21
Among the materials submitted as the “Nanjing Massacre Documents” were many photographs confirmed to be fabricated, documents inappropriate for proving that a “massacre” had taken place, and photographs used without the permission of their owners.
The following is from a chapter I published on October 10, 2015.
What follows is today’s front page of the Sankei Shimbun.
While the Sankei Shimbun has approximately 3 million subscribing households, the combined number of subscribing households for Asahi and Mainichi is about 10 million.
In other words, the majority of the Japanese people know nothing at all of the facts below.
Needless to say, people around the world know almost nothing of them either.
“To the Memory of the World for the ‘Nanjing Massacre.’”
“Application by China.”
“Comfort women materials rejected.”
It became known on the 9th that the “Nanjing Massacre Documents,” which China had applied to register in UNESCO’s Memory of the World, were likely to be registered.
This was revealed by sources related to the Japanese government.
The application for the “comfort women-related materials” was headed toward rejection.
These decisions were based on recommendations made by the International Advisory Committee, which judges whether new registrations should be approved, to UNESCO Director-General Bokova, and it is said that Ms. Bokova also endorsed them.
UNESCO is expected to make the formal announcement soon.
Page 3 carries the headline, “Fear of Biased Education.”
With the registration of the “Nanjing Massacre Documents,” China will claim to have obtained the endorsement of an international organization, thereby gaining new material with which to attack Japan over historical recognition issues.
This year, China has been grandly developing events commemorating the 70th anniversary of victory in the Anti-Japanese War, and it is believed that it will publicize this registration on a large scale as one of its achievements.
Regarding the two applications submitted by China, the Japanese government had asked UNESCO officials to conduct a cautious examination, saying that this could amount to a political use of UNESCO.
It had also demanded that China withdraw the applications.
In August of last year, China’s Foreign Ministry announced that domestic archives and other institutions had jointly applied with photographs, diaries, and other materials concerning the Nanjing Incident and the comfort women issue.
Examinations by Japanese historians have made clear that the materials China submitted as the “Nanjing Massacre Documents” included many photographs confirmed to be fabricated, documents unsuitable for proving that a “massacre” had taken place, and photographs used without the permission of their owners.
The Chinese side claimed that the materials had been “created by the former Japanese military.”
Japan repeatedly requested opportunities to verify them, but China never responded.
On the other hand, as the “comfort women-related materials” were expected to be rejected, the worst-case scenario of both applications being registered was avoided.
However, concerning the comfort women issue, South Korea has begun showing signs of applying again for the next round of review.
There are also indications that, together with South Korea, China may seek registration by involving North Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia, and the Netherlands.
Regarding the comfort women issue, Japan must strengthen its efforts more than ever to make the facts known to the international community.
The article on page 3 will be included in the next chapter.