Tojo

Letter to His Excellency Prime Minister Wen Jiabao of the People’s Republic of China

As we wish China and Japan the best of friendship and amity, we extend our heartfelt welcome to Your Excellency’s visit to Jaan. We have been conducting research on the Nanking incident, which is said to have occurred during the war between Japan and China in Nanking in December 1937.

Results of our research have caused us to have serious doubts regarding views of this incident commonly held in your country. Thus, in this matter, we would appreciate receiving your respone to the questions posited below.

1. The late-leader Mao Zedong never mentioned the “Nanking massacre”. His only reference to the Nanking occupation was a personal observation he made when he stated, “The Japanese forces had many surrounded, but not many were killed,” in his book titled, On Protracted War, a summation of his lectures given at Yanan, China six months after the battle occurred in December. If the incident, with claims of 300,000 citizens massacred, did take place, it must have been like last century’s holocaust. Is it not unnatural and strange that Mao Zedon did not say a word about the incident ? How do you account for this fact ?

2. In November 1937, just before the siege of Nanking, the Nationalist Party, organized by the nationalist and communist organizations, created an international propaganda department within its Central Propaganda Office. According to a confidential report titled, “Outline of Operations: the International Propaganda Department, the Central Propaganda Office”, between December 1, 1937 and October 24, 1938 the International Propaganda Department held 300 press conferences in Hankou. According to records kept at the time, an average of 35 people attended these press briefings comprised mainly of journalists and officials of foreign embassies. And, in the 300 briefings, no mention was ever made of “citizens being massacred in Nanking,” or “hostages being murdered unlawfully”. What do you think of this fact ? If massacres were committed, is it not a mystery as to why they were not mentioned ?

3. The activities of an international committee which cared for the Nanking citizens who congregated in the Nanking Safety Zone were recorded. under the auspices of the Council of International Affairs of the nationalist government, the record was published in book for titled Documents of the Nanking Safety Zone by a publisher in Shanghai in 1939. According to the book, the population of Nanking stood at 200,000 prior to the Japanese occupation. This population level remained unchanged during December. Records show the population to be 250,000 one month after the Japanese occupation of the city began. Then, based on these records, it would have been impossible for 300,000 people to be massacred. Cou you give us your thoughts about this ?

4. In the book Documents of the Nanking Safety Zone, mentioned above, there is a list of detailed complaints against the Japanese army’s criminal activities. The list includes a total of 26 murder incidents, of which only one case was witnessed but it was judged to be lawful killing and thus noted in the book. These records and yoru country’s claim of 300,000 people massacred are at extreme odds with one another. What do you think about this ?

5. Numerous photographs said to be proof of the Nanking massacre are being displayed in books and at many exhibitions including the Massacre memorial Museum in Nanking. However, it was revealed by scientific studies that there is not a single authentic photograph offering proof the massacre actually happened. If your country has photographs which can provide proof, please allow us to see them. We would like to examine them.

6. Given the above, it appears to us that the Nanking could not have happened. But if you suspect that it occurred, we would like to ask that you conduct a verification examination in an objective manner with consideration of materials we will submit to you. In realisty though, your country has built the memorial museum in Nanking, which is promoting the massacre of 300,000 people extensively. This act is unfair as it undermines history. Also, it amounts to a contradiction, since your country’s official position is promotion of a policy aimed at establishing friendly relations with Japan. Furthermore, as this years marks the 70th anniversary of the Nanking Incident, various organizations inside your country are said to have planned a movie production about the Nanking massacre with many now under way. We perceive these acts as an unbearable humiliation to us who really hope to be friendly with your country. Could you give us your thoughts about this ? We would like to receive your Excellency’s replies to the above poitns. As this is a concern to many Chinese and Japanese alike, we are submitting the questions in an open forum. As we wish to maintain a strong friendship between China and Japan for future generations, we sincerely hopt to hear from you.


Tojo