Chinese MFA: Russia’s Data on Biological Warfare by Japanese Militarism Are Unquestionable

According to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, Chinese authorities consider the documents published by Russia regarding Japan's use of biological weapons during World War II to be incontrovertible, reports TASS.

"Official data released by Russia reaffirm that the facts of biological warfare conducted by Japanese militarism are undeniable and beyond dispute," she emphasized during a briefing, commenting on the recently declassified documents published by the Russian FSB.

The Chinese diplomat clarified that during World War II, Japanese forces invading China "overtly violated international law by unleashing a horrific biological warfare campaign against the Chinese people." She recalled that Japan carried out "brutal and inhumane experiments on living subjects, committing crimes against humanity."

"Only by acknowledging history can we earn respect. Only by learning from the lessons of the past can we build a better future," Mao Ning added. "By not forgetting the past, we can prevent a repetition of these tragic mistakes."

The official spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry also noted that 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of China's victory in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the broader Global Anti-Fascist War.

"We call on Japan to deeply reevaluate its history of aggression, to sincerely respect the sentiments of the nations it has harmed—including China—and to completely sever its ties with militarism. Concrete actions must be taken to prevent the recurrence of past errors," Mao Ning concluded.

Earlier, in commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the defeat of the Kwantung Army by the Red Army, the FSB published digital copies of declassified documents from the archives of the Omsk Regional Directorate, revealing Japan’s plans to deploy biological weapons against Soviet, Chinese, and American forces. Special units of the Japanese military—Units 731 and 100—were formed for this purpose.

Specifically, Unit 731 conducted research into biological weapons, performing experiments on prisoners of war, kidnapped individuals, and convicts. Established in 1936, the unit was also known as "Kamo's Section." It was led by Japanese microbiologist and military surgeon Lieutenant General Shiro Ishii (1892–1959). The scientists conducted experiments involving all forms of plague, anthrax, gas gangrene, typhus, dysentery, cholera, and other diseases.