According to a report by Xinhua News Agency on June 14, the Memorial Hall of the Nanjing Massacre Victims by Japanese Invaders has acquired the complete Personnel Rosters of Unit 1644, the Biological Warfare Unit of Japanese Invaders, on the 14th.

Zhou Feng, Director of the Memorial Hall of the Nanjing Massacre Victims by Japanese Invaders, stated: “During the Japanese War of Aggression Against China, Unit 1644 was established in Nanjing, where it set up biological factories, conducted experiments, and disseminatedgerms on the battlefield. This resulted in the massive slaughter of Chinese soldiers and civilians, committing heinous crimes against humanity. The Memorial Hall houses the remains of victims of bacterial experiments carried out by Unit 1644, along with the historical materials from the Unit, including surgical scissors, insignia, and photographs. The return of the complete  personnel rosters of Unit 1644 to Nanjing once again underscores the ironclad evidence of the Japanese militarists’ crimes in conducting Biological Warfare. We will take the acquisition of the rosters of the Unit 1644 of the Japanese invaders as an opportunity to further explore archival materials and incorporate them into exhibitions and historical education. This will better enable history to speak for itself, allow historical facts to serve as our testimony, promote the correct perception of World War II history, and uphold human justice and peace.”

Lv Jing, Associate Professor at the School of History of Nanjing University, who has long been engaged in research related to Unit 1644, stated: “The two volumes of the complete personnel rosters of Unit 1644 reveal the true names and detailed personal information of its members. They not only provide reliable historical materials for systematic research on the Unit but also lay a foundation for further uncovering the Biological Warfare system of the Japanese invaders. In addition, the sites of Unit 1644 in Nanjing and its subordinate branches still exist today. Efforts should be made to preserve these sites, thereby promoting the reconstruction of collective memory and the advancement of peace education.”

On May 14, the National Archives of Japan publicly exhibited for the first time the Personnel Rosters of Unit 1644, the Biological Warfare Unit of Japanese Invaders. After learning that the materials had been made public, the Memorial Hall of the Nanjing Massacre Victims by Japanese Invaders promptly applied for access and, with the assistance of insightful individuals in Japan, finally obtained the complete materials on June 14.

Katsutoshi Takegami, a descendant of a member of Unit 1644, the Biological Warfare Unit of Japanese Invaders, stated that public knowledge about Unit 1644 remains very limited. He expressed hope that the disclosure of the complete personnel rosters will promote joint research by scholars from both China and Japan.