Miracle in Fushun

How They Recognized Their Responsibility for the War Crimes and How They Interpret the Experience

Abstract

 This paper is about the experience of those who had been confined for 6 years in the War Criminal Prison in Fushun, that is, "Miracle in Fushun'' . After 5 years of sentence in Siberia, some 1000 Japanese prisoners were transferred to Fushun, China as war criminals, in l950.Under Zhou Enlai's leadership and direction Japanese war criminals were treated humanely, they gradually became aware of how unfairly and cruelly they had treated Chinese people during war time.

 In the agonizing process of Ninzai, they recognized their war crimes and confessed their criminal acts to the Chinese war victims. They sincerely apologized to the Chinese for their aggression and all war crimes that they committed. At the military tribunals held in l956, most of them were discharged, released and allowed to repatriate immediately. Even for those 45 people who were found guilty, the maximum sentence was 20 years confinement, taking 11 years in both Siberia and China away from each term of sentence, and there were no life sentences or capital punishment. Such a lenient treatment of war criminals was unusual in history. Because of it, "Miracle in Fushun" comes true.

 In the next year, 1957, the retumees formed an association, called " Chukiren" , Association of returnees from China. As witnesses they publicly spoke about their inhumane conducts during the war to let Japanese people recognize war crimes, and appealed to the Japanese public not to repeat past mistakes of the war of aggression which has made ordinary citizens into devils.

 Using the data from the life histories of members “Chukiren” , I have discussed the process how they recognized their war responsibility and the interpretation of their experiences.