Documentary sheds light on untold stories
Individual efforts to collect evidence of Nanjing Massacre detailed in film
By JIANG XUEQING in Tokyo | China Daily | Updated: 2024-12-14 06:59
A documentary detailing the efforts of an overseas Chinese individual in Japan to collect evidence of the 1937 Nanjing Massacre and his pursuit of compensation for Chinese forced laborers during World War II was previewed in Tokyo on Friday, China's annual National Memorial Day for Victims of the Nanjing Massacre.
"The Chinese people endured immense suffering during the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, yet many Japanese still fail to take these events seriously and are unfamiliar with this history, especially as the Japanese government has consistently distorted the facts," said Lin Boyao.
Lin, the 85-year-old protagonist of the documentary, Old Overseas Chinese Will Not Be Silenced, was born in Japan.
"We must make them aware of the true historical facts. They should reflect on this, apologize to the victims and their families, and provide compensation," he said.
Lin stressed that the victims themselves also bear a historical responsibility to share the truth with the world.
"This is not about inciting hatred, but about preventing such tragedies from recurring," Lin explained. "We must continue this effort, or the perpetrators will soon forget."