Old photos reveal tale of Japan and Jews of WWII

This was actually the plotline for a Babylon 5 episode, where Vir uses his new diplomatic powers to smuggle out Narns. Brings back memories

Japanese text books use this as proof that they were against the Nazis instead of staunch allies.

Japanese text books use this as proof that they were against the Nazis instead of staunch allies.

Care to give some specific examples? I'm hitting the shops today for some new study material.

Very cool subject matter. Could we hear more, please?

Yawn... doesn't Israel have a big enough PR machine? Why do we have to be subjected to such trifles? Is this really as 'stevecpfc' says? Yawn...

whyRUasking. Doesn't sound like Israel had anything to do with these discoveries. I am not a fan of Israel either, but history should not be suppressed. It should be shared.

War is never black and white. Japan carried out horrific acts against Asian states, but there were many good people here just as caught up in the conflict as the military's victims. Not everyone was an imperialist drone. And not everyone failed to do the right humanitarian thing.

We should remember acts of grace by anyone from any country in any conflict. They keep the light of humanity alive while the darker forces rule. We should honor them and learn all we can about them. We need heroes who are worthy of our admiration.

I googled "Visas and Virtue' on the net. It's 22 mins of story and 4 mins of credits. It's wonderful.

The Japanese have alot to be proud of. In the movie his wife says "They walked from Poland. Look at the children, if we do nothing, we'll be evil, too."

Emperor Hirohito despised the Nazi regime and looked down on the then Minister of foreign affairs, Matsuoka Yosuke who was responsible in making alliance with Hitler.

I probably would not be alive if my relatives didn't escape Eastern Europe. This guy was a hero.

Yes, well, the only thing the Germans and Japanese had in common was that they both faced the same enemies and looked down on certain human races. Japanese certainly did not resemble anything the Nazi's envisioned with their mumbo jumbo of a master race. First time that I read the name of this Dutch fellow Zwartendijk, on JT no less. Of course my first thought was oh well, just another trifling story instigated by the Mossad, but then I looked outside and it was raining and then I actually gathered all my strenght and googled the name Jan Zwartendijk. Interesting to read about him working with Sugihara in getting these Jewish people out of Europe.

The only reason the Japanese joined with Germany is because they thought Germany was going to win the war, and then Japan would get all of the British and French territories in China. The reason they joined with the US and Britian in WWI is because they thought Germany would loose and Japan would get Germany's territories in China. The US and UK even gave hints to the Japanese that this would happen, but it didn't. One reason for Japan not to trust US and UK anymore. Japan acts for pragmatic purposes only, not idealistic ones. And after all, if Japan had not invaded China, China would still be ruled by white people.

And after all, if Japan had not invaded China, China would still be ruled by white people.

Correct - Japan invaded Asia simply to rescue the poor Asians from the white barbarians. Chinese should be thankful for their liberation.

"if Japan had not invaded China, China would still be ruled by white people", and i forgot to add that Japan would be ruled by white people because the next stop after China was Japan, in the person of Commadore Mathew Perry. The whole point of Japanese modernization is to keep from being taken over by white men, like China and the rest of the world.

Japanese text books use this as proof that they were against the Nazis instead of staunch allies.

Care to give some specific examples? I'm hitting the shops today for some new study material.

You don't need to buy them, you can read them for free online, in English translation:

je-kaleidoscope.jp

I think the one by Fusosha is the most controversial one.

Why does he say Jewish women are rarely beautiful?

Eyeblack-- I think you read that wrong. He's saying they were of rare beauty, not that Jewish women are rarely beautiful.

ninjaninaritai, thanks for the link. Interesting. It mentions Sugihara's story, but I still don't know how stevepc can claim it is "proof" Japan was against the Nazis. It clearly states they were allies.

If Japan was "against" the Nazis, they would not have joined them in an alliance. Let's not fall for any more historical revisionism than is already out there.

some with vacant eyes

East Europeans still look the same today , of course for a different reason

BurakuminDe

If Japan was "against" the Nazis, they would not have joined them in an alliance .

Although, Japan had no real policy with regard to the Jews, Jews who arrived here via the Siberian railway were well received and given assistance. Infact a Japanese contingent in Kobe very much wanted the Jews to stay in Japan and offered financial assistance.

The military policies of Japan during WWII are not a reflection of the heart of Japanese. There were many many unnamed heros during this time, like Sugihara and Osako who actions were based on humanitarisn convictions.

Shinjukuboy:

The reason they joined with the US and Britian in WWI is because they thought Germany would loose and Japan would get Germany's territories in China.

Wikipedia:

The Treaty of Versailles transferred the German concessions in Shandong to Japan instead of restoring Chinese sovereignty over the area. Popular dissatisfaction with this outcome of the Treaty of Versailles (Shandong Problem) led to the May Fourth Movement. Finally, Shandong reverted to Chinese control in 1922 after mediation by the United States during the Washington Naval Conference. Weihai followed in 1930.

To my knowledge there was no joint military operation planned or otherwise between Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan during the war.

@shinjukuboy,

TOTALLY "AGREE", if japan didn't invade China, China would have been over-run by white people!! So Japan was trying to "liberate" Chinese people by invading the whole China, joining forced with "white" Germany, and bombing Pearl Harbor before the evil white people took over China!! That totally MAKES SENSE NOW!!

stevecpfc at 08:05 AM JST - 21st October Japanese text books use this as proof that they were against the Nazis >instead of staunch allies.

No they don't. Suggest you provide some evidemce to support this nonsense.

ICBM70 at 01:05 AM JST - 22nd October Personally, I see no direct connection between rescuing Jews and >invasion of China, but since both events occurred during WWII, I can >understand why people wanted to drag invasion of China into this.

Actually, although it appears OT on the surface, Nazi Germany was actually supporting Chiang Kai Shek's KMT troops against the invading Imperial Japanese Army in the 1930s. Germany was selling arms to the KMT and old video footage shows some KMT troops wearing "fritz" helmets and carrying czech made machine guns, all bought from Germany. This unspoken adversarial relationship didn't change until the tri-partite pact was signed and Germany,Japan and Italy became allies. Even then the Japanese troops in China were known to hinder German SS agents who were chasing down Jews. There is a theory that the Imperial Japanese govt secretly supported the Jews in the belief that they controlled the finances of the US and England, a view understandable since Goldman Sachs helped Japan issue war bonds to win thje Russo-Japanese War of 1904/05. The name "Fugu Plan" was given to the Japanese govt plan to help and assist Jews despite an obvious conflict with their Nazi allies.

OssanUltra/America?USA; Yes, some history books do and they can be found online translated by japanese themselves. Unlike you i reside in Japan and have relatives of school age, so if you wish to learn more live in Japan, pay taxes and have first hand knowledge instead of bias.

Yes, some history books do and they can be found online translated by japanese themselves.

I believe Ossan is asking for is which one? Since you stated history "book(s)", I'm sure it's quite easy to just pick one.

@Ossan,

Thanks for the informative comment; it actually did help me to see the other side of the history book.

nigelboy; You are the expert on Japan and how wonderfull it is. I am stating a fact about almost all Elemntary History text books . do your own digging and prove me wrong.

I believe the point of the article is not what side each party was on during the war,,, but that despite the war, there were some brave souls who thought with their hearts and conscience and helped others to live and survive this is the legacy for our children not this constant bickering on these pages over who is right and who is wrong and what happened in the war we are all one race,,,human

nigelboy; You are the expert on Japan and how wonderfull it is. I am stating a fact about almost all Elemntary History text books . do your own digging and prove me wrong.

There are no "Elementary History text books".

stevecpfc at 06:59 AM JST - 22nd October nigelboy; You are the expert on Japan and how wonderfull it is. I am >stating a fact about almost all Elemntary History text books . do your >own digging and prove me wrong.

You are the one who made an absurd claim and everyone is calling you on it. Suggest you provide the evidence to substantiate your claim rather than evading responsibility.

OssanAmerica;no claim, FACT!! And quite awell known one for those without blinker and rose coloured glasses on.

nigelboy; they teach basic history related to Japan and afterwards more in depth.

Sooo... the name of one of these textbooks you're quoting is...?

do your own digging and prove me wrong.

Probatio diabolica. I dug and dug and found no such textbook which supports your claim.

Now it's your turn to prove me wrong.

wow,,,will you guys get over the who did what and what textbook etc,,,, people died on all sides, and there were the good bad and the ugly,,,the point of the article was the photos !

The sources stevecpfc refuses to reveal are most likely just mentioning that acts that the photos show. He is reading between the lines to get the "opposed to the Nazis" part. I have found no source in Japanese or English that say the Japanese as a nation opposed Nazi Germany. Not even a revisionist could change the fact that the Japanese and German governments formed an alliance. The foreign minister at the time stated that Japan would not adopt anti-Semitic policies (not that there were many Jews in Japan), but that is no way "opposition" to its ally.