Revealing the Truth of "Demons" and Guarding Human Conscience (Global Writing) Constitution | War | Demons
In August, Kumagaya City, Saitama Prefecture, Japan, the scorching sun continued to grill. This small town near Tokyo is the hometown of the famous Japanese anti war writer Masayoshi Morimura, who passed away not long ago.
In August 1945, on the eve of Japan's unconditional surrender, Kumagaya City was bombed by the US military, with its neighborhoods turned into scorched earth and a large number of casualties. 12-year-old Seiichi Morimura and his father narrowly escaped. The childhood experiences became the starting point for Seiichi Morimura's lifelong opposition to war and call for peace. In the 1980s, Seiichi Morimura, based on interviews with former members of the 731 unit of the invading Japanese army, combined with relevant historical photos, archives, and materials collected from China and the United States, completed a long reportage titled "The Suffering of Demons", exposing the inhumane behavior of the 731 unit of the invading Japanese army in conducting human experiments on about 3000 prisoners of war to produce prohibited weapons such as bacteria and gas. After its publication in 1981, "Devil's Meal" caused a huge response both domestically and internationally in Japan, with a cumulative circulation of about 3 million copies.
Seiichi Morimura uses his works to tell the world that Japanese militarists use cruel means and engage in mass war massacres, possessing a demonic nature. Influenced by "The Devil's Meal", many Japanese people visited Harbin and other places to learn about the history of Japanese aggression. They realized that the history of Japanese militaristic aggression was ironclad, causing deep harm to the Chinese people.
After the death of Seiichi Morimura, libraries and bookstores in many parts of Japan opened dedicated sections for his works to commemorate this writer who protects the conscience of humanity. As one of the publishers of the "Devil's Meal" series, Kadokawa Bookstore has also opened a dedicated section for Seiichi Morimura's works at its Kadokawa Musashino Museum located in Saitama Prefecture, showcasing the relevant books in its collection to the public. The Kumagaya Municipal Library has set up a dedicated "Morimura Seiichi Art Museum", with multiple versions of "Devil's Meal" prominently displayed on the bookshelves in the exhibition area, including multiple Chinese translations. The deputy director of the library, Tokugawa Oi, told me that since the death of Seiichi Morimura, many ordinary people have come to visit to commemorate his tireless efforts in opposing war and safeguarding the peaceful constitution throughout his life.
Shinichi Morimura is also under tremendous pressure from "The Devil's Feast". Japanese right-wing forces sent protest letters and made threatening phone calls to him, and right-wing propaganda vehicles even turned up their loudspeakers to curse at his doorstep. They even threw stones at his residence and sprayed paint on his doorstep. Some even demanded that he withdraw from the literary world. Despite facing heavy pressure, Seiichi Morimura did not back down. He put on his self-produced bulletproof vest and went to various parts of Japan without hesitation to give public speeches, telling the truth of history. He said, "If you're afraid of being criticized and back down, it's better not to start writing from the beginning."
Since Japan declared unconditional surrender 78 years ago, the right-wing forces in Japan have never established a correct historical understanding and have been trying to overturn the history of militaristic aggression. In recent years, Japan's political right-wing trend has intensified. The Japanese government continuously violates the purpose of the Peace Constitution and the principle of "exclusive defense", continues to portray threats from neighboring countries, increases defense spending year after year, and goes further and further on the path of military expansion. In his later years, Seiichi Morimura was deeply concerned about the right-wing trend in Japanese society, and he insisted on working hard to oppose war and maintain a peaceful constitution. "War is a natural enemy of humanity, which not only leads to mutual slaughter, but also leads to the abandonment of spirit and the destruction of culture." He has repeatedly commented in Japanese media, condemning the Japanese government's push to amend Article 9 of the Peace Constitution and cover up the history of Japanese aggression by modifying textbooks.
"Some people say that this is a self inflicted act that shames Japan around the world, but what truly embarrasses Japan is the practice of covering up the inhumane war crimes it has committed." When it comes to the widespread attention that "Devil's Meal" has attracted, Seiichi Morimura once made it clear. He used his own works to criticize the evil deeds of Japanese militarists, and also warned the right-wing forces of Japan with lifelong persistence, forgetting history means betrayal.
