China’s latest film about Japan’s war crimes, centring on the military unit 731 that carried out human experiments during World War II, has brought renewed attention to the dark historical chapter amid concerns about heightened tensions between the two countries.
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The film 731, released on Thursday, recounts Japan’s Unit 731 conducting biological warfare in northeastern China during the war, using disease prevention research as cover to kill civilians. The film follows the story of a group of people imprisoned who try to escape from the facility.
731’s premiere coincided with the anniversary of the Mukden Incident on September 18, 1931 – the beginning of Japan’s invasion of China.
Featuring several renowned actors, including Jiang Wu, Li Naiwen and Sun Qian, the film had more than 100,000 screenings on the day of its premiere, accounting for over 99.7 per cent of all screenings in China.
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