Sugihara Chiune, saver of many Jewish refugees from the Nazi holocaust. JUne 12th 2014
Sugihara Chiune was awarded a precious prize and appreciated by the Israeli government for his brave act to save many Jewish refugees from the Nazi holocaust.
Sugihara Chiune who acted as the deputy Consul General in Lithuania in August 1940, issued transit visas to around 6000 Jewish refugees who were driven into the corner by the Nazi and rushed to the Japanese Consul as the last hope.
Sugihara Chiune was highly appreciated especially by his human judgment to issue visas. His judgment was mistakenly reported to be against Japanese head office who prioritized a good relationship with Germany than human rights.
However above is not true. Japanese government at that time had a clear policy against any racism such as colored discrimination or Jewish discrimination. Sugihara Chiune acted humanly by following the solid policy of the head office.
Sugihara became famous because of his human judgment, but actually there were many Japanese who saved Jewish refugees from the Nazi holocaust in Shanghai or Manchu.
Higuchi Kiichiro, Major General saved more than 20000 Jewish refugees in 1938 who were cornered to the border between Siberia and Manchu.
Higuchi was able to perform such a great task only with the firm support by Tojo Hideki, chief of Army Staff in Manchu and also Matsuoka Yosuke, president of the South Manchuria Railway Co.
Japanese government was confused with a strong protest from military allied Germany. However, both Tojo and Matsuoka stubbornly suggested the government to stick to the policy of human rights protection and anti-racism and Japanese government rejected German request.
Tojo was the Prime Minister when Japan-US war began in 1941 and Matsuoka was the Foreign Minister when Tripartite Pact between Japan, Germany and Italy was signed in 1940.
Both gentlemen were accused as war criminals against peace and humanity at The International Military Tribunal for the Far East which the winners of world war second punished Japan one-sidedly.
Tojo was sentenced to death in 1948 while Matsuoka died in the jail in 1946 before the final sentence.
Higuchi Kiichiro
(blogs.yahoo.co.jp)
