State of the World from NPR A Secret History of the Japanese Army
Aug 15, 2025
Delve into the chilling legacy of Japan's Unit 731, a secretive biological warfare unit notorious for its inhumane experiments during WWII. Discover the controversial immunity granted to its members and the ethical implications for justice post-war. Meanwhile, the discussion shifts to the evolving landscape of U.S. human rights policy under the Trump administration, highlighting neglected issues around women's and LGBTQ+ rights. Finally, explore the increasing challenges faced by LGBTQI asylum seekers in the U.S., exacerbated by recent policy changes.
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Former Youth Corps Member’s Horror
- Hideyoshi Mizu joined Unit 731 at 14 and saw jars of human organs and a full female body with a fetus preserved in a jar.
- He says doctors called prisoners "maruta" (logs) and he collected their bones in bags, describing brutal dehumanization.
Son Discovers Father’s Unit 1644 Photos
- Katsutoshi Takegami found his father's trunk with photos linking him to Unit 1644 and began researching his military service.
- He felt worried his father "had done something bad" and used the discovery to investigate Japan's bio-warfare program.
Immunity For Data Shaped Postwar Memory
- Newly released Unit 1644 rosters gave researchers fresh evidence about Japan's wartime bio-units and roles.
- Cambridge historian Barack Kushner says the U.S. granted Unit 731 immunity to secure experimental data and keep it from the Soviets.