Young Frenchman holds photo exhibition on Japanese invasion of China in Tokyo

TOKYO, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Young Frenchman Marcus Detrez recently held a photo exhibition in Tokyo, showcasing dozens of photocopies and some originals of historical photographs documenting the atrocities committed by the Japanese imperial army during its invasion of China, such as bombing Shanghai and massacring civilians.

"My family, like millions of families in China, suffered greatly at the hands of Japanese militarism," Detrez said, noting the exhibition, showcasing rare historical photos that had belonged to his grandfather, Roger-Pierre Laurens, who lived in east China's Shanghai in the 1930s, aims to provide "Western civilian testimony to the history of Japan's invasion of China."

The 26-year-old, an English teacher in France, found the images in his grandfather's garage in 2021. For Detrez, this exhibition was not only a pursuit of family memories but also a steadfast adherence to historical truth.

At the exhibition, pointing to a photograph titled "Life Destroyed by War," Detrez told Xinhua that "This was the first photo I saw when I opened the suitcase filled with these pictures; the horrific scene is shocking."

Detrez said he had donated 618 images, taken and collected by his grandfather, to the Shanghai Songhu Memorial Hall for the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression in August this year.

Many of the photos, identified as having been taken between the 1930s and 1950s, document the Battle of Songhu in 1937. The Shanghai Songhu Memorial Hall has incorporated these historical photos into its permanent collection.

These photos document the atrocities committed by the Japanese invaders against Chinese civilians and are of great historical value in the research of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

The Tokyo exhibition was jointly curated by Detrez and his friends Zhong Haosong and Bastien Ratat. Detrez said that from donating the photos to China to having the exhibition in Japan, they not only faced unjust accusations from some Western media but also encountered obstruction from certain forces within Japan.

"Most Japanese textbooks conceal or deliberately downplay the history of the invasion of China. We hope that this exhibition will help the Japanese people understand the truth of history," Detrez said.

"With the rise of far-right forces in Japanese society, we hope to awaken the conscience of more Japanese people through these rare images," said Zhong, adding that these photos taken by Laurens, which offer a third-person perspective, can help the younger generation in Japan objectively understand the crimes committed by Japanese militarism in Asian countries, thereby conveying the belief in peace.

Yaguchi, a Japanese visitor at the exhibition, lingered for a long time in front of a photo documenting the destruction of Nanjing Road in Shanghai by the invading Japanese troops. "The scene of billowing black smoke in the photo makes one deeply aware of Japan's history of aggression. Japanese textbooks are compiled in accordance with the government's guidelines, so I think Japanese people should more frequently attend such exhibitions to gradually elevate their historical perspective to a more international level," he said.

Yokichi Kobayashi, son of a Japanese veteran of the Eighth Route Army, Kiyoshi Kobayashi, said: "This exhibition is extremely valuable. It truly documents the atrocities committed by the Japanese army and the dire situation of the Chinese people at that time. Seeing these images, one can't help but recall the Battle of Songhu. At that time, the Japanese government and many Japanese people believed that China was a disorganized mess and could be completely occupied within three months, but history proved them wrong."

Zhao Linshan, director of the Chinese World War II film 731, also known as Evil Unbound, said, "Seeing these photos filled me with grief and anger. Like Marcus, I have a responsibility to let more people around the world know the truth of history."

After the exhibition in Tokyo, Detrez and his friends plan to continue holding related exhibitions in other Asian countries, Europe, and the United States.■