Nanjing reports Japanese war criminals' memorial tablets enshrined at Xuanzang Temple; all involved in the Nanjing Massacre

Yesterday, netizens reported that at the Xuanzang Temple in Jiuhua Mountain Park, Nanjing, a row of longevity memorial plaques in the Kṣitigarbha Hall were found to be dedicated to Class-A war criminals of the Japanese invasion of China.In the early hours of the 22nd, the Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau of Nanjing’s Xuanwu District responded, stating: “We will thoroughly investigate any behavior that hurts ethnic sentiment!”

The individuals shown from left to right, starting with number 1, are:

Tanaka Gunji: A war criminal of the invading Japanese army who participated in the Nanjing Massacre and was executed by firing squad at Yuhuatai in Nanjing.

Yu Shufu: A Class B war criminal of the Japanese invasion of China, and one of the main perpetrators of the Nanjing Massacre, was executed by firing squad at Yuhuatai in Nanjing.

Song Jixin: A Class-A war criminal of the Japanese invaders during the War of Resistance, one of the main culprits of the Nanjing Massacre, executed by hanging in Tokyo’s Sugamo Prison.

Noda Tsuyoshi: A Class C war criminal of the Japanese invasion army who participated in the Nanjing Massacre and was executed by firing squad at Yuhuatai in Nanjing.

At the 1948 Far East Military Tribunal, several Class A Japanese war criminals were sentenced to hanging.During this trial, there was a Class-A war criminal named Matsui Iwane, whose numerous crimes against the Chinese people were no fewer than those of the infamous Tōjō Hideki. Matsui Iwane's crimes were just as egregious.Fortunately, the trials of the Far East Military Tribunal were relatively just, and Tojo Hideki was sentenced to hanging.According to preliminary information, the temple management corrected the situation in February of this year after discovering the issue.In response to the above situation, our bureau has decided to carry out a rectification of the temple.

We will thoroughly investigate any behavior that hurts national sentiment, and the relevant investigation and handling will be announced in a timely manner.