News Release of controversial Unit 731 war film delayed in China to avoid tensions with Japan

A Chinese film portraying the wartime activities of Japan's infamous Unit 731 has had its release abruptly postponed, most likely to avoid straining diplomatic ties with Japan. The film focuses on Unit 731, a secret unit of the former Japanese military that carried out biological weapons research and human experimentation in Manchuria—what is now northeastern China—during the Second Sino-Japanese War.


Chinese media reports indicate that the project has been underway since 2017, led by a filmmaker from Jilin Province. The film tells the story of a man whose own harrowing journey gradually uncovers the grim reality of what Unit 731 did. It was originally set to hit cinemas on 31 July—a date chosen to match the title "731"—but that plan has since been put on hold. A reporter who visited the screening venue noted that promotional materials had previously advertised a 31 July release, but that date has now been quietly removed.

In China, the film "Dead to Rights," themed on the 1937 Nanjing massacre of Chinese civilians by Japanese troops, was released last week and became a hit. Thus, the release of "731" may have been delayed for box office reasons, because the two films have similar themes. The administration of Chinese President Xi Jinping has designated 2025 as the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese people's war of resistance against Japanese aggression, and a parade for the anniversary is planned in September.

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Marking the 94th anniversary of the Mukden Incident that sparked the Manchurian Incident, China released the film '731' on 18 September, which centres on Unit 731, a former Japanese military unit allegedly engaged in the development of biological weapons.

Reports say ticket sales have already reached around 4 billion yen. The date also marks one year since a male student at a Japanese school in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, was attacked and killed on his way to school. Japanese schools in China are heightening precautions, including switching to online classes. Directed by Zhao Linshan, the film depicts gruesome scenes of human experimentation, including the deliberate infection of victims with bacteria and their suffering being recorded as scientific data. The tone is described as unflinching, combining elements of historical drama with horror to emphasize the cruelty of wartime atrocities.

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