Commemorating the 93rd Anniversary of the September 18 Incident in China

On September 18, 2024, a ceremony took place at the 9.18 Historical Museum in Shenyang, Northeast China, organized to honor the 93rd anniversary of the September 18 Incident. This historical event remembers the start of Japan's invasion of China in 1931, and the ceremony involved People's Liberation Army soldiers, alongside citizens who paid silent tributes and engaged in a resounding call for peace. Air raid sirens signaled a moment of reflection across various cities in China, and a flood of social media messages echoed sentiments of “Never Forget the National Humiliation.”

As China marked this solemn occasion, the public was reminded of Japan's contentious military trends, which have resurfaced concerns both nationally and within the international community. Recent military expenditures and assertive stances from Japan regarding Taiwan and the South China Sea have prompted observers to warn against a shifting political landscape towards more aggressive nationalism. In addition to this, political turbulence within Japan was highlighted in the context of upcoming elections for its ruling Liberal Democratic Party, where ongoing funding scandals have led to fragmentation among major factions, thus complicating the political environment and increasing uncertainty.

The ceremony included multiple societal representatives and featured significant artifacts, including a historical map from 1939 that depicts Japanese military settlers in Northeast China, presented during an exhibition at the Memorial of Northeast China Revolutionary Martyrs. A collaboration with Japanese historian Makoto Matsuno revealed unsettling documents pertaining to Unit 731, known for its wartime biological experiments, underscoring the vital need to confront and understand this troubled past. The commemoration also sparked a notable online engagement, with around 230 million views on topics related to the incident on the Chinese social media platform, Sina Weibo.

Yuji Miyamoto, president of the Japan-China Friendship Center, articulated the importance of remembering the September 18 Incident as a vital historical lesson. Alongside his remarks, Xiang Haoyu, a researcher from the China Institute of International Studies, cautioned against Japan's potential to escalate geopolitical tensions, underlining that a lack of deep reflection on historical actions remains a critical issue for Japan as it navigates its future political trajectory.