original site and ruins of Manchu 731
Ping Fang District, Harbin, China
Prior to the Second World War
the Japanese Militarists had occupied N.E. China
& established the puppet state Manchoukou
ln order to expand their Greater East Asia Empire
the Japanese did a lot of preparatory work.
Some of the least known work
were the experiments on bacterial weapons.
by the Manchu 731 Squadron
This Squadron 731 had many Sub-Sections
They were: Helier,
Sun Wu,
Lion Kou,
Mu Dan Jiang,
and An Da Rural Experimental Station.
The main offices of 731
were situated in a residential district of Harbin
They covered a large area of land
The headquarters were highly classified,
and surrounded by a high tension electric fence.
lnside there were extensive facilities,
there was an animal farm,
a crematorium,
a pathology laboratory, a jail,
an electricity generating plant,
the commanders quarters,
& other sections for various experimental projects.
By February 1945
the Japanese forces were suffering losses on the battle front
to win the war by biological warfare
the Military Headquarters reinstated a Lt. General to be the
Squadron commander.
Yet this person had previously been relieved off this post
because of corruption.
This man, the inventor of the lshit Water Purifier
a military medical doctor, Lt. lshii Shiro.
A group of young soldiers were sent to Harbin to
provide new blood for this squadron.
The banks of Song Hua River,
When will they come to pick us up?
Captain Takehara's gone to Bai Hua Liao
to find our new sergeant.
He's been gone for almost an hour.
Why aren't we allowed to go to Bai Hua Liao?
This place is freezing cold
Yes, it's similar to Chiba Prefecture
l think it's much colder here
lshikawa, don't you think so?
lt makes no difference,
we aren't going home anyway.
Look!
lshikawa already misses home after leaving
Mom for a few days.
He is just a Momma's boy,
he even broke down & cried when his
mom saw him off.
But you cried too!
No. l didn't!
But my mom & sister did.
Yes my mom cried too.
l didn't cry.
but l felt really bad.
My father was killed fighting in China.
So was mine!
So were my father and my elder brother,
they died fighting in China.
This kind of food is even hard to get back home
in our Japan.
Did you know that?
Drag him out!
Yeah! Stuff it in!
The original building housing
the Manchu 731 Squadron.
General,
Doctor lshii's arrived at the H.Q.,
would you...
Yeah, l'm coming.
lshikawa,
Catch the ball!
Dr. lshii!
General Kikuchi.
You still look like the same great lshii.
Squadron 731's lshii.
Welcome back, lshii!
Lt. General lshii's returned to the corps!
ldiots! Listen!
l'm the new Section Head, Captain Kawasaki.
From now on you are in the Kwangtung Army,
members of the 731 Squadron Youth Corps!
lf you get the chance to go to Harbin,
weather you leave or your day off,
you must change into civilian clothes before leaving,
& when you return,
put your uniforms back on at Bai Hua Liao.
lf you run into any other Japanese
or if you are stopped by a patrol,
you will not reveal your secondment to this squadron.
ls that clear?
Yes, Sir!
Crematorium
lt's almost three years since 1942
A toast to you and your brothers reunion.
Cheers!
Thank you, Sir.
Now, Gentleman,
l've not been here for the last couple of years
but l know all about what has been going on here.
l've looked into the research done by Mr. Kitano
and l think it has been handled wrongly.
What we need most now
is to increase the production & the number
of bacteria.
We must use bacterial weapons in the war
to speed our victory.
A toast to victory!
To the empire!
To victory
And to Mr. lshii for leading 731!
Cheers!, Cheers!
Sir!
Lt. General sir.
Lt. Onoe Shunji reporting for duty from the
Kwangtung Army Commanders office.
Lt. General?
l should have been a full general!
l don't understand
Why those idiots at the Central Planning Office decline
that army doctors can go no higher than Lt. General.
lt's ridiculous!
Lt. Onoe!
l've just made a criticism against the
Central Planning Office
would you inform on me?
Stop!
Have you no respect for your seniors?
Forget it, lets go back!
We'll be in trouble if we are discovered.
No!
My brother gave me that ball when l left Japan.
Get up! out of your beds!
Where's Hoshino and lshikawa?
l don't know.
l don't either.
Ono... where's he gone to?
l don't know!
Animal Breeding Unit
Hoshino!
Don't run!
Hoshino!
Stop running! Hoshino...
That was totally undisciplined
that must never be repeated.
The training of the Youth Corps is important.
lt's not only because we are short of staff
it's also because what we require here
are people of the highest integrity.
Headquarters only recognizes the importance
of bacterial weapons in this war.
The fail to realize that biological & chemical weapons
will greatly affect the future of Japan.
They will play a very important role.
So we must work doubly hard on these experiments.
Yes, sir!
That was really unexpected.
We have to step up security and discipline.
lt's late. l'd better leave you two to talk!
Brother, please sit down!
Shiro,
what's happening back in Chiba Prefecture?
There's shortage of everything
but people are managing
People have suffered a lot these past few years.
We can only do our best, brother
How are things here?
What about the men's morale?
Not too bad,
things are all right.
Also we confirmed that the incident
which got you relieved
was due to an informer.
lt was Lt. Colonel Nakatome who reported you
He even ridiculed the effectiveness of your
water purifier.
Nakatome! Goddamn him!
Attention
Nakatome! Lt. Colonel Nakatome
present!
Lt. General lshii wants you!
Kawasaki, any absentees?
Unfortunately
we had an accident just now.
l want you to treat those kids from Chiba gently.
They are important to us
Thank you!
Damn you!
Hashino brought about his own death
and you are acting like a bunch of school girls.
What kind of soldiers are you?
How can you gain honor for Chiba like this?
Soldiers shouldn't act like this!
Quick, close ranks!
Everybody down, prone position, crawl!
Assholes, quick!
Stand up!
Attention!
l heard that the fighting is very heavy
on the southern front,
our whole army could possibly be wiped out!
lt sounds serious.
We have to push our people
to speed up the experiments on the marut
These biological weapons
are the only way to turn the war in our favor.
What did they say?
lt sounded like little Japan is finished!
Lets go!
Wait!
Sir, please!
Give me back my baby!
My baby, my baby... please give her back to me!
Sir, didn't General lshii tell us that
we are supposed to conservatively use the "marut"?
This one can be stuffed and mounted, it
won't be wasted.
February 29, 1945
Victim: Zhao Qing, Han Chinese, 3 month old
Oh water!
Water's coming out!
lt's really tough.
Thank god the money is All right.
also l can study.
do you send money home?
No.
Come on, you spend it all every month!
No, mom said l must have it for the war efforts.
This is a nice place!
it's similar to Chiba Prefecture.
Chiba is not that cold
this is like a hospital.
l say it's not
We only have dead bodies here
hospitals should have patients
this is more like a medical school
Anyway this is fine by me
l eat well and l can make money
The only thing is this fat Captain
Look, isn't that Hoshino's ball?
Get it back!
Come on, lets get it back!
Let's get it back!
Stop!
There's nowhere to run!
Give the ball back to us!
This is not Hoshino's ball!
Who are you? What are you doing here?
He is a mute!
Hold on a minute!
What is wrong with him?
He's been here for over a month,
but he's still not adjusted to this place yet.
He vomits every time he goes to work.
When it happens
we have to let him take a break
it will take him a while to get used to it!
That's O.K., he'll soon get used to it!
His job is important!
we rely on the colors to determine the results
of the experiments
we can't depend totally on black and white pictures.
Look after him, see that he works well!
Sir!
Lt. Col. Nakatome Jiro
l've been transferred to the southern front by order
of the Kwangtung Army Commander
l'd like to say goodbye sir.
Congratulations,
the situation in the south is serious,
a patriotic soldier like you
should be able to achieve a lot here
especially as you have a close relationship with
the planning office
you can do a lot for the war effort!
Yes, Sir!
This must be your arrangement.
This marut
has been injected with plague three times.
But no symptoms have appeared.
So now lets conduct live dissection on him,
& see what's so special about him.
Good!
The correct data,
relies on continuous tests on experimental subjects
so these maruts,
not only have to be alive,
but they also have to be fit and healthy.
experiments on such live subjects
is a rare opportunity.
What is this?
lt's a man!
What is this?
He's a Chinese man.
What is this?
He is a bad Chinese man!
This is a marut.
lt is a log for the fire or making coffins,
it is material for experiment.
lt is called a "Marut"
What is this?
This is a marut.
What is this?
A Marut!
What is this?
A Marut!
What is this?
A Marut!
Beat him!
We must try to get evidence
& get it out of here
so the outside world knows what's going on in here.
lt's the only thing we can do!
Look, why go through all that trouble?
say we have no chance of getting out here!
You chicken! You have no back-bone!
and you... learn to be a man. Don't copy him.
You don't act like a Chinese!
Beyond Practice Ground
Order arms!
At ease!
The lessons on experiments will start tomorrow,
so work hard men, & learn well,
is that clear?
Yes, sir!
Sir, please!
let her carry it away
its her baby!
Let's go!
Please, Sir!
Bacterial Extermination Room
Quickly change your clothes!
Hurry up!
Let's go!
March 9, 1945
Outdoor Frostbite Experimental Station
Victim: Zhao Hui Xiu, Han Chinese, 24 years old
Bacteria Breeding Room
Look, this is the "gene" production room.
This is the high temperature bacteria
exterminating room.
Look this way please,
this is the bacteria transplants,
you must study hard and learn all this as
soon as possible.
Yes, Sir!
Frostbite Experimental Room
This is the cold treatment station
At -35C for 10 hours Cold Treatment
Water temperature 15C.
March 9, 1945
Victim: Jin Yuan Long, Manchurian, 31years old
What you are looking at now,
is a quick freezing station, it is -196C.
Finish chewing your apple,
& spit it out like l do.
Don't swallow it.
This way you can
collect the germs from the mouth.
Yes, Sir!
Go back and tell your captain,
that youll be my guests this Sunday,
we'll have drinks together.
Yes Sir!
And youll come too, O.K.?
O.K.
Thank you!
This is a question of humanity.
No!
This concerns the rise or fall of the
Great Japanese Empire.
Listen lshikawa, they are human beings too,
they have parents just like you!
What are you talking about?
Give me better justification than that!
Today is Sunday
lets not talk about business,
come on lets eat up.
This fruit is specially brought over from Japan.
Help yourselves.
Let me, you must look after your health.
Take Mrs. Takamura for example,
what's the difference between the children she bore
& the maruts?
What are you talking about?
That's not right!
You can not compare the maruts to the Japanese,
you & l speak a different language.
Please don't say anymore
l'm sorry, please excuse me.
lshikawa, wait!
lshikawa, lshikawa!
Kawasaki pushed him... from upstairs!
He's badly hurt,
lets think of a way to teach Kawasaki a lesson.
l hope you'll work well together.
To be a member of the 731 Youth Corps
we should...
obey the regulations.
l think you'd better forget about it.
Don't pretend now,
you have no guts.
Coward. Stop pretending!
April 11, 1945
Those goddamned Japs...
What the hell are they up to?
Hey Specs!
What do you think the Japs will do to us?
What did they inject into us this morning?
l have no reaction at all!
l have no idea what it was.
Why didn't those people get it too?
Be careful of contamination!
the last accident cost Sakagami & Ohtani their lives,
so be careful everyone.
Sir, according to the previous test results,
it would be a rather difficult job to produce a
Black Death Virus
that is 60times stronger.
Now this is the 7th experiment,
here is the record for the last few tests!
Sir, l've heard the Germans are using the Jews
to perform similar kinds of tests
and theyve achieved good results,
so can't we...
Dr. lshii did 2years research on this in Europe
before the war.
According to him, the German researches into that
area are fare behind ours.
Compared to this, their equipment & facilities are
fare behind ours
What they achieved so far may not be of
any use for us.
Don't be discouraged, keep up the good work,
report to me at once when the experiments
are completed.
Yes sir, l heard that Lt. Colonel Nakatome
died in action on the southern front, is that right?
Dr. lshii may have been too...
We'd better keep out of that,
You'd better concentrate on your own career.
The Empire Medical Department is waiting
for your return.
The medical future of Japan relies on you people.
Early summer 1945
Japanese were retreating from the Pacific Front
They also suffered many losses in China.
The moral of the Japanese troops was very bad.
All of Japan had been mobilized,
there were still great shortages of everything.
A large deficit of manpower for the Japanese
military resulted in more adolescents joining
the forces. The cloud of defeat loomed larger
ln other words, the success or failure of 731
decides the survival of the Empire.
So today...
we should have no more illusions about the
Kwangtung Army,
the Kwangtung Army relies on our bacterial war,
there is no other way of winning it.
l've always thought that biological weapons
are more effective than bombers and guns
Right now we must regroup our forces,
& mobilize them.
l entreat you to work doubly hard
We must get ourselves well prepared
for the coming bacterial war.
Gentleman, do you have any questions?
Please, go ahead!
We have already successfully produced
a large quantity of virus which is 60times stronger
than the Black Death Virus.
The amount of culture we have,
according to our calculations,
has enough power to wipe out the
whole mankind.
At the same time
we have increased the number
of bacteria carrying rats to three million,
& jumping fleas to 300 kilos.
The number is estimated at 10 billion,
if this 10 billion bacteria carrying fleas
were all released, then it's not hard to imagine
the situation on the war front would change
drastically,
we would gain the final victory!
Because of the bacterial weapons
the fate of the Great Japanese Empire
lies in our hands.
Still after numerous experiments
the metal shell casings holding the bacteria
get very hot during firing.
And a majority of the infected fleas inside
get killed
so these bacterial bombs have failed to produce
the expected results.
Weapons Production Department...
Anything else?
Sir, there's been a strong reaction to the incident
when Kawasaki assaulted the Youth Corps member
and it's getting to be quite serious.
There's a lot of tension & unrest amongst the Corps.
Transfer Kawasaki from the Youth Corps.
Onoe you'll replace him.
Yes, Sir!
Sukizan Geisha House
Sorry to disturb you,
General, it seems your sword's not rusted yet!
Get out both of you!
Yes, Sir!
Whoever... was hit or touched by the chess pieces,
raise your hands.
Gentlemen.
This is... my new invention.
This... is called Low Temperature Pottery...
Bacterial Bomb!
The Great Japan will not be defeated!
Careful! Don't break the pottery bomb!
May 22, 1945
An Da Rural Experimental Station
Victims: Names unknown, 29 males and females
Hurry up lshikawa!
May 29, 1945
Decompression Laboratory
Victim: Qu Hua, Han Chinese, 34 years old
not a female "maruta"
Kawasaki, l want you to bring me a healthy
young man.
What's the use of a healthy young man?
lt's of no use for you,
but it's of great use for us.
Please help us get one!
Kawasaki,
if you can help us find a healthy young man,
then i'll buy you a drink.
Right, we'll all buy you a drink.
Kawasaki's good at that.
l'm sorry, l can't help you with that.
Kawasaki's only good at finding girls!
That's nonsense!
Come on Kawasaki!
Do something for us.
We'll reward you. Please!
O.K., l'll try.
June 12, 1945
Poison Gas Laboratory
Victim: Natashalvanova, White Russia, 35 years old
You can do what ever you want with me!
Let my daughter go, please!
Please, l beg you, let her go!
Please!
You've been here a while, are you used to it?
Yes, sir, l am!
Do you still see that Chinese mute?
Not very often, sir!
Do you think you can find him for me?
What for, sir?
Sir, l've brought you the mute.
Thank you, well done.
Don't be afraid!
Let him in.
Come here, come inside.
You wait here,
When the surgery is finished,
you can take him away.
Surgery? What surgery?
No questions!
Keep your nose out of these things.
Come here!
Go on!
Come here!
Where are you going?
Surgery is finished! Take him away! Quickly!
Yes sir!
Are you satisfied now?
Each of you got what you wanted... the heart...
the liver,
and the brain.
these organs from a living healthy young man
in puberty,
are difficult to come by!
We should thank Kawasaki.
Don't mention it!
We'll invite you to dinner this evening.
Thank you! Thank you!
What's wrong with you? Quickly push the cart away!
Yes, sir!
July 2, 1945
Victim: A mute, name unknown, Han Chinese
Tunnel connecting Pathology Lab to Crematorium
Makimura, draw the curtains.
That fat ass is a barbarian.
Come here, that mute was not a marut
That animal has gone too far!
Yeah, l have always detested him.
Let's find a way to fix him!
What do you think?
l want to kill him. lf there's a problem, l take
responsibility!
No, we are all in this together!
Hurry up!
Ready for disinfection?
What are you doing here? Get back!
A smart rat can beat a cat.
Fleas & germs can defeat bombers and guns too!
This is... my theory behind 731 Squadron.
lt's also my philosophy.
For Victory,
we shall groom the strongest and nurture them,
the same applies for the Youth Corps.
Understand?
Stone, stone!
Stone, wait!
You must get out of here alive!
No matter what happens,
we must get the evidence out!
Stone, quick!
Release him!
Get in the hole you bastard!
Stone won't follow a coward like you...
Stone won't go into anything blindly with you
The door is open!
Stone!
Fire!
Charge, charge!
Stone, watch where you are going!
Fire!
Get down quick!
ldiots!
So many maruts are dead,
this is a serious matter.
Do you realize your job
is to keep them in good shape,
so they can live longer
But you neglected your duties,
with very serious consequences.
Your error is intolerable
& unforgivable!
Maruts are precious experimental material.
they mean more to us than ever...
You have no right to kill them.
The Russo-Japanese war is coming,
but many of our experiments
have not been completed yet.
The 731 Squadron is our nation's hope,
we hold the power to turn the war in our favour
and save Japan.
Get up now!
l hope you wont forget,
that l was the one who brought you here from Chiba.
Takamura at An Da Rural Station
is preparing for the final pottery shell tests.
Have the Maruts gone yet?
They left early this morning, sir!
Specs said,
that what you did was stupid.
We can't get out of here anyway.
The more we resist, the faster we get killed.
He said the only thing we can do is to try &
get the evidence out.
So the world will know about this hell hole.
Dr. lshii, we're running out of time,
The situation at the front is very bad.
Looks like this is the final straw for us.
The trip to Feng Tiang
is very important, don't worry about things here.
Thank you, l rely on you.
Report, sir!
lnform the air corps to take off now!
Preparations are complete at the shell test site.
Come in... we haven't contacted them yet.
Right...
Let's go to the upper.
Fire the signal!
Let's move!
We need the Maruts urgently.
Are they on their way or not!
Reporting, Sir!
Excuse me sir, urgent telegram.
You may go.
August 9th, Nagasaki was bombed.
The Russians have officially declared war.
Manchuria 731 Sqdn. retreat if necessary.
Go to Feng Tian and get the commander here!
Stop the delivery of Maruts.
Hello!
Hello Airport!
Sir, the Maruts have escaped.
Go after them, don't let them run away!
Get in the car quick! After them!
Run, split out! Quick!
Hurry up! We must get the evidence out!
Run, quick!
Stone, go that way, quick!!
Quickly, run!
August 8, 1945
Proclaim Bacterial Bomb Experiment
Cover him!
Put him down here.
Sorry to disturb you!
Urgent telegram from Headquarters, sir!
Nagasaki was bombed.
The Russians have officially declared war.
The Kwangtung Army H.Q. ordered all troops
to retreat if necessary.
Are you coming back, sir?
All troops to retreat?
What do we do, sir?
Hiroshima and Nagasaki have been bombed
by the Americans.
The cities have been completely destroyed.
Now the Russians have declared war to us.
Our fate has been sealed.
We've received orders to retreat.
But l personally think,
that the work of the 731 Sqdn.
involves top security information.
So l'm now requesting the following:
& destroy this whole facility.
The engineers will be in charge of that
the place must be flattened, l want no traces left.
destroy them at once.
will also commit suicide.
ln other words...
no evidence must be left behind!
Dr. lshii,
Our squadron has a lot of highly qualified people,
isn't it a waste do order them to die?
We shouldn't allow such meaningless sacrifices.
l realize that too Gen. Kikuchi,
but we have to guard the secret of this place.
Dr. lshii, if...
you commit suicide, then l'll join you.
These soldiers & their families have followed you
from Japan to Manchuria.
You should at least,
get them back home.
lsn't that reasonable?
As the head of 731you're responsible for them.
You should be protecting them, not ordering them to die.
l hope you face up your responsibilities.
Gen. Kikuchi is right
We should return to our home land,
and we should take all data with us.
That might be possible,
but we must still prepare for the possibility
of being captured.
No matter what,
we can't allow these secrets to be made known.
How about this?
We issue each one with a bottle of cyanide,
if anyone's captured, then they
commit suicide.
Well...
that's what we'll do.
l will personal be in charge of the retreat,
& arrange the transport.
l'm very happy you made this decision,
l'm sure everybody is grateful to you.
What are you doing?
These are our children's clothes!
The data is important!
Please take this with you, Madame!
You must take it if you are captured.
Mr. Takamura prepared them.
Where are you going at his time?
l'm going to the office to get more data!
The war is over and we are going home!
Shut up! What do you know!
l don't care about anything else
all l know is that we are going home!
You are a woman, you know nothing!
Yes l may know nothing,
and l certainly don't know how to make poison!
How dare you to speak to me like that!
Takamura! Takamura!
This is important data,
We can not destroy it!
lf anyone dares to burn anymore...
Takamura, l just want to go home!
Nothing else is important!
Thats all l want, Takamura!
Burn it! Burn it all!
Takamura! This is an order, burn it all!
l don't want a single piece left.
You can't destroy the data!
This is the whole reason for our being here!
lt represents years of hard work!
& Japan will need it one day!
lf you want to destroy it kill me first!
We're releasing the poison gas! Retreat! Hurry up!
Hasegawa, Miki, come quick!
Miki, go up!
lt's platinum, it's worth a lot of money.
This place is blowing up! Find shelter!
Quick, retreat!
Retreat!
Come on, let's go!
This place is blowing up. Find shelter!
August 15, 1945
Where are you going? Get back!
l'm sorry, quick!
Don't run around!
Hold on, Madame, Hold on!
Sir, Mrs. Takamura is going into labor!
Can't she get in the car?
The car is full of Dr. lshii's personal data.
Sir, the train is leaving in 5 minutes.
Do you want a last look at the squadron?
All right!
Gentlemen! This is just a change in strategy,
The Great Japanese Empire
has still not been defeated,
our base has been destroyed,
but our careers will continue.
Now youre all going back to Japan,
l trust you will safe guard the secrets of this base
and always remember this
no contact is allowed between squadron members
and under no circumstances will you reveal the
nature of work here.
You are disbarred from taking up government posts.
Anyone who contravenes these conditions will be
severely punished.
Madame! Madame!