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Accepted Paper:
Helping Jewish refugees in the wartime era: why has this topic gained significance in contemporary Japan?
Rotem Kowner
(The University of Haifa)
In recent years, Japan has evinced a consuming interest in the help extended to Jewish refugees during the wartime era. At present, there are several museums that commemorate this help. This presentation explores the scope of this commemoration and analyze its motives.
Paper long abstract:
In recent years, Japan has evinced a consuming interest and even fascination with the help extended to Jewish refugees during the wartime era. The most important figure with this regard is Sugihara Chiune, the Japanese consul in Lithuania, who in 1940 issued several thousand transit visas to refugees and so facilitated, in part, their departure for East Asia. Sugihara has been commemorated in several museums, exhibitions, many books and films, and recently even a symphony. At present, there are efforts carried to track and commemorate several other Japanese who arguably helped rescuing Jewish refugees during the wartime era. This presentation will explore the scope of this sort of commemoration and analyze its motives within the broader discourse of war and memory in Japan.