Japanese in Manchuria

     The Japanese had been interested in Manchuria for some time, but it wasn't until 1905, at the conclusion of the Russo-Japanese War, that they were able to set foot in Manchuria. They had taken over all of Russia's concessions in Manchuria, and to protect their new interests, they moved in their troops.  At first, their presence was not too noticeable, but as time went on, they began to flex their muscles more and more, especially since the Chinese Nationalist government was completely ineffectual and Manchuria was run by a war lord.
     In some ways, Japanese presence in Manchuria was a good thing.  For one, there was some measure of security against the "hoonhoozy," the bandits.  Also, the Japanese did try, at least on the surface, to curtail some of the other illegal activities and establish order.  But on the other hand, they participated in activities or instituted some things that can only be described as barbaric, cruel, and inhumane.
     By 1931, when Japan created the "new" state of Manchukuo, they had complete and total control over Manchuria.  There were no pretenses anymore, Manchuria was Japan's colony and even some Japanese critics back in Japan referred to Manchuria as "Japan's bastard child!"
     Outwardly, opium trade was considered illegal.  Yet, if it was to their advantage, they looked the other way and opium trade flourished.  There were experimental laboratories set up on the outskirts of Harbin where horrible experiments were conducted on Chinese subjects with chemical and biological weapons.  The military garrisons where Japan's elite Kwantung Army was stationed had official brothels with Chinese and Korean "comfort women."  Now some Japanese to this day claim that these women were prostitutes.  However, there is ample evidence, including survivors, who can attest to the fact that they were simply sex slaves forced into "servicing" the Japanese soldiers.  Just a few days ago, the Chinese government released some documents from their archives, captured official Japanese documents, which describe the fact that Korean women were forced into serving as "comfort women" at a "northern Chinese" (Manchurian) army garrison.
     Currently, the whole business of the "comfort women" issue is a major stumbling block in the Japanese-Korean relations.  The Republic of  Korea's President refuses to sit down to talk with the Japanese Prime Minister until Japan first acknowledges its guilt in the "comfort women" issue.  For some incredible, stubborn reason, there are still Japanese politicians who refuse to admit or believe that the Japanese had enslaved Korean, Chinese, and other Asian women as sex slaves.  It is not unlike the attitude of some Germans who refuse to acknowledge the existence of the Nazi death camps and the whole issue of the Holocaust.  Unfortunately, until this issue of "comfort women" is settled, relations between Japan and Korea will continue to be strained.  During World War Two, thousands of women were forced to be "comfort women" for Japanese soldiers.
     Japan's presence and its activities in Manchuria were not something that Japan is proud of and wishes to remember or resurrect.  It is an ugly past that most would like to forget.  The younger generation of Japanese cannot comprehend how such things as human experimentation with biological and chemical weapons, or officially sanctioned sexual enslavement of women could have taken place.  But sadly, they did take place, just as those horrid Nazi death camps did exist.