Eighty years after the International Military Tribunal for the Far East first convened in Tokyo, a massive decade-long scholarly effort has culminated in the first complete Chinese translation of the trial’s proceedings. Launched in Hangzhou on May 3, the 40-volume set comprises over 20,000 pages of text, meticulously translated from the nearly 50,000 pages of original English records. This project represents a significant shift in how China engages with the legal history of the Second World War, moving beyond translated summaries to a comprehensive primary source record.
Historically, the transcripts of the Tokyo Trials were accessible primarily in English and Japanese, creating what Chinese scholars describe as a linguistic barrier to domestic research. By making these records available in Chinese, the academic team led by Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Zhejiang Yuexiu University of Foreign Languages aims to democratize access to the evidence of Japanese militarism. The 40 volumes were symbolically arranged in the shape of the number '80' at the launch ceremony, underscoring the enduring relevance of these proceedings to China’s national identity.
The translation process was a monumental task that required reconciling discrepancies across multiple languages used during the trials, including English, Japanese, Chinese, Dutch, German, and Russian. Translation team leader Ye Xingguo noted that historical names and terms often lacked consistency in the original English transcripts; for instance, the name of a key Chinese witness was found to have 13 different spellings. This necessitated a cross-disciplinary approach involving historians, legal experts, and linguists to ensure that the Chinese text remains faithful to both the original audio and the historical facts.
Beyond its academic utility, the publication carries a deep personal and political resonance. Xiang Longwan, the honorary director of the Tokyo Trial Research Center and son of the original Chinese prosecutor Xiang Zhejun, emphasized that the translation highlights the 'Chinese factor' in the pursuit of justice. He noted that the records capture the resolve of the Chinese legal team who, despite the immense challenges of the post-war era, were determined to see justice served for the atrocities committed on Chinese soil.
This release is expected to serve as a foundational database for future research in international law, history, and international relations. By formalizing these records in the Chinese language, Beijing is not only facilitating domestic scholarship but also reinforcing its stance on the post-war international order. The project stands as a scholarly bulwark against historical revisionism, providing a permanent, localized archive of the evidence that defined the transition from conflict to peace in East Asia.