Opinion: Recalling Japanese support to Jewish people during WWII

The following is a contribution to The Mainichi by Zvi Hauser, Chairman of the Israel-Japan Parliamentary Friendship Group, on Chiune Sugihara and other Japanese nationals honored in a recent commemorative event in Israel for helping Jewish people during World War II.

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On Feb. 1, 2022, in cooperation with Japan's National Diet and Israel's Knesset, we held an online commemoration event for the United Nations' "International Holocaust Remembrance Day," including a special ceremony to award a letter of appreciation to Japanese nationals who helped Jewish people during the Second World War.

It was the first time in history for the Japanese Diet to hold an event to commemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day. It was also the first time for Japanese nationals besides Chiune Sugihara, who was honored as one of the Righteous Among the Nations, to be recognized for their actions by an official Israeli institution.

Both the Japanese and Jewish people have ancient histories that go back thousands of years. There have not been many chances for us to collaborate in the last 4,000 years, but in the coming 4,000 years, we will have many opportunities to work together. These two groups of people have a wide range of commonalities: willingness and curiosity to understand the future and make it better for all humankind.

The Holocaust was a tragedy in the history of civilization. It killed about one-third of the Jewish population--about 6 million people--in the 20th century. In the midst of those dark times, the sprouting of a partnership between Japanese and Jews began. It was a ray of light shining in the chasm of the abyss.

We express our outmost gratitude to the virtuous people who confronted this trial of humanity.

We are all grateful for the heroic actions of Chiune Sugihara, a Japanese diplomat who saved thousands of Jews from Poland and Lithuania in the midst of the Holocaust. For his actions, he was awarded the title considered to be the highest by not only Jewish people, but by everyone who holds humanitarian values: "Righteous Among the Nations."

Alongside Mr. Sugihara, there were others who were rays of light -- and their achievements should be esteemed.

For example, the achievement of professor Abraham Setsuzo Kotsuji. He was a gallant person who firmly secured the rescue and livelihood of Jews who evacuated to Japan, especially to Tsuruga, and Kobe.

Joining Kotsuji were Saburo Nei and Tatsuo Osako, who both contributed to ensuring the safe passage of Jewish refugees to Japan.

My late mother was a Holocaust survivor. She was given a hiding place with a Christian family in Europe, and survived. Throughout my life, I grew up with a deep understanding of what it means to provide shelter for those who are being persecuted, and what it means to thank those who have changed one's destiny for the better.

My mother always said that not only she was a survivor, but also us, her children and grandchildren. Sugihara, Kotsuji, Osako, and Nei not only saved the thousands of refugees, but also their generations after.

We should always remember their heroic actions.

By MK Zvi Hauser, Deputy Speaker and Chairman of the Israel-Japan Parliamentary Friendship Group, The Knesset (Parliament of Israel)