The Launch of Journey to Justice and the Symposium on the Chinese Team in the Tokyo Trial

On March 29th, 2019, “The Launch of Journey to Justice and the Symposium on the Chinese Team in the Tokyo Trial” was hosted by the Institute for War Trials and World Peace and its Tokyo Trial Research Center at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. The opening ceremony was hosted by Qi Hong, Secretary of the Party Committee of the School of Humanities and Vice President of the Institute for War Trials and World Peace.

Gu Feng, Deputy Secretary of the CPC of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, pointed out in his speech at the ceremony that today’s symposium is monumental for the Institute for War Trials and World Peace. Journey to Justice written by Xiang Longwan has demonstrated the spirit of Chinese people on the tribunal as well as our progress in research on subdivided areas of the Tokyo Trial. 

Yang Yixin, Vice President of Soochow University, stated in the speech that it has been 70 years since the judge banged the gavel, but the sound lingers, reminding us of the history. Journey to Justice is an informative and inspirational book which combs through and narrates with loads of data the hardship of Hsiang Che-chun and his team in the Tokyo Trial from a unique perspective. 

Gao Wenbin, the secretary of the prosecutors who attended the trial, stated in a video that the Tokyo Trial was still of great significance today and he hoped that the Tokyo Trial Museum could be established soon so that ordinary people, youngsters in particular, could have a better understanding of the event. 

Journey to Justice is completed by Professor Xiang Longwan with the new historical materials collected by the Tokyo Trial Research Center in recent years. Having quoted the tribunal transcripts, diplomatic archives of the National Government, newspapers, journals and other materials, this book has vividly presented the work and contributions of Chinese prosecutors. 

The symposium following the opening ceremony, was hosted by Cheng Zhaoqi. The Chinese judges of the Tokyo Trial and the offspring of the prosecutors, together with over 30 scholars nationwide, attended the conference and discussed the value of the book and the achievements of the Tokyo Trial studies in China.