"Chiune Sugihara (1900 - 1986)" - 1 - A blockbuster movie based on the true story of the hero "Oscar Schindler"
who saved no less than 1200 Jews facing persecution in the Nazis during
World War II, "Schindler's List" directed by Steven Spielberg,
may still be fresh in your recollection. But who would imagine that there was a Japanese who did his best to save the Jews just as much as Schindler, despite being unnoticed even in Japan until he was introduced several years ago in a TV program? That individual is Chiune Sugihara. Sugihara, while facing strong opposition by the Japanese government, published visas on his own authority in order to provide the Jews with a safe harbor of escape, saving in total 6000 or more Jews for a certain period of time. Chiune Sugihara was born in Gifu Prefecture in Meiji 33 (1900). Prospective student as he was, his dream was to become an English teacher. But since his father wanted him to be a doctor, he followed this wish and took a medical college exam. But since he was not able to give up his hope to be an English teacher, he handed in blank paper, purposely failing the exam. Soon after his father finds out about this and severed the familial ties with Chiune. Left alone, Chiune, after a year of self-study, entered the Waseda University's class of High-level English Instructor. With no familial support, he needed to cover his own tuition and living expenses by a part-time job. The turning point was in his sophomore year when this agonized student could not afford any longer to pay his tuition, and by chance he noticed a recruitment ad. by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the college library. The advertisement said that they were recruiting candidate students for a diplomatic position after studying abroad for three years at the expense of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs provided that he passes the exam. Although he had no intention to become a diplomat, the fact that he could continue to study English without enduring a part-time job was enough to motivate this man. Chiune studied very hard for a month and passed the exam. Following an advice by the interview official that Russian would be valuable in near future, he decided to study Russian. Consequently, Chiune left for Harbin in Manchuria where many Russians had emigrated as a Ministry of Foreign Affairs foreign student in Taisho 8 (1919). Chiune, who picked up linguistic ability by leaps and bounds was acceded to a Russian section of the Japanese Consulate at Harbin in Taisho 13i1924jwhile he was still in school. In a matter of short time Chiune rose through several ranks of the administrative official of the Manchukuo Diplomatic Division, successfully becoming the director official, but in Showa 10 (1935) left the department. That was a time when Japanese armies started carrying out tyrannical activity not only in Manchuria but also in many part of Asia. As he told in later life, "I wished to return to the headquarter of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since I felt disgust seeing young military men carrying a narrow outlook and forging it on the people". After returning to Japan, he was married to his friend's younger sister, Yukiko Kikuchi, and in Showa 11 (1936) he was appointed to a post in Moscow embassy service. However, the Soviet Union, who feared for the leak of confidential information, refused Chiune to enter the country, thus bringing a sudden change to become a Helsinki minister official instead. Few years afterwards in Showa 14 (1939), he was appointed as the consular agent of Japanese consulate in Lithuanian capital of Kaunas. It was one morning when Chiune noticed a loud clamor outside of the building. The day was July 27, Showa 15 (1940). To be continued... |