Photo of Yoshikawa Junko. (Photo provided by the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders)
A Japanese volunteer, Yoshikawa Junko, went on duty Sunday in the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in eastern China's Jiangsu Province.
The 61-year-old Yoshikawa, who is pursuing a Ph.D. at Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, explains to visitors the history of the Nanjing Massacre and translates the memorial hall's historical materials.
The Nanjing Massacre took place when Japanese troops captured the city on Dec. 13, 1937. Over six weeks, more than 300,000 people -- both unarmed soldiers and civilians -- were brutally murdered and over 20,000 women raped, according to Chinese records.
Yoshikawa said she signed up for the volunteer work because she wanted to help spread the truth about the massacre.
"I hope I can serve as a bridge between China and Japan and tell Japanese people, especially young Japanese people, about the history of the Nanjing Massacre," she said.
In 2009, Yoshikawa came to Beijing to study Chinese and traditional Chinese medicine. She moved to Nanjing last July to continue her studies.
"I was warmly received when I came here last year," she said. "The history of the Nanjing Massacre is documented and remembered in the city not for hatred, but for creating a more peaceful future."
Yoshikawa is among more than 120 people who were sworn in as members of a volunteer team for the memorial. Since 1994, over 20,000 people have registered with the team as volunteers.
