TV drama uncovers the dark history of Japan's Unit 731

The television drama "Vistamist Chronicles," which focuses on Japan’s Unit 731 and its wartime crimes in China, premiered on online platforms and television on December 13, 2025, China’s 12th National Memorial Day for the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre.

Focusing on the crimes committed by Japan’s Unit 731 during the war of aggression against China, the series is both an investigation into historical truth and a reminder of the true value of peace.

The story unfolds across two timelines. One is set in Harbin during the war, exposing the brutal human experiments and wartime atrocities carried out conducted by Unit 731. The other shifts to 1992, following Jin Chengming, a historian from Harbin, on a journey abroad to uncover historical records. Through Jin’s efforts, a history that had been deliberately buried is gradually restored through documents and testimony.

Since its release, the drama has stood out from similar works by refusing to soften or distort history. It avoids fictional victories and does not shy away from painful realities. With solid production values, it tells the story in a restrained and steady manner, allowing viewers to see the reality of war without exaggeration.

One of the most powerful elements of the series appears at the end of each episode, where authentic audio testimony from the Khabarovsk War Crimes Trials is played. These trials were held by the Soviet Union after World War II and focused on Japanese military personnel accused of biological warfare and human experimentation.

In the recordings, the perpetrators themselves admit to these crimes, leaving a lasting impact. Their voices challenge attempts to deny or erase history and give the series weight beyond that of a fictional drama.