The names of over 36-hundred members of Unit 731 have been disclosed by the National Archives of Japan. This was a covert biological and chemical warfare research and development unit of the Japanese Army, that conducted experiments on live humans during the Chinese-Japanese War. Our reporter GUAN YANG spoke to some residents of China's northeastern Liaoning province --where the unit was based -- to get their reactions to the disclosure.

Every day, people from all parts of China come to the 9.18 museum in Shenyang to look back on history. The September 18th, or Mukden Incident, marks the beginning of the Japanese invasion of China.

LIU PING, SHENYANG RESIDENT 9.18 MUSEUM, SHENYANG, LIAONING PROVINCE "So many years have passed, but the pain and suffering can still be felt by many Chinese people."

During Japan's occupation of northeast China, Unit 731 was set up in Harbin. It conducted vivisection experiments on live human beings. Their ultimate goal was to develop Japan's biological warfare program.

After the war, the Japanese government did very little to acknowledge Unit 731's atrocities, despite the large amount of evidence discovered at the site.

With this latest disclosure, almost all the real names of the unit's members have been unveiled. The move indicates more Japanese people are choosing not to stay silent on the unit's activities.

RUAN JINSHAN, VISITOR FROM QIQIHAR 9.18 MUSEUM, SHENYANG, LIAONING PROVINCE "The truth can't be hidden forever, people around the world are getting to know more about Unit 731. Full disclosure is just a matter of time."

CHEN HAOZHAO, VISITOR FROM LIANYUNGANG 9.18 MUSEUM, SHENYANG, LIAONING PROVINCE "I think the Japanese government is doing the right thing by facing up to history."

When Japan surrendered in 1945, Unit 731 destroyed most of the evidence of its crimes. But that won't stop people seeking the truth: a Chinese movie about the unit started shooting this year.

ZHAO LINSHAN DIRECTOR OF MOVIE "731" "For our generation, as a movie director and a storyteller, we have to do something to prevent people from forgetting what really happened in the past."

Now with the release of names of Unit 731 members, people can see for themselves evidence of one of the darkest periods in human history.

GUAN YANG 9.18 MUSEUM, SHENYANG, LIAONING PROVINCE The horrific activities of "Unit 731" remained one the most closely guarded secrets of World War II, as more than 300,000 people across China were killed by Japan's biological weapons during WWII, according to research. The disclosure this time by the National Archives of Japan could lead to further investigations on Japan's wartime crime. GUAN YANG, CGTN.