Key facts
- Unit 731 conducted lethal experiments on captives to develop biological weapons.
- The village of Kamo in Shibayama town supplied many members to Unit 731.
- Kamo is being demolished for a new runway at Narita International Airport.
- Most residents have relocated from Kamo due to the construction.
The village of Kamo in Shibayama town, Chiba prefecture, which sent hundreds of men to Imperial Japan's Unit 731, is being demolished to make way for a new runway at Tokyo's Narita International Airport. Unit 731 was responsible for lethal human experiments during World War II, primarily on Chinese captives, to develop biological weapons. Around 300 of its approximately 3,000 personnel originated from Kamo. Heavy machinery is currently clearing the site, including the former residence of Unit 731's founder, Lieutenant General Shiro Ishii. Most residents have already relocated due to the construction, with the neighborhood's self-governing body dissolved in March. The community had maintained secrecy about the unit's activities post-war, with some residents recalling their time in Manchuria but refraining from discussing their involvement in the experiments.