[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 142 (Wednesday, November 1, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2057]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




TRIBUTE TO JAPANESE DIPLOMAT CHIUNE SUGIHARA, HONORED AT LAST IN JAPAN 
             FOR SAVING LIVES OF JEWS DURING THE HOLOCAUST

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TOM LANTOS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 1, 2000

  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, on September 1, 1939--the day the Second 
World War began with the Nazi invasion of Poland--the government of 
Japan named Chiune Sugihara its consul in Lithuania. As the war 
progressed in its destruction and as the Nazi anti-Semites began their 
systematic extermination of Jews in Nazi-conquered territory, Sugihara 
was besieged by Jews seeking visas to flee the Nazi Holocaust.
  After requesting authorization three times to issue Japanese visas to 
these victims of Nazi persecution and being rejected twice and ignored 
once, he disregarded his government's instructions and issued thousands 
of visas to Polish Jews. Mr. Sugihara signed visas day and night for 
thirty days. Thanks to these documents, many of the refugees were able 
to escape to Kobe, Japan, and from there were able to find refuge in 
other countries.
  Not long after issuing these visas in Lithuania, Mr. Sugihara was 
assigned to serve in Germany. When he returned to Japan at the end of 
World War II, the Japanese government forced him to resign from the 
diplomatic service. He was told that this was because of ``that 
incident in Lithuania.'' Mr. Sugihara died in 1986 at the age of 86 
without ever being officially recognized for his outstanding 
humanitarian service by the government of Japan.
  Outside Japan Chiune Sugihara has long been recognized as a hero. The 
government of Lithuania named a street in his honor. Israel has 
designated him a ``Righteous Gentile.'' The United States Holocaust 
Memorial Museum here in Washington has presented a special exhibit 
paying tribute to his efforts.
  Mr. Speaker, earlier this month--at long last--the government of 
Japan acknowledged the true heroism of its own citizens. On the 100th 
anniversary of the birth of Chiune Sugihara and 14 years after his 
death. In a modest ceremony at the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo, Japanese 
Foreign Minister Yohei Kono apologized to Yukiko Sugihara, the widow of 
Chiune Sugihara: ``Here we praise Chiune Sugihara's courageous and 
humanitarian act conducted in an extreme situation amid the Nazi 
persecution of Jews.'' He apologized to Mrs. Sugihara ``for the long 
neglect'' and promised that he would ``see that his achievements are 
known to future generations.''
  On this occasion, the Foreign Minister unveiled a plaque honoring Mr. 
Sugihara. The copper plaque was placed on the wall of the Foreign 
Ministry's Diplomatic Record Office in Tokyo, and it reads, in part: 
``A courageous diplomat of humanity. In commemoration of the 100th 
anniversary of his birth.''
  Also this month in Los Angeles a documentary film, ``Sugihara: 
Conspiracy of Kindness'' which chronicles the heroism of Chiune 
Sugihara, was awarded the Pare Lorentz prize of the International 
Documentary Association. The IDA prize has been called ``the Oscar of 
the documentary world.'' The film also received the Best Documentary 
award at the Hollywood Film Festival this past August.
  Mr. Speaker, I invite my colleagues in the Congress to join me in 
honoring Chiune Sugihara on the 100th anniversary of his birth. I 
welcome the action of the government of Japan in belatedly recognizing 
the courage and humanity of this outstanding diplomat. Long after the 
faceless nameless bureaucrats who blindly and timidly followed 
instructions are forgotten by history, the determination and compassion 
of Chiune Sugihara will continue to serve as an example of the finest 
of human action and bring honor to his memory.

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