Modern Asian Studies (2025), 1–36
doi:10.1017/S0026749X24000428
RESEARCH ARTICLE
The Manchurian saviour? Re-examining the
‘Otpor Incident’ in imperial and contemporary
Japan
Rotem Kowner
1
, Joshua Fogel
2
and Dylan H. O’Brien
3
1
Department of Asian Studies, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel;
2
Department of History, York University,
Toronto, Canada and
3
Department of Anthropology, University of California San Diego, San Diego,
California, United States of America
Corresponding author: Rotem Kowner; Email: kowner@research.haifa.ac.il
(Received 10 April 2024; revised 19 July 2024; accepted 19 July 2024)
Abstract
In recent years, the Japanese public has hailed a new national hero, the late Lieutenant General
Higuchi Kiichir ̄ o. Unlike other notable military figures of his era, Higuchi’s heroism is uncon-
ventional, if not unique. Despite playing a leading role in the defence of Hokkaido against
the Soviet Red Army in 1945, it is humanitarian efforts that have cemented Higuchi’s lasting
legacy in public memory. Presently, a plethora of publications, TV documentaries, a museum,
and monuments praise his actions during the ‘Otpor Incident’, in which he is said to have
saved up to 20,000 Jewish refugees stranded in the winter of 1938 along the Soviet-Manchukuo
border. This article questions the authenticity of Higuchi’s acclaimed rescue efforts, highlight-
ing discrepancies that cast doubt on the entire narrative. It suggests the possibility of the
‘Otpor Incident’ being a complete fabrication or, at best, an extremely exaggerated account
of a minor event, aimed at enhancing post-war personal and national reputations. Critically,
this piece contends that Higuchi’s current recognition is part of a strategic move by nation-
alist groups in Japan to use Holocaust narratives to divert attention from Japan’s history of
wartime aggression and colonialism. To substantiate this view, this article assesses the evi-
dence of Higuchi’s involvement in the supposed rescue, examines the narrative’s post-war
evolution, and analyses the motives for its initial dissemination and recent surge in popularity.
Keywords: Manchukuo; Japanese war memories; historical revisionism; Holocaust; Jewish refugees
Introduction
Contemporary Japan has witnessed the rise of a newly acclaimed national hero. This
paragon of virtue, the late Lieutenant General Higuchi Kiichir ̄ o (1888–1970) is com-
memorated in numerous ways. A memorial museum was erected in his honour, his
name is ubiquitous across the internet, and his alleged benevolent deeds have been
extolled in numerous articles in national newspapers, as well as in the foreign press,
magazines, books, and two manga series. In 2022, the commemoration of Higuchi
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press.
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