'Japan’s Holocaust' book sparks fierce backlash over wartime atrocities

Bryan Rigg’s controversial work alleging 30 million deaths faces intense criticism and death threats in Japan.

Japanese troops pictured in Nanking following the city's capture. (c) Universal History Archive

By Anna Fadiah and Hayu Andini

A book alleging that Imperial Japan was responsible for the deaths of 30 million people across Asia has ignited a storm of controversy and fierce backlash in Japan, with author Bryan Rigg facing death threats and conservative scholars accusing him of spreading propaganda.

Japan’s Holocaust, written by American historian Bryan Rigg, was published last year and has already stirred global debate. The book asserts that Japan's military expansion from 1927 to 1945 resulted in atrocities surpassing the death toll of Nazi Germany's actions in Europe. Since its release, the Japan’s Holocaust book has sold around 6,000 copies, and a Korean-language translation is underway, with Chinese publishers also expressing strong interest.

Rigg, who began researching the topic during his doctoral studies at Yale University in 1993, contends that Emperor Hirohito not only knew about the widespread atrocities committed by Imperial Japanese Forces but actively ordered them. His investigation spans 18 archives across five countries and documents mass civilian killings, systemic rape, and widespread starvation throughout China, Korea, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific.

Speaking to South China Morning Post, Rigg explained, "The refusal by some Japanese voices to acknowledge these overwhelming and undeniable crimes adds a tragic layer of injustice to the memory of the millions who perished."

While Japan’s Holocaust book has won international praise for its depth and meticulous research, it has drawn sharp criticism from nationalist factions within Japan. Rigg has received numerous private messages of support from Japanese readers who found the book compelling but doubted whether it could ever be published domestically due to widespread resistance to confronting the nation's wartime past.

Fierce nationalist resistance

Despite its careful documentation, the book has been met with hostility from far-right groups in Japan, which dismissed it outright without engaging with its evidence. Rigg believes this reaction is emblematic of what he calls Japan’s "Holocaust denial culture," a systemic refusal to fully acknowledge and teach about the country's wartime atrocities.

According to Rigg, the denial is perpetuated through the Japanese education system, where textbooks often omit or minimize Japan’s role in wartime violence. "Fear, national pride, revisionism, and even wilful ignorance have created a deep-seated resistance to acknowledging wartime culpability," he said. "This resistance continues to be embedded within education and political discourse."

Rigg remains pessimistic about the possibility of change. "Without political will and societal courage, Japan's cultural amnesia regarding its past will endure," he said.

Organized backlash from scholars

The controversy surrounding the Japan’s Holocaust book intensified when a newly formed organization, the War Propaganda Study Group, announced plans to formally refute Rigg’s claims. Founded in August 2024, the group has conducted multiple study sessions and plans to release a counter-publication in June titled Debunking "Japan’s Holocaust".

Nobukatsu Fujioka, a key member of the group and vice-president of the Japan Society for History Textbook Reform, described Rigg’s book as "an exposé that exposes the bulls***." Fujioka, along with 20 researchers including four Americans and a Canadian, accuses Rigg of fabricating history without understanding Japanese sources.

Fujioka and the group specifically challenge Rigg’s documentation of the Nanking Massacre, accusing him of using "fake" photographs and relying on mistranslations. Fujioka asserted, "Since Rigg cannot read Japanese, he bases his arguments on limited sources without understanding the full context."

While he acknowledged that significant casualties occurred during the Battle of Nanking, Fujioka denied that illegal acts under international law took place at the scale Rigg describes. This stance starkly contrasts with the findings of post-World War II tribunals, where Japanese military leaders were convicted of Class-A war crimes.

Fujioka claimed that the estimates of hundreds of thousands dead in Nanking were propaganda meant to demonize Japan, insisting that no "hard evidence" exists for such high figures. Chinese estimates place the death toll at over 300,000, while some Japanese estimates are as low as 30,000, illustrating the wide gap in historical narratives.

Sexual slavery and historical denial

The War Propaganda Study Group also rejected Rigg’s depiction of "comfort women" as sexual slaves, describing it as a "false view" of wartime brothel conditions. Fujioka’s statements contradict decades of survivor testimonies and rulings by international courts that have validated claims of coercion and abuse in Japanese-run military brothels.

Fujioka also criticized Rigg’s use of the term "Holocaust" to describe Japan’s actions in Asia, arguing that it improperly equates Japan’s wartime atrocities with Nazi Germany’s genocide. He claimed the term could not apply due to the lack of antisemitic motivations and differences in method and scope.

He further argued that the figure of 30 million deaths cited in the Japan’s Holocaust book is "meaningless" and based on "unsubstantiated" numbers. Fujioka added that it would be "wise" for Rigg to avoid visiting Japan, implying potential safety risks.

Author faces death threats but stands firm

Despite the backlash and approximately 10 death threats, Rigg remains steadfast. Should the book eventually be published in Japan, he plans to take appropriate precautions if he travels there.

"I will not be deterred by threats or intimidation," he said. "The historical record deserves to be confronted honestly, no matter how uncomfortable it is for some."

The fierce debate over the Japan’s Holocaust book highlights the enduring tensions surrounding Japan’s wartime legacy. While Rigg’s work has reopened difficult conversations internationally, it has also exposed the deep divisions within Japanese society about how — or whether — to confront its own past.

As Rigg continues to receive invitations to speak about his research around the world, including offers from universities in South Korea and Taiwan, it is clear that his controversial work has sparked a conversation that may prove impossible for Japan to ignore indefinitely.