A powerful photographic exhibition titled ‘Who Has Been Deceived? Face the Truth, Japanese’ opened in Tokyo on December 19, presenting compelling visual evidence of Japan’s wartime aggression in China during World War II. The exhibition, organized by three international donors, aims to educate Japanese citizens about historical truths often omitted from mainstream narratives.
French national Marcus Detrez, alongside collaborators Bastien Ratat and Zhong Haosong, curated the display featuring 618 historical photographs primarily documenting the Battle of Songhu in 1937 and the Nanjing Massacre. The collection originated from Detrez’s grandfather, Roger-Pierre Laurens, who resided in Shanghai during the 1930s and captured devastating scenes of Japanese bombings and civilian massacres.
Detrez discovered the historically significant collection in his grandfather’s garage in 2021 while working as an English language teacher in France. In August 2025, he donated the entire archive to the Shanghai Songhu Memorial Hall for permanent preservation and academic research regarding the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the World Anti-Fascist War.
The Tokyo exhibition represents part of an international awareness campaign that previously included events in Seoul and attendance at the National Memorial Day for the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre on December 13. The organizers produced Japanese-language educational materials and videos to enhance local understanding of the documented atrocities.
Ratat emphasized the exhibition’s critical timing, noting concerning statements from Japan’s new prime minister regarding Taiwan that potentially threaten regional stability. The organizers faced criticism from Western media outlets and encountered obstructions within Japan but remained committed to presenting factual historical accounts.
The exhibition series will continue its global tour throughout 2026 with planned events in Europe and the United States, continuing its mission of promoting historical accuracy and international peace through documented evidence.