The complete Chinese translation of the Trial Records of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East is launched on April 30, 2026, at Zhejiang Yuexiu University in Shaoxing, East China’s Zhejiang Province, filling a domestic archival gap. (Photo: Screenshot from the CCTV News)

The complete Chinese translation of the Trial Records of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East was launched on Thursday at Zhejiang Yuexiu University in Shaoxing, East China's Zhejiang Province, filling a domestic archival gap. The release comes as the 80th anniversary of the start of the Tokyo Trials, which falls on May 3, approaches, Xinhua News Agency reported.

The complete translation spans 40 volumes, totaling more than 20,000 pages and over 22 million Chinese characters, and is published by Shanghai Jiao Tong University Press. A translation and review team formed by the Research Institute of War Crimes Trial and World Peace at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Zhejiang Yuexiu University, and the press spent more than a decade completing the work and rendering the tribunal records into Chinese.

The launch event was co-hosted by Zhejiang Yuexiu University, the Research Institute of War Crimes Trial and World Peace at Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University Press. Xiang Longwan, a professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University and son of Xiang Zhejun, a Chinese prosecutor at the Tokyo Trials, said the publication would help the Chinese public better understand the full course of the landmark proceedings and the significant role played by China, Xinhua reported.

"The project was the result of the joint efforts of 28 translators and 19 editors, particularly reflecting close collaboration between institutions in Shanghai and Zhejiang, and represents a meaningful step in preserving the historical value of the Tokyo Trials," said Ye Xingguo, former president of Zhejiang Yuexiu University and head of the translation team.

Each volume of the complete Chinese translation of the records includes a detailed index, Xinhua reported. Chen Huadong, president of Shanghai Jiao Tong University Press, noted that for a long time the trial records were available only in English and Japanese, and that this is the first time such an important body of material has been made fully accessible in Chinese. He said the publication will serve as a vital source for studying the Tokyo Trials, reconstructing historical truth, and upholding international justice.

Yong Heming, president of Zhejiang Yuexiu University, added that the complete translation provides a valuable database and corpus for interdisciplinary research across law, history, international politics and international relations, helping preserve historical memory while reflecting Chinese scholars’ commitment to learning from history and looking to the future, per Xinhua.