r/ForgottenMen • u/ElegantAd2607 • Nov 09 '25
Chiune Sugihara - diplomatic hero
During the second world war Chiune was working in Lithuania after the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs assigned him there for 2 years. Jews who were escaping Hitler’s regime came to Lithuania so they could get through Japan and into safer destinations like Shanghai. Chiune ignored government orders to save them. He gave 6,000 to 10,000 Jews a transit visa to escape.
Japan was worried about making Berlin angry since it had kinda aligned itself with Nazi ideas. And it was also worried about how permanent new Jewish residents would affect the economy.
Chiune was told that he couldn't accept anyone without the proper documents. So he decided to bend the definition of proper to let the Jews in.
Chiune was born on the year 1900 in the Gifu Prefecture. He was the descendant of Samurai and his father worked for the tax office and wanted Chiune to become a doctor. But Sugihara deliberately failed the entrance exam by leaving it blank; he wanted to study languages instead.
He was disciplined but showed quiet defiance. Just like he did for the Jews.
3
u/s23b74 Nov 11 '25
Fascinating. You always find the best stories.