Study: Japan's Imperial Army Tested Malaria on Its Own Soldiers

According to a researcher at Meiji Gakuin University, during the Second Sino-Japanese War, the Imperial Japanese Army conducted experiments on its own soldiers, deliberately exposing troops receiving treatment for mental illness—and deemed unfit for combat—to malaria-infected mosquitoes.

The unnamed researcher said on Monday that the experiments were carried out as the Imperial Japanese Army sought to study malaria for military purposes. The soldiers selected as test subjects were those hospitalized for mental health conditions and no longer able to fight.

The findings were disclosed in a research report, raising concerns about the brutality of Japan’s wartime military medical practices. No official assessment has yet been issued by Japan’s Ministry of Defense regarding the discovery.