Captain Nakamura Incident

On June 27, 1931 (Showa 6), Captain Nakamura Shintaro was murdered by a Chinese person along with his companion while conducting research in the Khingan Mountains area deep in Manchuria (northeastern China). This incident was cleverly used by the military to incite hostility towards China and anti-foreign sentiment as part of preparations for the Manchurian Incident in September of the same year. Captain Nakamura, who was a member of the General Staff, falsely represented himself as an agricultural engineer and engaged in military espionage activities for operations against the Soviet Union in the area, but was arrested by Chinese soldiers under the command of Guan Yuheng and executed as a military spy. The Ministry of the Army became aware of the incident in mid-July, and after an investigation, on August 17, they covered up the fact that Nakamura had engaged in espionage activities and announced only that he had been killed by Chinese troops. As a result, this incident was widely used by the military and others as propaganda material to incite xenophobia among the people.

[Kazama Hideto]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

1931年（昭和6）6月27日、満州（中国東北地区）奥地の興安嶺(こうあんれい)方面を調査中の中村震太郎(しんたろう)大尉が同行者とともに中国人に殺害された事件。同年9月の満州事変の準備の一環として、中国敵視、排外熱をあおるために、軍部によって巧みに利用された。参謀本部員であった中村大尉は、農業技師と身分を偽り、同地区において対ソ作戦のための軍事スパイ活動を行ったが、関玉衡指揮下の中国兵に逮捕され、軍事スパイとして処刑された。陸軍省は、7月中旬にこの事件を察知、調査ののち、8月17日にスパイ活動の事実は隠蔽(いんぺい)し、中国軍に殺害されたことのみを発表した。そのためにこの事件は、国民の排外主義をあおるための宣伝材料として、軍部などに大いに利用されることになった。

［風間秀人］

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例