Japanese museum tells story of diplomat who saved Jews during the Holocaust

A Japanese museum dedicated to the story of a World War II diplomat who saved thousands of Jews is holding an exhibit on the stories of Jews rescued during the Holocaust, The Mainichi Japanese daily reported.

Port of Humanity Tsuruga Museum in Tsuruga, Japan is a museum that tells the story of Japanese diplomat Chiune Sugihara who issued “visas for life” to Jewish refugees in Europe fleeing the Nazis.

The new exhibit, "Between Life and Death -- Stories of Rescue During the Holocaust, running until the end of January, showcases the stories of survival of Jewish refugees from a dozen European countries.

The exhibit speaks about the survivors’ courage and the historical background behind the Holocaust. It also contains testimony from Jews who were saved by the transit visas Sugihara issued to them when he was the vice-consul of the Japanese Consulate in Kaunas, Lithuania.

The Jews who were saved by Sugihara landed in Tsuruga, a port city in Fukui prefecture and the location of the Port of Humanity Tsuruga Museum, which held its grand opening on November 3.

The museum consists of four historic renovated buildings dating to the first half of the 20th century. The interior contains exhibits and a theater that tells visitors of the story of the “port of humanity.”

"We'd like to make this an opportunity to think about war's cruelty and the value of peace,” said the museum in a statement.