Akira Nakamura

Who was Akira Nakamura?

Akira Nakamura was a Japanese academic of English literature and self-trained historian specialising in Japan's wartime role in the first half of the 20th century. Born in Tokyo, Nakamura studied English literature and graduated from University of Tokyo in March 1959. He worked as a senior high school teacher of English until he clashed with the school principal. From April 1964 onwards he lectured at the newly founded Dokkyo University on full-time basis until his retirement in March 2005 to become an emeritus professor. A representative of Showa History Research Institute, he frequently joined controversies surrounding Japan's wartime past, particularly the so-called "Nanking Massacre" of 1937-38. He completely rejected the Chinese government's claim of 300,000 death toll as a mere propaganda but nonetheless admitted that there had been a few, if not many, instances of illegal murder and manslaughter by Japanese soldiers in China. He was also an assenter of the documentary film, The Truth about Nanjing. He detested what he viewed as "left leaning" mass media, especially The Asahi Shimbun newspaper and NHK public broadcasting organisation.