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NTU Japanese cultural event on Sook Ching anniversary raises eyebrows

SINGAPORE — The choice of date for a Japanese cultural event organised by Nanyang Technological University (NTU) students has raised some eyebrows among members of the public.

This year’s edition of the Japanese Cultural Festival, held by the NTU Japanese Appreciation Club, takes place on Monday (Feb 18) — the 77th anniversary of the Sook Ching massacre.

This year’s edition of the Japanese Cultural Festival, held by the NTU Japanese Appreciation Club, takes place on Monday (Feb 18) — the 77th anniversary of the Sook Ching massacre.

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SINGAPORE — The choice of date for a Japanese cultural event organised by Nanyang Technological University (NTU) students has raised some eyebrows among members of the public.

This year’s edition of the Japanese Cultural Festival, held by the NTU Japanese Appreciation Club, takes place on Monday (Feb 18) — the 77th anniversary of the Sook Ching massacre.

Operation Sook Ching was a Japanese military operation in 1942 aimed at identifying and killing suspected anti-Japanese elements among the Chinese community in Singapore.

According to the National Library Board’s Infopedia page, the Japanese put the official Sook Ching death count at 5,000, although the actual figure is believed to be much higher.

The annual festival at NTU — which aims to showcase Japanese arts and culture — is held on campus and is open to the public.

Some members of the public have objected to the festival’s chosen date.

“The event says a lot about our students’ lack of knowledge and appreciation about the significant events in our country’s history,” said Facebook user Angeline Lee in a post criticising the event.

However, others felt that the outrage was going too far.

“There are unfortunate anniversaries on every day of the year. At what point do we stop?” asked Facebook user Edward C Yong in a comment on a shared post.

An NTU spokesman explained that the date of the event was picked based on the venue’s availability.

“The student organisers will observe a minute of silence at the start of the event to honour those who lost their lives during Sook Ching and World War II,” said the spokesman.

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