A visitor looks at the photos during the photo exhibition in Tokyo, Japan, on Oct. 29, 2025. (Xinhua/Hu Xiaoge)

The Tokyo exhibition was jointly curated by Detrez and his friends Zhong Haosong and Bastien Ratat. Detrez said that from donating the photos to China to having the exhibition in Japan, they not only faced unjust accusations from some Western media but also encountered obstruction from certain forces within Japan.

"Most Japanese textbooks conceal or deliberately downplay the history of the invasion of China. We hope that this exhibition will help the Japanese people understand the truth of history," Detrez said.

"With the rise of far-right forces in Japanese society, we hope to awaken the conscience of more Japanese people through these rare images," said Zhong, adding that these photos taken by Laurens, which offer a third-person perspective, can help the younger generation in Japan objectively understand the crimes committed by Japanese militarism in Asian countries, thereby conveying the belief in peace.

Yaguchi, a Japanese visitor at the exhibition, lingered for a long time in front of a photo documenting the destruction of Nanjing Road in Shanghai by the invading Japanese troops. "The scene of billowing black smoke in the photo makes one deeply aware of Japan's history of aggression. Japanese textbooks are compiled in accordance with the government's guidelines, so I think Japanese people should more frequently attend such exhibitions to gradually elevate their historical perspective to a more international level," he said.

Yokichi Kobayashi, son of a Japanese veteran of the Eighth Route Army, Kiyoshi Kobayashi, said: "This exhibition is extremely valuable. It truly documents the atrocities committed by the Japanese army and the dire situation of the Chinese people at that time. Seeing these images, one can't help but recall the Battle of Songhu. At that time, the Japanese government and many Japanese people believed that China was a disorganized mess and could be completely occupied within three months, but history proved them wrong."

Zhao Linshan, director of the Chinese World War II film 731, also known as Evil Unbound, said, "Seeing these photos filled me with grief and anger. Like Marcus, I have a responsibility to let more people around the world know the truth of history."

After the exhibition in Tokyo, Detrez and his friends plan to continue holding related exhibitions in other Asian countries, Europe, and the United States.