Nakamura Incident

The Nakamura Incident (中村大尉事件, Nakamura taii jiken) refers to the extrajudicial killing of Imperial Japanese Army Captain Shintarō Nakamura and three others, on 27 June 1931 by Chinese soldiers in Manchuria.

Background

Captain Nakamura, a regular Japanese Army officer, was on an official mission under orders of the Kwantung Army detachment in the South Manchurian Railway Zone. Early in June, Captain Nakamura obtained a "huchao" (pass) from the Chinese authorities in Mukden, which allowed him and his party rights of free passage through Manchuria, with the exception of the militarily-sensitive border area between Taonan and Solun (in the Hsingan Colonization Area). At Harbin, however, Nakamura obtained a second "huchao" which, according to the Japanese Consul General, gave the desired permission to travel in the Taonan-Solun area.

Captain Nakamura was accompanied by Nobutarō Isugi, a retired Japanese army sergeant, a Mongolian and a Russian interpreter. Nakamura was travelling incognito, in civilian dress, and represented himself as an "agricultural expert". The party of four left Pokotu on the Chinese Eastern Railway about the middle of June, their immediate destination being Taonan. Nakamura made stops along the Chinese Eastern Railway, at Manchuli, Tsitsihar, Angangehi, and Hailar taking notes.