KOBE — The Knesset formally recognized Setsuzo Kotsuji's actions in 2022 for his role in aiding Jewish refugees during World War II. Kotsuji facilitated visa extensions for Jewish refugees in Japan during the war.

In late 1940, Kotsuji hosted three dinners for Kobe police officials to request visa extensions. He borrowed 300,000 yen from his brother-in-law in Osaka to fund these efforts. Approximately 6,000 Jewish refugees passed out of Japan following the visa extensions Kotsuji helped to facilitate.

Kotsuji was detained and interrogated by Japanese military police during World War II due to his connections to Jewish communities. He fled to Harbin in 1945. Kotsuji later converted to Judaism in Jerusalem in 1959, becoming the first Japanese person to do so. He died in 1973 and was buried in Jerusalem.

Born in Kyoto in 1899, Kotsuji's family had served as Shinto priests for 14 centuries. He was born at the Kaburenjo theater in the Kamishichiken district of Kyoto. Kotsuji became a Presbyterian minister after being baptized and subsequently earned a doctorate in the United States. He founded the Institute of Biblical Research in Japan and wrote the first Hebrew grammar book in Japanese. Kotsuji chronicled his experiences in the memoir 'From Tokyo to Jerusalem'.

Why It Matters

The 2022 recognition by the Knesset marks the historical efforts made by individuals like Setsuzo Kotsuji to assist Jewish refugees during World War II. His actions included facilitating visa extensions and providing financial support. Thousands of refugees left Japan during a period of global conflict. Kotsuji later converted to Judaism and was buried in Jerusalem.