The Memorial Museum for Soldiers, Detainees in Siberia and Postwar Repatriates was founded by the Ministry of International Affairs and Communications in November 2000 to pass on memories of World War II to future generations.
The museum seeks to preserve this dark chapter of history through exhibitions of personal belongings and dioramas of scenes at detention camps. The museum's website also has video footage of survivors recalling their experiences at the camps.
"Although it's called a memorial museum, we don't cover the entire war," museum guide Yoshinari Seko says. "For instance, we don't include any exhibits focusing on the nuclear bombings or air raids."