Chiune Sugihara (1900–1986) was a Japanese diplomat who served as Vice Consul for the Empire of Japan in Lithuania during World War II. He is best known for his extraordinary efforts to save the lives of thousands of Jewish refugees by issuing transit visas, against the orders of his superiors, during the Holocaust.

In the early years of World War II, many Jewish refugees sought to escape the Nazi regime in Europe. Sugihara, deeply moved by the plight of these refugees, decided to take matters into his own hands. From July to September 1940, as the Soviets occupied Lithuania, Sugihara issued thousands of transit visas to Jewish refugees, allowing them to travel through Japan to other destinations.

Despite the risks and pressure from his superiors in the Japanese government, Sugihara continued to issue visas to Jewish refugees, ultimately saving an estimated 6,000 lives. His courageous actions became known as the “Sugihara Visas” or the “Visas for Life.”

In 1985, Yad Vashem, Israel’s official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust, recognized Chiune Sugihara as Righteous Among the Nations, an honor bestowed upon non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust. Sugihara’s story became more widely known, and he is remembered as a humanitarian who showed great compassion and moral courage in the face of adversity.

After the war, Sugihara faced personal and professional challenges. He was dismissed from the Japanese diplomatic service in 1947, but in the following years, his actions in Lithuania gained increasing recognition and appreciation.

Chiune Sugihara passed away on July 31, 1986. His legacy lives on through the individuals and families he saved, as well as the broader recognition of his courageous and compassionate response to the humanitarian crisis of the Holocaust.