A Holocaust Paragon of Virtue's Rise to Fame: The Transnational Commemoration of the Japanese Diplomat Sugihara Chiune and Its Divergent National Motives.

This article examines the transformation of Sugihara Chiune, the Japanese consul in Lithuania during World War II who issued transit visas to thousands of Polish Jewish refugees, from an obscure figure into an internationally renowned symbol of Holocaust-era heroism. It analyzes the transnational processes and diverse motives behind his commemoration in Japan, Israel, and Lithuania, highlighting how each country’s distinct historical experiences and political agendas shaped their memory of Sugihara. The study proposes a four-stage model of hero making—anonymity, exposure, recognition, and fame—and argues that Sugihara’s fame results less from the act itself than from coordinated commemorative efforts serving national interests, including diplomatic relations and identity construction. Ultimately, the article illustrates how transnational Holocaust memory can reflect competing national narratives and political uses rather than shared values, revealing the complex interplay between cosmopolitan memory culture and enduring national memory politics.