Only 40 Nanjing Massacre survivors remain

The number of registered survivors of the Nanjing Massacre has declined to 40 after the death of two of them last week, according to the Memorial Hall of the Victims in the Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders.

Ruan Xiuying, 90, died on Wednesday, one day before Yang Jingqiu, 94. Ten survivors have died so far this year.

Ruan testified that she was stabbed on the head by Japanese soldiers and has carried a scar ever since. Yang had her father taken away by Japanese soldiers when she was 5 years old and lost her brother when Nanjing was captured.

On Dec 13, 1937, the Nanjing Massacre began after Japanese troops captured the city. In a span of six weeks, approximately 300,000 Chinese civilians and unarmed soldiers were killed.

In 2014, China's top legislature designated Dec 13 as the national memorial day for the victims.