] Chiune Sugihara (January 1, 1900 - July 31, 1986) was an
] obscure Japanese diplomat who saved Jews during the World
] War II when he was a Japanese consul to Lithuania. Unlike
] many others who helped, he was one of those who appeared
] to have no discernible motivation other than just wanting
] to do what was right, and came to be known as the
] Japanese Schindler.

PBS is running a special entitled Sugihara: Conspiracy of Kindness, about this diplomat. I like to think I know quite a bit more about history than your average person (having been feed a constant diet of it my whole life since my mom is a history teacher), but I had never heard of any relationship between the Japanese and Jews.

Apparently, a Wall St Banker named Shift (spelling?) who was a Jew personally financed the $200 Million needed by the Japanese for the Russo-Japanese war.