China on Monday urged Japan to honestly face up to and reflect on its history of aggression, and take concrete actions to win the trust of its Asian neighbors and the international community, according to a foreign ministry spokesperson.
Spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the remarks when asked to comment on Japan's Education Ministry reportedly approving five publishers' plans to remove or change the relevant expressions of "comfort women" in textbooks.
The forced recruitment of "comfort women" is a grave crime against humanity committed by the Japanese militarism, Zhao said. "It is a historical fact with iron-clad and undeniable evidence."
This is Japan's latest attempt to meddle with textbooks and play with words to blur the historical facts, understate and evade its historical responsibility, and deny and whitewash its history of aggression in a step-by-step manner, Zhao said.
"It once again highlights Japan's long-standing dishonest attitude towards the history of aggression, which has hurt the feelings of the people of the victimized countries. It will be rejected by all peace-loving people. The international community needs to take strict precautions and put things right," Zhao said.
Japan should honestly face up to and reflect on its history of aggression, make a clear break with militarism, properly handle the "comfort women" issue in an honest and responsible manner, and take concrete actions to win the trust of its Asian neighbors and the international community, Zhao said.
