China on Tuesday urged Japan to reflect deeply upon the Japanese militarism's fascist atrocities and crimes against humanity in its past, and win the trust of the people around the world through concrete actions.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the remarks at a daily press briefing when asked to comment on the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor during WWII 80 years ago today, which triggered the Pacific War.
The war of aggression launched by Japanese militarism inflicted untold suffering on the people of the victimized countries in Asia, and left them with indelible painful memories, Zhao said.
He said that over decades, the international community has been watching whether Japan will demonstrate a correct and sincere understanding of that history.
Today, Japan still owes an explicit explanation to its Asian neighbors, including China, he said. "Several decades on, some in Japan are still denying and even beautifying the history of aggression and colonial rule."
He noted that certain Japanese politicians recently went so far as to claim that "a Taiwan emergency is a Japanese emergency." Today, nearly a hundred Japanese lawmakers paid a high-profile visit to the Yasukuni Shrine, which honors convicted WWII class-A war criminals.
Rather than learning a historical lesson, they are seeking to revive the specter of militarism, he said.
Zhao said that history cannot be denied and the travesty of justice cannot be tolerated. He said China firmly opposes any erroneous act of backpedaling, upholds international fairness and justice, safeguards world peace and stability, and maintains the UN-centered international system and the international order based on international law.
The Japanese side should adopt the correct attitude, deeply reflect deeply upon the Japanese militarism's fascist atrocities and crimes against humanity, and win the trust of the people around the world through concrete actions, he said.
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