During a routine press briefing on Tuesday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian urged Japan to halt efforts to whitewash its wartime aggression and colonial rule in Asia. He stressed that an honest reckoning with history is a key test of Japan’s commitment to peaceful development.
Lin highlighted that Japan’s WWII militarism inflicted immense suffering on the people of the Chinese mainland and other Asian countries. He pointed to ongoing attempts within Japan to downplay facts about the forced recruitment of comfort women and repeated visits by certain politicians to the Yasukuni Shrine, where Class-A war criminals are enshrined.
“Instead of deeply reflecting on its crimes of aggression, Japan points fingers at the joint efforts of China and Russia to uphold historical truth and promote global peace. This again reveals Japan’s misguided attitude toward its past,” Lin said.
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. Lin called on Japan to clearly distance itself from acts that glorify wartime aggression and to commit itself to peaceful development with concrete actions.
Analysts say that a sincere historical dialogue can serve as a political foundation for stronger ties with neighboring countries. For young global citizens and changemakers, the debate highlights the power of collective memory in shaping future paths toward reconciliation and stability.
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China urges Japan to stop whitewashing aggression in wartime history
cgtn.com
