Reviewing the truth of China's Nanjing Defense Battle against Japanese aggression in 1937 is not to continue the hatred, but to learn from the historical experience, be vigilant to the resurgence of Japanese militarism which has brought disasters to mankind, and work together to strive for and maintain lasting world peace, a Chinese expert said on Wednesday. 

Sun Zhaiwei, a researcher at Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Social Sciences in east China, made the remarks at a testimony meeting in Tokyo to mark the 82nd anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre. 

In his speech "The solemn truth of Nanjing Defense Battle," Sun reviewed the historical background of the massacre – the Nanjing Defense Battle – from three aspects: "the capture of Nanjing is the established goal of the Japanese army," "the heroic fight of Chinese soldiers" and "the important historical position of the battle." 

On December 13, 1937, Japanese troops captured Nanjing, then China's capital, and began more than 40 days of slaughter. About 300,000 civilians and unarmed Chinese soldiers were brutally murdered, and over 20,000 women were raped. 

The date, December 13, was designated as the "National Memorial Day for Nanjing Massacre Victims" in February 2014.

Ge Fengjin, son of Nanjing Massacre survivor Ge Daorong, attended the testimony meeting at the invitation of a few Japanese civil groups. About 100 people from different parts of Japan also took part. 

Ge Daorong, a survivor of the massacre, was only 10 years old when Nanjing fell to Japanese invaders. He survived by escaping into the Safety Zone during the mass killing, but his three uncles did not. 
  
Since the 1980s, he has devoted himself to sharing his story. As he gets older, his son has taken over. 
  
"On December 13, 1937, the Japanese invaders occupied Nanjing and carried out the deadly Nanjing massacre, killing 300,000 of our compatriots, including my family members," said Ge Fengjin. 
  
As descendant of a survivor of the Nanjing Massacre, he said he should not only remember the painful history, but also has the responsibility to tell the truth and testify to the mass-killing, adding that he wants more young people to know and remember this part of history.

Shota Naito, a postdoctoral fellow majored in history from Japan's Meiji University, said he has been attending the testimony meeting of the Nanjing Massacre in Tokyo every year since 2015. 
  
Each year, the organizers invite various people to talk about the massacre in different places and perspectives, which offers a rare opportunity to learn about the truth of history in Japan, he said, adding that he is concerned that some people in Japan do not know the truth of history, and some even attempt to falsify history, forget history and deny the existence of the Nanjing Massacre. 
  
"Every time I listen to the stories with tears in my eyes, I feel sorry (for the Chinese people)," he said. 

(With input from Xinhua)