China urges Japan to stop whitewashing aggression in wartime history

China on Tuesday called on Japan to halt efforts to whitewash its wartime aggression and colonial rule, stressing that an honest reckoning with history is a key test of Japan's commitment to peaceful development.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian, speaking at a regular press briefing, emphasized that Japan's wartime militarism during World War II caused immense suffering to the people of China and other Asian countries. 

He urged Japan to have a right understanding and treatment of history, saying it's not only a prerequisite for Japan's post-war return to the international community but also the political foundation for its relations with neighboring countries and a critical standard by which to assess whether Japan truly adheres to a path of peaceful development.

Lin criticized ongoing tendencies within Japan to downplay or glorify its wartime actions. He noted persistent attempts to distort facts about the forced recruitment of "comfort women" and repeated visits by some Japanese politicians to the Yasukuni Shrine, where Class-A war criminals are enshrined, saying these actions continue to spark strong dissatisfaction and serious concern among neighboring countries.

"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 seriously reflect on its historical responsibilities, clearly distance itself from all acts that seek to glorify wartime aggression and commit itself to peaceful development with concrete actions.