China urges Japan to deeply reflect on historical crimes, take real actions to break with militarism

The Japanese side must deeply reflect on its historical crimes, take real actions to break with militarism and truly follow a path of peaceful development, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday.

Spokesperson Guo Jiakun made the remarks at a regular news briefing in response to a related query.

Faced with just trials, some countries have sincerely reflected on their actions, thoroughly eradicated fascism, and severely punished those who deny historical responsibility, thereby earning the respect of the world, Guo said.

However, the Japanese government has deliberately avoided and downplayed the "Murayama Statement" and "Kono Statement," which expressed remorse and apology for colonial aggression, while condoning right-wing forces to openly glorify war crimes and attempt to challenge the judgement of the Tokyo Trials, he noted.

For more than 80 years since its defeat in World War II, Japan has not thoroughly eradicated the poison of militarism. Instead, it has enshrined the war criminals who launched the war of aggression at the Yasukuni Shrine, which is a de facto "war criminal shrine," said Guo, adding that many Japanese prime ministers and political figures have visited or sent ritual offerings to the shrine.

The spokesperson said Japan has not comprehensively and objectively reflected its history of aggression in its textbooks, nor has it established a direction of never waging war again.

"Instead, it has created a so-called 'victim' persona and promoted a distorted view of WWII history," he said, stressing that these erroneous words and deeds challenge the outcomes of victory in World War II and the post-war international order.

"Distorting history and covering up crimes cannot win tolerance and trust," Guo said.