BEIJING, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- China urges Japan to face up to and deeply reflect on its history of aggression, and gain the trust of its Asian neighbors and the international community with concrete actions, foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told a press briefing on Friday.
The September 18th Incident 95 years ago marked the start of Japan's 14-year invasion of China.
Ninety-five years ago today, Guo said, Japanese militarists launched aggression against China, and they were met by the courageous resistance of the Chinese people, which lifted the curtain of the eastern theater of the World Anti-Fascist War.
Noting the September 18th Incident was a war plot long concealed by the Japanese government from the Japanese public, Guo said the vast majority of the Japanese people did not learn the truth until the Tokyo Trials, which opened 80 years ago.
The increasingly prevalent historical denialism in Japan is truly troubling, and the danger is self-evident, Guo noted.
Denialism not just reflects serious regression in Japan's perception of history, but also indicates alarmingly an organized attempt to turn back the wheel of history with clear political motives, said Guo, adding that the real purpose is to keep the Japanese public from the truth, and clear the path for Japan to escape the straitjacket of the postwar system and rearm itself.
Denying the crime of aggression is to challenge historical conclusions and undermine the post-war international order, Guo said, stressing that all countries in the region, including China, must remain highly vigilant, not allow Japanese militarism to resurface, and not let historical tragedies repeat themselves.
"We must work together to uphold the outcomes of the World War II victory and jointly safeguard peace", Guo added. ■
