Japanese boss apologizes for offensive war comment

The Japanese boss of an electronics plant in Dongguan, south China’s Guangdong Province, apologized Tuesday for an inflammatory comment he made earlier in the day about the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, which upset workers and led to a strike.

During a meeting Tuesday morning at the Dongguan Chang’an Rihua Electronics Factory, Masataka Kataoka, president of Japan-based Alps Electronic Co, denied that Japan invaded China in 1937. Rather, he claimed, the country had helped China to rid itself of its colonial rulers, such as the United States, the Southern Metropolis Daily reported.

News of the offensive remark soon spread around the factory, and by 11:30am nearly 1,000 workers had gone out on strike, the report said.

Kataoka addressed the workers about 2:30pm from the stairway at the front of the plant. He bowed to them, apologized and said he withdrew the offending comment.

The address lasted about six minutes, after which everyone returned to work, the report said.

Rihua director Zhang Hongquan was outraged when Kataoka first made the remark. The Chinese executive rose to his feet, banged on the meeting table and demanded an apology, the company said in a statement.

Rihua is a joint venture between Alps and the Chang’an Group. Established in 1993, it assembles electronic components provided by Alps. Among its clients are global names such as Panasonic, Phillips and Sony, according a profile on the Chang’an Group website.

Japan moved into northeast China in September 1931, and a full-scale invasion began on July 7, 1937, when Japanese troops attacked the Lugou Bridge.

After eight years of war, the Japanese government signed a surrender document on September 2, 1945.