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China Voice: Historical revisionism leads Japan down dangerous path

Xinhua, July 9, 2015 Adjust font size:

A senior Japanese leader's remarks regarding commemorative activities marking the anniversary of China's victory against Japanese aggression is yet more proof that historical revisionism is, once again, rearing its ugly head.

In what appears to be an attempt to gloss over the atrocities Japan committed, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga on Tuesday said events observing the 78th anniversary of the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War will not help regional peace and stability.

As a brazen historical revisionist, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has, time and again, seized upon any opportunity to discredit the established international consensus on Japan's crimes during World War II.

Abe refuses to budge on this stance, which is at odds with the peace commitment made by Japan, and the words of his predecessors.

Former Prime Minister Yohei Kono made a landmark statement in 1993 admitting and apologizing for Japan's use of comfort women. Murayama Tomiichi took the opportunity of the 50th anniversary of the end of WWII in 1995 to give a heartfelt apology for the damage and pain militarist Japan inflicted upon its Asian neighbors.

However, 20 years after Tomiichi's statement, relations between Japan and its Asian neighbors, including South Korea, have soured to near all-time lows, owing to Japan's misperception of history and its ideological shift to the right.

Some Japanese leaders continue to propagate the myth that Japan was never committed to foreign expansion, but rather due to the threat of Western invaders its hand was forced. This rhetoric is further underpinned by claims that it had tried its utmost to free its Asian neighbors and was committed to creating a "Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere".

Japan's actions in WWII can be dressed up in any way it chooses, but through the eyes of victims in Asia-Pacific region or peace-loving third-party observers, it was neither protector or liberator.

Diminishing regional ties will isolate the land of the rising sun, and this will jeopardize the economic growth prospects for this resource-poor country.

Tensions can only be diffused when Japan, with honesty and sincerity, recognizes its ignominious past and, together with its Asian neighbors, promotes regional peace and development.

The sad fact is that Japan may already be on the dangerous path toward future warfare. It amended its pacifist Constitution to allow its Self-Defense Forces to exercise collective self-defense, opening up the possibility that it can send soldiers into battle on foreign soil.

Historical revisionism and extreme right-wing thought in Japan are a grave concern as this ideology could result in violent clashes between Japan and its neighbors, just like 78 years ago.

Once a dangerous thought takes root, it is hard to remove it completely. Only through sincere remorse, can Japan make headway with its neighbors. Endi