Iron ledger hard to erase -- How much does Japan owe the Chinese people?

Author: Zhang Hao
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-05-01
Features: In recent years, a series of issues—such as the publication of Japan Can Say "No", the distortion of history textbooks, the denial of the Nanjing Massacre, the visit to Yasukuni Shrine, and the refusal to compensate "comfort women"—have increasingly become focal points of concern for the Chinese and the world regarding Japan's foreign policy. Especially as the 60th anniversary of the victory in the Anti-Japanese War is approaching, these issues have become the hottest topics. The atrocities of the Japanese army in China are well-documented, yet certain officials and right-wing elements in the Japanese government still deny the harm caused to the Chinese and Asian people. The right-wing forces in Japan, through their organizations and media platforms such as Zengmang (All-View), Dongxiang (Trends), and Minzu yu Zhengzhi (Ethnicity and Politics), have persistently published statements denying the "September 18 Incident," the "July 7 Incident," and the "Nanjing Massacre." Moreover, almost every August 15th, some former soldiers and right-wing activists dressed in old Japanese military uniforms gather at Yasukuni Shrine, blowing military horns and parading arrogantly, openly reviving militarism. With Japan's growing strength, the "great-power nationalism" trend has rapidly risen. They believe that acknowledging aggression and apologizing to Asian countries is a form of "self-flagellation" that will tarnish Japan's "image" as a great power. Some in Japan never admit to the historical crimes they committed against the people of Asian countries, instead only emphasizing that Japan is the only country to have suffered from atomic bombs, claiming that the bombs caused nearly 200,000 instant deaths. However, why do they turn a blind eye to the mass killings of the entire population in the Lushun Massacre, the 300,000 Chinese victims of the Nanjing Massacre, the at least 200,000 Chinese "comfort women" who were daily subjected to brutal exploitation and abuse by the Japanese army, and the countless Chinese laborers who were captured, froze to death, starved to death, or even tortured to death by the Japanese? Therefore, as the right-wing revisionists in Japan are rampant in rewriting the history of aggression and as the 60th anniversary of the Chinese people's victory in the Anti-Japanese War approaches, it is necessary to conduct a thorough reckoning with the heinous crimes committed by Japanese militarists against the Chinese people. This will allow people to once again clearly see the blood spread across the Chinese land by the knives, the tragic fate of women under the beastly actions, and the Chinese people under the bayonets and whips. Such a bloody and gruesome history absolutely cannot be distorted, and such a painful experience must never be forgotten—it is etched in our bones! This book exposes Japan's long-term plot for overseas expansion under militarism, detailing the immense loss of life and property caused by Japanese militarism to the Chinese people. It is a comprehensive reflection on the expansion and invasion of China by Japanese militarism. It holds historical value and serves as a stark warning.