national

China marks anniversary of Japanese occupation

49 Comments

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© 2013 AFP

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

49 Comments
Login to comment

Does China even recognize the 1972 Sino-Japanese Treaty of Friendship? Or has that been erased like that incident in the square?

6 ( +17 / -11 )

That was history. And it has been dealt with over and over again. No one reports on the good things between the two countries. China talks about moving forward but always uses the WWII card against Japan to "force" concessions. . [i.e. squeeze more money out of Japan]. Incidentally, I hear all that money from the past they got for the "victims"? All stayed with the government of CN. But I guess one good thing came out from that. China is using ALL it's diplomacy on Tibet, just like they did Tiananmen Square!

4 ( +12 / -8 )

Do Poland, Belgium, Holland, France or any other European country also commemorate the German occupation? And what about Tibet? Do they commemorate the invasion & occupation by China?

4 ( +13 / -9 )

Normal countries celebrate or commemorate the END of wars and occupations. But China can't do that because that would suggest closure and a healing process. Much better to keep hatred alive forever this way. Rather ingenious actually.

3 ( +13 / -10 )

China marks such anniversary every year but I wonder if other countries occupied in the past does anniversary like today's China? It seems to try to remember every single thing as much as possible for next hundreds of years.

0 ( +7 / -7 )

It's done. The apology is rehashed, spoken of and repeated regularly. Move on.

5 ( +10 / -5 )

I'm also looking forward to the Chinese parade/memorial/flag stomping to commemorate the beginning of the Boxer Rebellion/Massacres (Nov 2nd, 1899 - 20,000 Chinese dead.)

I'm sure Britain, China, Russia, France, United States, Germany, Italy, and Austria-Hungary will be reaching into their wallets and getting their apologies ready.

Might as well rehash the Opium wars of the 1830s - 1850s while we're at it (20,000 + Chinese dead).

3 ( +9 / -6 )

China = propaganda. Not a word of truth or honesty.

2 ( +7 / -5 )

Legally, WWII is closed. That is, treaties were signed ending all issues, and compensation was paid. Will China and Korea return the money Japan paid for war reparations?

And when will we have annual events denouncing the Armenian Genocide of 1915?

Oh wait, there's no political benefit from that. There is from constantly creating a Darth Vader style enemy in Japan. Man, it's sure a good thing Britain never invaded any country, we might have a bad impression of them now.

3 ( +9 / -6 )

"Air raid sirens sounded across the country at 9:18 a.m. to mark the anniversary and “remind people of the national humiliation”, the official Xinhua news agency reported."

The 'national humiliation' of China has nothing to do with an incident that occurred 82 years ago; it has everything to do with a morally bankrupt political organization's tawdry exploitation of the past to whip up hatred for political gain in the present, and fostering a sense of eternal national victimhood and self-pity.

10-20 million civilian head at the hands of Imperial Japan 1931-45 = national humiliation; 40-70 million civilian dead at the hands of the CCP1949-75 = national amnesia.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

why not Chinese talked about TIBET, they invaded 50 years back... stop sheding crocodile tears and honour 1972 Sino-Japanese Treaty of Friendship...

9 ( +10 / -1 )

It's as if Deng Xiaoping never visited Osaka to ask for Japanese ODI.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

When did they start commemorating this? What are they masochists or sadomasochists? What country celebrates the fact they were too incompetent to stop an invasion? If they want to put a dig into Japan there are much better dates then one of the more impotent dates in Chinese history. Wonder why they didn't celebrate the 17th in commemoration of the defeat of the Beiyang fleet? As propaganda, have to give China an F. Someone needs to go to Moscow for a refresher course. It may be too late, I think all the ones who were really good at it in Moscow and Berlin died a long time ago.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Japan did some terrible things before and during WW2. But for a country like China to keep bringing it up for propaganda is actually an insult to the victims.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

China = propaganda. Not a word of truth or honesty.

I know! At least Japan always tells the truth!

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Why do you have a Hiroshima day?, Why remember Pearl Harbor, Remembrance Day, Why Holocaust remembrance day, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, remembering 911 twin tower.

Peoples all over the world do have their own Remembrance Day, They do it so that they will not forget what happen and will do their best not to let it repeat again.

Have A Nice Day

-10 ( +2 / -12 )

Why is this in 'National' news? Shouldn't it be in 'International'? Possibly, Japan still considers China to be part of its sovereignty.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

Chucky, when we celebrate Remembrance Day in Canada, we mourn and pay respects to those who fought on our behalf. We don't stomp on flags or pictures of former enemies.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

People will believe what they want to believe no matter the truth.

Chucky, when we celebrate Remembrance Day in Canada, we mourn and pay respects to those who fought on our behalf. We don't stomp on flags or pictures of former enemies.<

You have to ask the criminals, why peoples want to stomp on their faces.

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

Sympathies to those who died in WW. Whenever I pass by Yasukuni Jinja, my heart goes weeping.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

As long as japan politicians visiting the war criminal shrine, and occupying diaoyu island without negotiating, certainly china will keep eyes on Japan's moving, and be ready to smash any provocations. Btw, Japan didn't give compensation to Chinese victims. More crime made, perhaps blood is only way to make justice to japan. Hopefully not, ur choice!

-10 ( +4 / -13 )

China, the horse is long dead, stop beating it. It's also kind of ironic that China demands apologies and reparations for Japan's occupation, when China has been illegally occupying Tibet for over 60 years. Oops.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

@justicetz China extorted money year after year from Japan after WWII. You can look it up yourself in the WORLD BANK. Concessions were made to the Chinese government that was supposed to have been paid out to those who suffered. AND AS FAR as I know the ones who were supposed to get the monies were CLEARLY paid a very small percentage! You clearly did not study your history. Oh yes! China is the shining example of truth Tiananmen Square & justice Tibet through out the world! They LOVE pointing out others faults while saying, "Mind your own business" forced evictions 2008 Olympics or how great a society China has become steal land from peasants. So yes, tell me how China can keep reminding Japan of it atrocities while screwing their own people? Unless you ARE one of the UBER rich and don't have time to see the rest of what the CN government is doing to the "regular" people? Prove me wrong! I welcome it. And I know for a fact you can NOT!

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Denying is easier than telling the truth, truth hurt's. Deny often and you tend to believe what you said are the truth. People will believe what they want to believe no matter the truth.

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

So China cannot even have its own rememberance day. Anyone in the free world can have his own rememberance day remembering what he likes! The US also remembers 911 and make it so emotional with crying and sadness. They took their revenge and went all out after Al Qaeda spending billions and killing ten of thousands. They kept on repeating that the world must not forget this atrocity and acts of inhumanity. 911 is extremely tragic but the victims died instantly. This is minuscule compared to what the Japanese did for many years. Yet the Chinese should not remember? What double standards!

-7 ( +2 / -9 )

japan imperial army really bad and idiots. i think now they all in hell burned by hell fire.

-7 ( +3 / -10 )

Asian 2013, it isn't the remembering that's the issue, it's the fact that the Chinese government uses past transgressions as a political crutch CONSTANTLY. Every time there is a bit of a political scuffle between China and Japan, China is always ready to pull out the "This is just like Manchuria... blah blah blah." We Americans remember the Pearl Harbor attacks, sure, but I've never heard the American news media saying something like "Oh, Abe is so like Yamamoto..." because it would be ridiculous and OBVIOUSLY counter-productive to improving relations. But, hey, when you control your population with an iron fist through fear and censoring, you have to distract them somehow, and target that anger someplace else, right?

3 ( +6 / -3 )

OssanAmerica@ The American's can have their rememberance day in Pearl Harbour and the Chinese just has to keep quite and put up with it? The importance here is like with the Jews, when they have a rememberance day the German's keep quite. Speed@ Thats a great idea, I'll mention it to my Chinese friends next time, they should conduct a big rememberance of Boxer rebellion against the 8 nations which plundered China from its riches. Damn it, Japan was one of those nations, made so much money from event that we used the funds to build the biggest navy in the pacific.

The Australians have ANZAC Day, their rememberance day, "Least We Forget" is the slogan. But for China to remember all the past is so painful, the past 200 years they have just been beaten and insulted, its truely a habit, just look at some of the comments on this forum.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

Again, Tiger, ANZAC Day is about remember those who died. Not about hating old enemies.

I don't know what happens in the US on "Pearl Harbour Day", but I'm pretty sure it's not with continuing yearly demands for more compensation and grovelling from Japan.

Of course, China has a right to mark important occasions. And it's quite possible that we are being baited with a biased report making it sounds more hateful than it was, in fact.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Better to increase the number of ospreys to triple.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

And it's quite possible that we are being baited with a biased report making it sounds more hateful than it was, in fact.

Wouldn't surprise me.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Please consider reading from another prospective.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

in other news, Rain falls, The sky is Blue, And China complains about the Imperial Japanese Occupation...

2 ( +4 / -2 )

"Japanese soldiers blew up a railway in Manchuria 82 years ago, blaming Chinese troops as a pretext to take control of the whole northeastern region, in what became known as the Mukden Incident"

Im not siding with either country, just a neutral observer...but me thinks Ishi was had something in mind when he created the senkaku incident last year and Oda had to intervene and nationalize the islands.

Seems Japan also has a month of rememberence in Aug every year while many TV stations bash the US for Hiroshima.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Tiger_In_The_HermitageSep. 19, 2013 - 03:08PM JST OssanAmerica@ The American's can have their rememberance day in Pearl Harbour and the Chinese just has to >keep quite and put up with it? The importance here is like with the Jews, when they have a rememberance day the >German's keep quite.

We have a Pearl Harbor Day for to remember and honor those lost, not to carry on hatred of our former enemies. Holocaust Remembrance Day is likewise to remember not carry on hate. Nowhere will you see participants burning or stamping on former enemies' flags. Chinese behavior is defies justification and civility.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

If China keeps asking every year, no reason Japan should keep apologizing. China keeps screwing with history and facts in their favor, ignoring the facts that apologies and compensations had already been dealt with. Instead, China keeps pushing the people anger onto Japan as scapegoats so as to take attention off their own horrid state affairs. Such a govt as the CCP could neither be trusted nor respect in international standing.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

excellent read:

http://gbtimes.com/focus/politics/china-and-japan-costly-anniversary

0 ( +2 / -2 )

There is no Treaty of Friendship in 1972. The whole charade was to prep for a closer relationship between US and China and bring China onto US's side. Nixon had wanted to build a relationship with China even before the election and he wanted to diminish the Soviet's control in Asia and the Pacifics. People don't give Nixon a lot of credit on weakening the Soviets due to his own flaws but without him, Reagan wouldn've never been able to bring down the evil empire. Once China gets away from the Soviets, the rest of the domino falls. That was the whole point. It ain't about Japan or some cheesy friendship based on the ODA aides.

Japan was basically summoned to initiate contact with China and pave a trailblazing path in the Cold War Era and figure out a way to tilt the balance towards the West. This whole development in that era was really not about Japan at all. It was about the Soviets, US, and China. Japan was just a pawn on how it can curry favors on getting on China's good side.

It was also a time where this whole Ryukyu and Diaoyu/Senkaku dispute re-ignited. This dispute really didn't start when they allegedly claim to find natural gas around the area. This disputed has been around for decades.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Let's face it, if the Japanese hadn't been acting like jackasses lately, China could be singing a different tune.

Action/reaction: you can't just absolve the Japanese for the swing to the right in Japan in the last fifteen years as this political change was voluntary and had consequences for regional diplomacy. It's not going to be popular with Japan apologists, but the mood in China has a lot to do with the efforts at obfuscation and denial that are happening on this side of the water.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

gaihonjinSep. 19, 2013 - 11:54PM JST Let's face it, if the Japanese hadn't been acting like jackasses lately, China could be singing a different tune.

Let's see, the J-government purchased 3 islands from a Japanese citizen in order to keep Ishihara from building on them and thereby upsetting China. China uses this as an excuse to openly take these islands, something they have been doing since at least 2010 when they sent the fishing trawler there to cause an international incident. Now China still refusing to file a claim at the ICK continues on a harassment program. Looks pretty obvious that China is the only one acting like jackasses.

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

OssanAmerica

Does China even recognize the 1972 Sino-Japanese Treaty of Friendship? Or has that been erased like that incident in the square?

Isn't it obvious that they conveniently forget it whenever "Let's bash Japan" day/season comes around

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

highball7Sep. 19, 2013 - 11:37PM JST There is no Treaty of Friendship in 1972

"President Hu Jintao and visiting Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso attended the reception. Recalling the history of the Sino-Japanese relations, Hu said 30 years ago senior leaders, including late leader Deng Xiaoping and ex-Japanese Prime Minister Takeo Fukuda, made a strategic decision to sign the treaty. He called it an important historic document in bilateral ties since the normalization of relations in 1972. Hu said the treaty had for the first time nailed down the general direction of bilateral ties featuring peaceful co-existence and long-term friendship. He added it had played an important role in pushing forward the ties in a correct fashion."

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-10/24/content_10247940.htm

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

U.S. government doesn’t take a position on the sovereignty dispute but says that because the islands are presently administered by Japan, they fall under a defense treaty that could call for U.S. military involvement in the event of armed conflict. Many Chinese have questioned the U.S. position, that by recognizing Japan’s administration and even using the Japanese pronunciation of the islands’ name means it is hardly a neutral player.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Japan has issues with many regional neighbors regarding its conduct during the War and failure to apologize.

This poorly researched article is what you call "excellent?"

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Of course the US doesn't use Pearl Harbor to focus on hatred. She had her revenge and killed hundreds of thousands of Japanese and ruled Japan for some time. Today Japan is her ally and she is supposedly to protect Japan. Wouldn't be weird if she uses Pearl Harbor to deride her ally. Unfortunately, China was weak. If she was as strong as US and bombed Japan and killed even tens of thousands in Japan and ruled Japan for even a month, surely she would not highlight the Mukden incident or Nanjing massacre! Every nation has the right to remember her history. It is bad enough for someone to forget history and worse to ask others to forget history. Of course we should not live in history. Let's see if the next 911 remembrance they forget the pain and preach peace with Al Qaeda. After all, even with "an eye for an eye and a life for a life" they have exacted enough from the Muslim world!

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

"Unfortunately, China was weak..."

Yeah, so was the phillipines, korea, singapore, indonesia, guam and others. Because they were weak, they got exploited. The only reason Japan is an ally with the U.S. is because they lost. Japan is to blame for allot of Chinas nationalism; now the situation is reversed. If Japan would send the emperor to China and Korea to apologize and stop with the Yasukuni business and Taro/Ish/Hash making rightist remarks, then perhaps there would be a start line. Japan has the opportunity to become a Norway, Sweden or Germany..a mature 1st world country with its own army for defense purposes, but nobody can trust it.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Beijing regularly accuses Tokyo of failing to atone for its imperialist past, while Japan says its neighbors use history as a diplomatic stick to beat it with. thing I noticed first is how insincere Japan sounds. No matter how long ago or how many times it was issued before apology must never be insincere. This s the price to pay for past wrong doings and in Japan's case it was the worst brutal domination in the history. So people are not going to easily forget or forgive (can u blame them?).... when Japan denounces those who suffered it means all prior penance don't mean jack and Japan knows this better than any society, b/c i'ts an empathetic society only screwed up temporarily by zelous politicians.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@tokyodoumo

It’s true that East Asia is still divided by the memory of war that had torn it apart. When Japanese politicians pay tribute to the Yasukuni shrine, they are also paying tribute, whether they intend to or not, to an imperial order in which Japan violently controlled its neighbors. This year, over 178 Japanese politicians went to Yasukuni to pray in front of 14 Class A. Maybe the ill advised Japanese politicians action of going to Yasukuni speaks louder than words and the perception by the neighboring countries are interpreted as insincere apology. That era is over and Japan’s economy is shrinking and its population declining as both China and South Korea rise in power and stature. But as long as Japan’s leaders continue living in the past, they will struggle to prepare their country for its future.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

The following link below is a must see, it shows photo's of the inhumane & evil beyond imagination crimes committed by Japan's imperial army towards China. Although it is in Chinese, the pictures are self explanatory & has a short description in English. Other rape cases not shown in the link include unimaginable evil crimes such as inserting broken glass into rape victims vagina. Pregnant women & children were not excused from rape either. If all this happened to your family & friends, how would you feel? Can you accept lies & denial of the full truth? Can you accept insincere apologies? Can you forgive?

Warning, the pictures are disturbing!!!

http://mp.weixin.qq.com/mp/appmsg/show?__biz=MzA4MTAzOTUxOA%3D%3D&appmsgid=10000129&itemidx=1&sign=9cde410a71dbf97d2b5a109a5fb62de3&scene=1&from=message&isappinstalled=0&uin=OTI5MzI5NzAy&key=38b17fed399880fb098d1c73d1d195860d354cac24c4bca6d808262455378730a56df83a71a0f70c7db99a81da04fd3a&devicetype=android-16&version=25000104&lang=en

An apology regardless of how many times it is expressed means nothing & lacks sincerity because the actions of Japan's political leaders contradict their empty words of apology. Actions speak louder than words! Changing facts into lies in their history books for example, changing sentences from 'invading China' into 'going there to help China' is deceitful towards their citizens. Failure to be honest by fully disclosing the extent of the atrocities in their history books & visiting the Yasukuni shrine to pay tribute to A-list war/rape criminals DOES NOT express sincerity at all! China deserves a sincere apology backed up by actions and not just mere words. However, Japan's denial of the full truth reveal their pretentious face value apologies! Most of the leaders in Japan's history failed to apologize due to denial of their utterly shameful history which they don't want their citizens to know.

In addition, monetary compensation can NEVER compensate for such evil committed towards the sex slave victims in China & Korea. It is the very least they can do. However, Japan fails to do that too. It's another case of empty words! If you want me expand on that with examples. Let me know.

Japan needs to swallow their great sense of pride & fully own up to what they've done via actions in order for any apology to be accepted! So far, they have not shown sincere remorse & regret!

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites