China envoy warns Japan not to backtrack on WW2 remorse

After listening to a particular venomous discussion in which my students from China complained about Japan's actions during WWII I asked the following questions and received the following answers:

1.) What are China's biggest problems right now? Answers: Pollution, government oppression (no open internet, etc.) white collar crime and cronyism.

2.) Have you personally experienced any of the brutality? Answer: No.

3.) How does Japan's WWII crimes contribute to problems mentioned in the first question? Answer: Dead silence.

4.) Do you think Japan has apologized enough? Answer: No.

5.) How many times should it apologize? Answer: It's not how many times that matters. It's the sincerity that matters.

6.) Describe a sincere apology for me. Answer: Dead silence.

The class ran out of time before I could explain the concept of the whipping boy.

Tianmen Square

You can expect the Chinese to be unsatisfied with the Japanese statement. Abe could get down on his hands and knees and beg forgiveness and they would still find fault with Japan.

As far as the Chinese are concerned the Japanese will be punished forever. Meanwhile, their own human rights violations and aggression are perfectly fine.

Simply brazen barefaced hypocrisy in the Cheng Yonghua, China’s ambassador to Japan, and the Government of China pontificating that undermines any justification to their constant demands.

The Government of China's highly provocative militarization of the Spratly islands, a clear attempt to gain control over vital maritime routes to Global trade, reduce any references to Japans wartime past as political posturing. There is little discernible attempt to embrace democratic free will.

The Government of China sees fit to lecture the Government of Japan that pose little or no threat. Clearly a number of extreme right wing elements within the LDP need purging, seemly to enjoy publicity that is neither warranted or justified..The Imperial Army of Japan committed truly deplorable inhuman atrocities to the peoples of China, an undeniable fact that the Peoples of Japan especially the coming generations will forever have to bear witness too.

The peoples of Japan have learnt effectively over the past 70 years and will continue without pause, is a constitutional commitment to pacifism built on a strategy of defense is the only true act of penitence, underlined through the solemn atonement of His Majesty Emperor Akihito. That is a undeniable fact.

Abe's san LDP Government is beginning to understand the wrath of a nation that will not tolerate any political back peddling by revisionists. Unlike the Government in China, any elected Government in Japan has a sell by date. Can the same be said for present and past Governments of China, I think not.

Oh, warn yourselves!

Why ? Or they'll encroach into neighbors' territorial waters and STEAL their Natural Resources?

If China won that war, as it claims, and took retribution by executing Japanese war criminals, then they don't need to demand an apology.

Backtrack? Like Abe declares that WWII was a good thing and he's happy Japan invaded other countries? China is country that has backtracked on the Sino-Japanese Treaty of Friendship that they signed in 1972 and even reaffirmed in 1978. But that was back when Chia needed Japan's economic help. Now that they've become economically amd militarily powerful I guess they can backtrack on anything they want.

Oh dry your eyes Already! Does this country have anything positive to say about anybody else.

****People of SEA. Time to wake up. This is how you win in a conflict and territory. Who started all this. Let's concentrate now and the future. Not the past. If not, you will find the Chinese war ships park at your shore one day. This is what the Chinese government wants. Make you all SEA blame on Japan's past doing. Who is going to defend you??? Wake up guys!!!

And is China similarly expecting apologies from the European countries who rampaged through China for about 2 centuries?

Once again an empty threat from the Chinese. Move on.

Hi Team Player, break this down, I can quantify the cost, depreciation-expense ratio data can determine the cost effectively derived from the Spratly islands reclamation operations financials specifically to determine gross income which is negligible, the resource upwards of $60 billion is for at present a undeterminable purpose. Unless China was to declare a exclusion zone preventing navigation though maritime global trading. Which will amount to a act of war.......

China lets just see what he says. There is no point in doing this at this time.

...rip open the wounds of China and the other victims, and rub salt in them...

Just by being vague? Wow. A bit dramatic, don't ya think? Are you hoping for blowback?

I am circulating ALL Chinese nonsense like this to the world. They will be the judge!!

@Christopher

Agree re the correct teaching of history, but I think there's just a touch of racism in there. Germans tend to be white, like their Russian, British and American ex-enemies. It seems to be harder for some folk to forgive the Japanese....

@Christopher

Do you remember the Bridget Jones movies?

At one point Bridget's mother says "The Japanese: such a cruel race."

People may say the Germans are robotic and hyper-efficient, but never "cruel".

it's an unfortunate stereotype and it comes down, I think, to an element of racism.

@It"S ME

Yes, I meant the government.Individual Japanese can't be blamed, of course. Agree that the info is available, but how many people have the curiosity to research the country's sordid past. Most Brits know nothing about the horrors we inflicted on Ireland or India.

@Christopher

No links, but surely you recognise that there is a dismissive attitude towards Asians in general among some in the west or Australia. Two instances off the top of my head: last time I went to England with my Japanese wife, she called a ch.... (rhymes with "pink") within an hour of leaving the airport, and a friend of mine working in a hotel in Melbourne was nicknamed "little monkey" on his first day of work.

And I'm positive that the fact that Germans are "like us" makes postwar reconciliation easier....

And it's not me thumbing you down : )

We are sick of Chinese verbal attacks on Japan with historical issues which appear on purpose to hide and avert their problems.

“If the statement is deliberately made vague, or if it lightens responsibility, it will once again rip open the wounds of China and the other victims, and rub salt in them,” Cheng told a news conference in Tokyo.

If this is actually true, China has some serious psychological issues.

"I think you're having an affair because you didn't say 'I love you' this morning".

China is right as Japan should never forget its trespasses to other nations and pledge never to do it again.

team playerJul. 24, 2015 - 10:32AM JST "You can expect the Chinese to be unsatisfied with the Japanese statement. " paulinusa, why single out the Chinese? Everyone who actually views WWII honestly will be unsatisfied with Abe's >statement.

You're right. South Korea will too, But the rest of Asia and the World won't. Because we know how to move on.

0 Good Bad ding.dino@yahoo.comJUL. 24, 2015 - 11:31AM JST ****People of SEA. Time to wake up. This is how you win in a conflict and territory. Who started all this. Let's concentrate now and the future. Not the past. If not, you will find the Chinese war ships park at your shore one day. This is what the Chinese government wants. Make you all SEA blame on Japan's past doing. Who is going to defend you??? Wake up guys!!!

Well i'm from the Philippines and I don't hate the Chinese and the Japanese.

Wl

Yawn. Leave history to the historians and stop using it as a political football.

Sick of China and the way it behaves.

And raising India is not a particularly bright move for a Japanese historical revisionist; for e.g. the Amritsar Massacre is fully recognised by the British government, the Queen and the Prime Minister have visited the site and laid wreaths & expressed remorse

blah blah blah

David Cameron makes no apology for Amritsar massacre

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/david-cameron-makes-no-apology-for-amritsar-massacre-8503905.html

The contrast with Nanjing is stark; the Japanese government has not specifically expressed remorse for Nanjing,

Q8: What is the view of the Government of Japan on the incident known as the "Nanjing Massacre"?

1.The Government of Japan believes that it cannot be denied that following the entrance of the Japanese Army into Nanjing in 1937, the killing of a large number of noncombatants, looting and other acts occurred.

2.However, there are numerous theories as to the actual number of victims, and the Government of Japan believes it is difficult to determine which the correct number is.

3.Japan candidly acknowledges that during a certain period in its history, Japan, through its colonial rule and aggression, caused tremendous damage and suffering to the people of many countries, particularly to those of Asian nations, and holds a firm resolve to never repeat war again and to advance the path of a peaceful nation with feelings of deep remorse and heartfelt apology always engraved in mind.

http://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/q_a/faq16.html

My guess here is Japan will issue another vague tone down apology to China and US, but won't mention anything about South Korea.

Of course not. Koreans, who fought alongside Japan, should be making apology tours instead of distorting your fantasy history that you were somehow fighting against Japan.

So why does Germany get to be released from their WWII restrictions in 1995 but Japan never can? What makes Japan so different from Germany today and during WWII? What China wants is for all its neighbors to be defenseless so they can win any conflict without having to fire any shots....

Lucabrasi.

Are you talking for every Japanese or the government (LDP)?

Most Japanese I talk to are very different from your impression.

Forgot just because some history is NOT included in all the History books doesn't mean it isn't known or not available( banned, restricted) You can access the records at Museums and libraries, even easier now with Internet access.

Many countries leave out some history from their textbook, none of the Americans I know knew that the 1st Concentration Camp was build during their Civil War.

I can't understand the kind of shortsighted thinking that would allow someone to simply not take the best and easiest course of action for the economy, for security and peace and apologise clearly, openly and loudly, followed by a statement of intended ongoing peace and friendship between valuable neighbours.

Its very simple, everyone knows what needs to happen.... but I wonder how poorly this will be executed on Abe's part, and then the follow on ridiculous reactions from others.

My prediction, though Im hopefully wrong, will see him with a very vague "war is bad and bad things happen, lets move on" speech which will rightfully anger many, then other governments will use this as an excuse to ramp up their propaganda against Japan, which is most part doesn't come from those who have personally experienced the hurt, loss and humiliation but those who use it as a political tool..

Abe, stand up, take responsibility, (perhaps start making corporations take responsibility here too incidentally) and leave no doubt Japan isn't that country it was during the war, and leave the haters floundering, while hopefully sending a message of reconciliation to those people who did suffer.

You can expect the Chinese to be unsatisfied with the Japanese statement.

paulinusa, why single out the Chinese? Everyone who actually views WWII honestly will be unsatisfied with Abe's statement. And notice I said Abe's statement, not the "Japanese statement", because not all or even a majority of Japan will be behind it.

Abe could get down on his hands and knees and beg forgiveness and they would still find fault with Japan.

Of course they would! Because Abe would never clearly lay down what he was begging forgiveness for!

And therein lies the true problem. Its not that Japan needs to beg forgiveness. Its that Japan needs to clearly admit its evil doings in the war and teach them to their children.

If Abe needs to beg forgiveness, its for obfuscating and lying about the war today, because he was not even alive during the war!

China’s ambassador to Japan, warned Japan not to backtrack on previous government statements and said China was keenly waiting, particularly to see if he expressed remorse toward those who suffered from Japan’s actions.

This is the same as practically asking Abe to do the very thing they don't want to hear from him. Abe should take a page from one of his own, (Mitsubishi)

team playerJul. 24, 2015 - 02:26PM JST . This is quite different from the Japanese right who currently control the Japanese government and have done so for >decades with barely a pause.

It's a total fallacy to believe that the "right wing" controls Japan or that they have for decades, The United States forced Japan to create the JSDF when the Korean War broke out in 1950 (when China sent troops to kill US and other UN troops) and have continued to press Japan to increase regional security participation, without success. Until now at last under the Abe administration. Of course China's behavior has alot to do with it. When you consider that the same CCP dictatorship has been in power continuously since 1948 and has attempted to resolve territorial issues with force (something prohibited by Japan's constitution) in India, Vietnam even the USSR, you have to laugh at the silliness of being worried about Japan's "right wing" in the face of the Chinese threat.

A big example of that difference is that Great Britain gave Hong Kong back to China. What territory did Japan ever >give back to anybody ever?

The UK "gave it back" because they never owned it, Hong Kong was "leased" from China for 99 years. And like all leases the property is returned to the owner on expiry of he term.

but that he will not issue a fresh apology - despite a recent poll by Kyodo news agency that found 67% of respondents thought he should.

Why is it so hard for Abe to apologize when 67% of Japanese people think Abe should apologize.

Does Abe ever listen to Japanese people. Oh wait, he never.

and China needs to backtrack on her potential WWIII behavior.

Mr. Chenyong Hua - In 1950 Your country under the leadership of Mao Zedong invaded Korea with over 1.3 Million Communist Chinese Soldiers and along side 26,000 Russians and killed over 36,000 American Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines and over 2.5 Korean Civilians killed - Where is our apology? Where is the remorse from YOUR Communist Country for all innocent that your country murdered?

In 1972 Communist China again under the leadership of Mao Zedong directly Supplied Surface to Air Missiles, and Anti Aircraft Guns to North Vietnamese - Trained, and with Communist Chinese Military Advisors on the ground - engaged and shot down over 17 B-52's during "Operation Linebacker" killing over 136 U.S. Airmen and an additional 134 Aircraft with pilots either being killed or taken captive and still listed a Missing In Action (MIA) - Where is our apology? Where is your remorse?

Saigon fell to North Vietnam thanks to the direct intervention of Communist China leading to the deaths of over 50,000 U.S. Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines lost during the entire War in Vietnam. Where is our apology? Where is your remorse?

The Japanese was defeated, bombed, nuked, and their leaders hung by their necks until their deaths. They have repeatedly apologized for their sins during World War 2 & since then they have not risen a Sword nor Fired 1 Shot at ANYONE AT ANY GIVEN TIME since the end of World War 2. They have honored and kept their promise and they hold no grudges AND THEY HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN!!!!!!!

Take a real good look in that mirror Communist China and ask yourselves if you were ever apologetic or remorseful for YOUR SINS during The Korean War and The Vietnam War and have those sins been forgiven?

I'll let History adjudicate that question.

Hi Team player, the people of Japan will not tolerate another militarization resembling the 1940's Empire of Japan, Abe San LDP Government will not succeed in reinterpreting any aspect of Japans pacifist constitution. There will be more protests add demonstrations but the message will finally hit home, that the public at large would rather see the back of his government than roll back 70 years of pacifism.

@Flowers

Shall I remind you that Mao Zedong committed acts of genocide by murdering over 40 Million Chinese after WW2 in an all out effort to bring the Comminist Party to power?

The Chinese Government disputes those numbers but that's history So who's White-Washing history now?

Also, we did not "invade" Korea nor Vietnam - we were attempting to STOP the spread of Communism into the Asian Region by an all out attempt at bringing Freedom & Democracy to the Korean Peninsula and Vietnam but again, thanks to Communist China and The Communist Soviet Union (Russia) at that time - our Faithful Attempt at bring Freedom & Democracy to the entire Korean Peninsula and Vietnam was defeated.

And Flowers - A Human Being is a Human Being, plus the average age of a U.S. Soldier is just 19 Years Old - Our most precious blood was lost due to the expansion of Communism in Asia and I will never forgive China nor Russia.

And if you haven't figured it out by now, I am a Patriotic American who LOVES Japan and as "childish" as you may characterize my posts, the fact is: I will state my opinions and I will say the things that those cowards in Washington are too afraid to say because they're too worried about their stock portfolio's going bust, but since China's Economy is about to hit the skids snyways - they might as well grow a spine and start defending Japan instead throwing them candy and empty promises.

mr abe will never admit to wrongdoing and will continue to deride the victims and those who suffered greatly. i wonder how he intend to achieve greatness and respect he desires for japan while being indifferent to the rest of the World.

Agree completely that Japan lacks remorse for what she did, and until history is taught properly in schools that will always be the case.

What I'm saying is that, while some people in the west continue to look down on Japanese people because of their skin colour, there will never be genuine reconciliation whatever Japan does.

Christopher Glen I am referring in the context to the Government of China, after all there 70th anniversary celebrations will return troops to goose-step over the blood left on the same pavements of Tiananmen Square massacre, a question the average age of student that bleed out on that day Christopher?

Enough of this..... let the American's disarm first and we all follow.

The UK "gave it back" because they never owned it,

OssanAmerica, it was a British colony from 1842 to 1898, when they were nice enough to agree to return it after 99 more years. Where ever you got your information, I suggest another source.

It's a total fallacy to believe that the "right wing" controls Japan or that they have for decades,

The LDP is conservative and they are on the right. They have been in power almost constantly since 1955. The fallacy would be to believe they can do whatever they want by having the leadership. They cannot.

Foreign pressure from America has certainly played its part on many issues. But we many disagree over specifics as they are not well documented.

the same CCP dictatorship has been in power continuously since 1948 and has attempted to resolve territorial issues with force (something prohibited by Japan's constitution) in India, Vietnam even the USSR

You should seriously get yourself up to speed. India and China have been working to resolve their border issues peacefully since 1993 and their last agreement was 2011. Russia and China began peacefully settling disputes in 1991 and their last agreement was 2008. Vietnam, despite being a tiny country, has claims nearly as ambitious as China's. And if you think Vietnam is just some peaceful friendly nation you should look up "Cambodia 1978 to 1991."

HansaramJul. 24, 2015 - 11:25PM JST but that he will not issue a fresh apology - despite a recent poll by Kyodo news agency that found 67% of respondents >thought he should. Why is it so hard for Abe to apologize when 67% of Japanese people think Abe should apologize. Does Abe ever listen to Japanese people. Oh wait, he never.

Like the way the CCP politburo ever listens to the Chinese people? Hell they won't even let them vote for their own leaders.

This thread is not about China's atrocities against its own - but about Japan's perceived remorse on August 15th

Hi Christopher Glen, You are correct of course, what frightens is if history has not turned full circle.

0 Good Bad itsonlyrocknrollJUL. 29, 2015 - 02:48PM JST Christopher Glen I am referring in the context to the Government of China, after all there 70th anniversary celebrations will return troops to goose-step over the blood left on the same pavements of Tiananmen Square massacre, a question the average age of student that bleed out on that day Christopher?

Irrelevant to the topic at hand

@team player, The UK returned HK under terms of a treaty, and because it was just too embarrassing to have such a reminder of the colonial past poked in their eye every day. Remember that UK tried to keep the Raj in India after WWII and the French tried to keep Indochina, leading to 50,000 US people dying in Viet Nam. And of course Abe is trying to cover up the war because he has to defend the reputation of his grand daddy Kishi. If you get a high school education in Japan, you know the mostly leftist high school teachers present "supplementary materials" (including graphic pictures) in class to let us know what really happened in WWII.

Describe a sincere apology for me. Answer: Dead silence.

Sincere apology is when Japanese stop denying it.

Tokyo governor Shintaro Ishihara: There was no Nanking Massacre http://shanghaiist.com/2012/03/03/tokyo_governor_shintaro_ishihara_th.php

Nagoya mayor sticks to 'Nanking Massacre' denial http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/social_affairs/AJ201202280033

NHK Governor: Nanjing Massacre ‘Never Happened’ http://thediplomat.com/2014/02/nhk-governor-nanjing-massacre-never-happened/

A apology specifically on Nanking massacre is needed to prove that Japan do not deny Nanking massacre.

Mitsubishi pays............"......now

Bigwigs should accomodate!

And repent.... Fully

Sick of what ?

Yes, Europe had a colonial past. They did. I know it. You don't need to dredge up examples. The point is they admit it clearly and denounce it. You can even say they are ashamed of it.

I'm not. Rule Britannia :D

itsonlyrocknroll, never say it won't happen. The press is working overtime to paint China as more of a threat than it actually is, and as soon as enough people believe it, in panic they will agree to anything.

Besides, even though its been a slow march backward, already pillars of Japanese pacifism have fallen. Its hardly necessary to go back to the Empire days have a war and a militaristic government on our hands.

At one point Bridget's mother says "The Japanese: such a cruel race."

People may say the Germans are robotic and hyper-efficient, but never "cruel".

it's an unfortunate stereotype and it comes down, I think, to an element of racism.

I fail to see how the comment of an actress, in a British film adaptation of a British novel is relevant to Japan's lack of WW2 remorse - and the reason for China's concern

0 Good Bad NZ2011JUL. 24, 2015 - 08:16AM JST I can't understand the kind of shortsighted thinking that would allow someone to simply not take the best and easiest course of action for the economy, for security and peace and apologise clearly, openly and loudly, followed by a statement of intended ongoing peace and friendship between valuable neighbours."

I can't understand the kind of shortsighted thinking that cannot see that 29 such apologies have already been made, loud and clear, and none of them were accepted because they were viewed as "not good good enough" or "not sincere enough."

The sad fact is that China (and Korea) prefer to have Japan as an enemy for political purposes, and no apology would ever be "good enough" or "sincere enough." Ever wonder why Japan has managed to reconcile with every one of its former enemies in WWII with the sole exceptions of China and Korea?

The UK returned HK under terms of a treaty,

gokai_wo_maneku, Did you expect territory to be returned under terms of a contract found in a Cracker Jack box?

and because it was just too embarrassing to have such a reminder of the colonial past poked in their eye every day.

Shame works for me! Japan should get some!

" Remember that UK tried to keep the Raj in India after WWII and the French tried to keep Indochina, "

Yeah, of course they did! The point is they don't deny it, justify it or whitewash it (too much) today. I don't know how you missed that point, but, you did. So I say again: Yes, Europe had a colonial past. They did. I know it. You don't need to dredge up examples. The point is they admit it clearly and denounce it. You can even say they are ashamed of it.

What are you ashamed of? Your history? Or your bubble?

Saketown, what a childish comment from you. One-sided stories about the American troops being killed? Counting the dead bodies from both sides and see the numbers before you made such comment, besides the US was invading Korea and Vietnam not the other way around. An apology is required when gross atrocities were committed by the invader such as Japan. China has forgiven Japan and other foreign invaders but it just cannot forget especially when the invader keeps denying and white-washing the past. The only concern that China has is Japan has not learned from the past and will keep repeating the history.

You are correct of course, what frightens is if history has not turned full circle.

Yes, indeed - with Abe freeing up the defence forces for overseas deployment. One has to wonder whether - 70 year after the end of WW2 Japan hasn't indeed started reverting to the type of country it once was. Abe's move to break article 9 will only be like a red flag to a　bull

So why does Germany get to be released from their WWII restrictions in 1995 but Japan never can?

1995? Supporting links please. This kind of post is tailor-made for debunking. Maybe because Germany has silenced its far-right politicians, taught history correctly in its schools AND compensated its victims. In addition, it has been aggressively hunting down war criminals. Just recently they jailed one - in his 90s.

What makes Japan so different from Germany today and during WWII?

During WW2 Japan didn't kill 6 million Jews, but it did slaughter and rape civilians in Nanking, work POWs to death, and perform biological experiments on live human subjects.

What China wants is for all its neighbors to be defenseless so they can win any conflict without having to fire any shots....

What Mr Abe wants is for Japan to return to the glory days of the 1930s. His new military bills are evidence of that. China is right to be concerned

It seems to be harder for some folk to forgive the Japanese....

Hmm, perhaps because lots of Japanese politicians go around denying historical fact. Racism? Nope. Supporting links please

lucabrasi: Agree re the correct teaching of history, but I think there's just a touch of racism in there. Germans tend to be white, like their Russian, British and American ex-enemies. It seems to be harder for some folk to forgive the Japanese....

Yes, all those white people in the Chinese agitprop agencies are having just too much fun agitating against the Japanese ...

It's ME: Many countries leave out some history from their textbook, none of the Americans I know knew that the 1st Concentration Camp was build during their Civil War.

When you say that, I picture "Andersenville", but don't remember if it's because of the novel or from high school history class. Also the Union had a similar camp (in Chicago or Detroit, I think).

But both of those were POW camps with military prisoners. Which concentration camp (housing civilians, not military) were you referring to?

Wikipedia says the Spanish were first with civilian camps, in the Ten Years War (1868–1878). Seems doubtful they were the first in several thousand years of history, though.

Or if you're going to permit military POW camps in your definition, the Greeks' experience at Syracuse in 414 B.C. seems worse than Andersenville or the Union prison(s).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internment, to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Years%27_War:

... By early 1869, the Spanish colonial government had failed to reach an agreement with the insurrection forces; they opened a war of extermination. The colonial government passed several laws: arrested leaders and collaborators of the insurgency were to be executed on the spot, ships carrying weapons would be seized and all persons onboard immediately executed, males 15 and older caught outside of their plantations or places of residence without justification would be summarily executed, all towns were ordered to raise the white flag or otherwise be burnt to the ground, and any woman caught away from her farm or place of residence would be taken to camps in cities.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sicilian_Expedition#Final_Syracusan_victory

... The prisoners, now numbering only 7,000, were held in the stone quarries near Syracuse, as there was no other room for them. Demosthenes and Nicias were executed, against the orders of Gylippus. The rest spent ten weeks in horrible conditions in their makeshift prison, until all but the Athenians, Italians, and Sicilians were sold as slaves. The remaining Athenians were left to die slowly of disease and starvation in the quarry. In the end some of the very last survivors managed to escape and eventually trickled to Athens, bringing first-hand news of the disaster.

Japan need to specifically apologize for Nanking massacre to show and make it clear to the world that they do acknowledge Nanking massacre incident and not denying it. There has been apologize made in the past but making a general apologize without specifically mention Nanking massacre is vague and open to interpretation,make one wonder if Nanking massacre is part of the apologize included.

Like the way the CCP politburo ever listens to the Chinese people? Hell they won't even let them vote for their own leaders.

So I guess Japan under Abe is like CCP then.

What I'm saying is that, while some people in the west continue to look down on Japanese people because of their skin colour, there will never be genuine reconciliation whatever Japan does.

Suporting links please. And while I'm at it, Japan could start by giving immigrants and foreigners fairer treatment. It's one thing to suggest that people are racist towards Japanese, and another for Japanese to take a look in the mirror. But again, this has little to do with Japan's perceived lack of war remorse. As these links show http://www.worldaffairsboard.com/showthread.php?t=63979 http://www.japanfocus.org/-alexis-dudden/2368/article.html

When these kinds of comments are made, regional tensions naturally escalate

@gokai

And is China similarly expecting apologies from the European countries who rampaged through China for about 2 centuries?

China is still sore about its treatment by European powers, esp. Britain, at that time. However, the word rampage is far more aptly applied to Japan's behaviour in China in the years 1937 - 1945. The Chinese deaths in those 8 years are two orders of magnitude greater than the entire combined deaths of the opium wars and Boxer Rebellion (and Japan was in on the latter anyway). Furthermore, no-one in Europe denies or obfuscates about what their countries did in Asia, in the way that Abe & co. are doing; this is the point that team player has been trying to get you to understand. You raise the topic of India, believing it somehow justifies Japanese behaviour in Asia and subsequent whitewashing. First of all, that is whataboutery; India & Britain is irrelevant to Japan. Secondly, your argument rests on labelling Britain as hypocritical, which another logical fallacy; even though Britain did try to hold on to India, that is utterly irrelevant to Japan. And raising India is not a particularly bright move for a Japanese historical revisionist; for e.g. the Amritsar Massacre is fully recognised by the British government, the Queen and the Prime Minister have visited the site and laid wreaths & expressed remorse, and there is no obfuscation regarding the number of deaths there (around 1,000). The contrast with Nanjing is stark; the Japanese government has not specifically expressed remorse for Nanjing, no Japanese officials have visited the site, and we still hear high-ranking Japanese officials denying that it even happened or claiming that 'only' 10,000 people were killed so it wasn't really a massacre. This is why the Chinese make much more fuss about Japan, and it is extremely obvious to anyone who isn't a Japanese right-winger.

My guess here is Japan will issue another vague tone down apology to China and US, but won't mention anything about South Korea.

This is Abe government's tactic to tear apart, South Korea-China's joint stance against Japan on historical issues. Mitsubishi just apologized to US and China regarding forced laborers, yet refused to apologize to the Koreans. It looks like representatives of Mitsubishi had a long talk with Japanese foreign ministry in how to approach this apology regarding forced labourers. They discussed how to issue the apology without directly incriminating the Japanese government's role during WWII, which is endorsed by Abe. You want further proof? The very fact that the Japanese right wing are not howling against Mitsubishi and their apologies, says volumes about who is really behind this. And I suspect, this pattern will continue with Abe's coming speech. Abe's calculation: by apologizing to China and US, it gets those two off of Japan's back, and isolate South Korea. Japan would rather be humble towards US and China because Japan don't want to lose business with them, but too proud to apologize to South Korea whom Japan views as main enemy.

The Government of China sees fit to lecture the Government of Japan that pose little or no threat.

itsonlyrocknroll, the U.S. military with bases all over Japan is like a sword in the hand of Japan. Remember that Chinese troops actually fought with American troops during the Korean War and received indirect assistance from Japan.

Also remember that Japan is clearly in violation of its own article 9. I am afraid that slapping the label of "Self Defense Force" on the side of a fighter jet or submarine does not actually render it useless for hostile purposes. And so, the Constitution forbids Japan to have such war potential. How do you trust a country that violates its own Constitution? Also, its clear that Japan has backtracked seriously on its commitment to pacifism considering assistance to the U.S. in the Iraq War and legalizing foreign arms sales and the push for "collective defense" which we all know will just draw Japan into fighting in another one of America's illegitimate wars.

And Abe cannot even use his mouth to reassure China!

The Chinese have as much reason to be worried about Japan as Japan does to be worried about China. Those who took sides for unrelated reasons (such as nationalism or residence) won't see it that way though.

And is China similarly expecting apologies from the European countries who rampaged through China for about 2 centuries?

gokai_wo_maneku, thanks for bringing that up, even though you obviously have the wrong end of the stick. The Europeans do and say little or nothing to attempt to deny, legitimize or whitewash their colonizing past. This is quite different from the Japanese right who currently control the Japanese government and have done so for decades with barely a pause.

A big example of that difference is that Great Britain gave Hong Kong back to China. What territory did Japan ever give back to anybody ever?

For the umpteenth time, this call will go unheard. Abe won't apologize. In retrospect, I really wish it was Russia to which Japan had fallen. They will be very disciplined right now. Personally, I believe that karma is faithful. It will exact its pound of flesh.