China marks 80th anniversary of Nanjing Massacre, but Xi silent

A postwar Allied tribunal put the death toll at 142,000, but some conservative Japanese politicians and scholars deny a massacre took place at all.

Yes, that's right! The 150,000 odd men, women and children of Nanjing all volunteered to die. Just like the 10's of thousands of comfort women all volunteered to be sex slaves for the Japanese military. And, like the thousands of Koreans who volunteered to work themselves to death in the many work camps and mines around Japan. I don't understand why people have problems understanding the Japanese view of history. It's perfectly logical. (roll eyes)

Disillusioned.

If that is all you can take away from the article? I din't know but SMH and a Faceplant seem in order.

Personally unthinkable Yu spoke well.

Japan never denied Nanjing but the number of victims claimed(China 300.000)is being disputed by Japanese and researchers worldwide.

I think Yu - blasted auto-correct messes more up than without.

Good on China for not causing a fuss and looking towards the future and a better relationship between the 2 nations

A victory for China, who knows they’re going to capture the world economically instead of militarily!

They’re shifting the spotlight from a military point of view to an economical point of view, in their goal of influencing the world! Considering that the Tang-dynasty in 10-century controlled 60% of world trade, I believe China will again have their way!

We’re simply to dependent upon them to resist. And China knows how to make use of this, both politically and militarily in Africa especially!

@pacint - Japan never denied Nanjing

I guess you missed this part of the article - "****some conservative Japanese politicians and scholars deny a massacre took place at all."

However, you are right on one thing. Yes, that is what I took away from the article. I studied all the above mentioned history many years years ago and Japan's attempts to downplay and pervert history really boils my blood! Two of my grandfather's brothers were killed in Singapore, which was yet another attempted genocide during Japan's imperial rule of Asia. Yes, I agree that China tends to exaggerate the events and death tolls, but only Japanese historians deny the events ever took place.

The important word is "some", I can give you ten-thousands of examples what 'some' people(scientists, researcher, etc claim to be the truth, etc.

Have fun.

What a brilliant opportunity for both leaders to grab this moment and make the most of it, I like the way Xi didn't start accusing and stiring up deep sentiment and go on about the past, but he was positive about the future. more dialogue, more talks, more trade, build a better future and trust.

Seems that if one regional neighbour is willing to at least try and move on from the horrors of the past then why cant another. (looking at you S. Korea).

Every time someone tries to put a number on an atrocity like Nanjing emotions run high. Its true that the figure is under dispute but its not just Japanese historians and ministers that are in on it. Scholars from around the world frequently revise up and down the "official" figure. When I was writing my thesis on The Japanese Imperial Project a few years ago the "official" number stood much higher, at close to 450,000, so this has been scaled down in only 5 years. Both sides will claim a difference and experience has show that the true figure is usually somewhere in the middle.

Who represented the Japanese government at the event?

Xi's silence was both noble and welcome.   I expect him also to be silent at the anniversary of the start of the Cultural Revolution and the Great Leap forward.

When will Abe or Aso go there, without blackouts hopefully.

Xi has once again shown remarkable restraint. Would defo be my 2017 world politician of the year.

In Japan, it's not illegal to deny the Nanking Massacre and on top of that, it's not illegal to deny the WW2!! In Germany you'll get arrested if you sow any doubt about the atrocities (Holocaust, human experimantation etc) commited by Nazi Germany during WW2.

It prooves that Japan still have a moral responsibility to live up to! It's like Japan longes for the grasp they had to control Asia during WW2! Japan will always prevail, but empires are always destined to fall. Deal with the fact Japan, as countless of countries has done before; Iran (Persian Empire), China (Qing, Ming Empire), Russia (Russian Empire), UK (British Empire), Spain (Spanish Empire) etc. All these countries has today acknowledged the fact that they're no longer Empires. Their Golden Times have past.

This is something especially the conservative side of Japan (Nippon Kaigi) has to accept and move on! You should be happy that you even became an Empire, Japan. Think about countries who didn't have that chance, and instead got abused and exploited by the Empires!

Abe will come .....

A victory for China, who knows they’re going to capture the world economically instead of militarily!

They’re shifting the spotlight from a military point of view to an economical point of view, in their goal of influencing the world! Considering that the Tang-dynasty in 10-century controlled 60% of world trade, I believe China will again have their way!

We’re simply to dependent upon them to resist. And China knows how to make use of this, both politically and militarily in Africa especially!

I think China will have significant success outside of the West, in other countries without a strong democratic tradition or in countries where Islam is not dominant. Much of Asia falls into that category, although I think Japan is sufficiently removed along with Indonesia and perhaps Malaysia for reasons of religion. Have to keep in mind that in Islamic countries, God is the ultimate authority, not the party and it never can be.

Much of what goes on in China and what is espoused by its leadership is so fundamentally in opposition with basic tenants of Western tradition, its going to be very difficult to bridge the difference. Economically, yes we have a lot of trade now, but it wasn't always that way. There is enough strength in the U.S, Europe and wider Anglosphere to simply revert to a closed economic model if necessary, whereby Western countries only trade with other Western countries, perhaps in conjunction with Latin America and India. Ultimately the West is rich enough to go down this road if we can't agree to disagree with China. I am perfectly happy to pursue that path.

...and unite?

Xi has once again shown remarkable restraint. Would defo be my 2017 world politician of the year.

A clever man and a smart operator.

Would wipe the floor with the LDP fossils and the dotard in Washington.

Well, good. Promoting using history as a lesson for the future. And not doting on the past, but looking to the future. I like it.

Matt Hartwell, what is your basis to claim that "Much of what goes on in China and what is espoused by its leadership is so fundamentally in opposition with basic tenants of Western tradition" ? Let alone that Japan isn't a western nation at all.

Assume that Japan is a western nation, then what is fundamental difference between Japan and China ? We are all humans, we are all eat similarly, talk similarly, walk similarly, smile similarly, even look similarly.

One difference is that Japan has a different way to elect a leader than Chinese way. But both leaders have to serve for their people, don't they ? For Japan, Abe's boss is Japanese people and for China, Xi's boss is Chinese people.

The only other difference is that Abe is working hard to modify Japanese constitution so that it is easier for Japan to be involved in wars. Abe is the only leader on the planet to do that, fundamentally.

Your way to divide the world and people remind me of the past imperialistic Japan. You may claim that Japanese is superior race than all other races on earth, including western races. That would be a truly fundamental difference. Believable or not is a different matter.

Xi later met massacre survivors, the official Xinhua news agency said, telling them, "Lessons learned from the past can guide one in the future"……..

Indeed there are lessons to be learned from the 1937 Nanjing Massacre…….That is also dependent on the selective memory of the Government of China.

27 heart breaking pictures from The Tiananmen Square Massacre…..

https://www.buzzfeed.com/gabrielsanchez/disturbing-pictures-from-the-tiananmen-square-massacre?utm_term=.vjZrAJVln2#.nenamVrkL9

@ Matt Hartwell

There is enough strength in the U.S, Europe and wider Anglosphere to simply revert to a closed economic model if necessary,

Closed economic model? That's what China did to themselves before, and it lead to their own downfall lol.

Also, I just got to say, what Xi is doing here is good. He's paying respects to the victims of the past while not being inherently provocative (for example, blaming someone to rile the crowd of supporters). So this remembrance ends up being more sincere, rather than being used as a political tool.

"Someone" should take notes.

Xi is a true leader. This is how diplomacy should work. Compliments. I can see why China is becoming the new main global superpower.

Your way to divide the world and people remind me of the past imperialistic Japan. You may claim that Japanese is superior race than all other races on earth, including western races. That would be a truly fundamental difference. Believable or not is a different matter.

Akie,

Thank you. Your comment is the most enlightened in this discussion. Even in the year 2017, the self proclaimed, "enlighten", and "civilized" populations of the world still hold western imperialistic beliefs. Divide and conquer is the ultimate agenda.

Pocket Ace, I think Abe is foolish. He can't divide the world. Especially China alone is 10 times stronger than Japan. If I were Abe, I would heal the wound instead of open it. What did Abe do in the past 5 years ? He is a trouble maker for China and for Japan and for Koreas. Look how Japanese people suffered from Abe's provocative attitudes toward neighbors, many of them don't know history and they don't have conscience, exactly what happened 80 years ago.

A pity China and the Chinese people are hostage to the CCP, an abjectly evil, Orwellian entity that rules through crushing political dissent. No freedom of speech, no independant judiciary, and an army of extrajudicial thugs silencing, kidnapping, and imprisoning anyone who wants freedom and justice... Headed by Xi. So, good on him for staying mum, but it does not change the reality that he and his cabal in the CCP are China's worst enemies.

Japan has problems.

Midnight Sun Tribe, I am shocked by your comment about China. Have you ever been to China ? how many times ? Probably you went to the same school as Abe did, didn't you ? If you did, please tell your buddy Abe that he can't divide Japan and China, no one can. Also tell Abe that Xi has much more support from Chinese people than Abe does from Japanese people. Don't forget to tell Abe too that there are more Chinese people travel abroad than Japanese people, call that restriction. Indeed, speech is regulated in China, you can't lie, even you are a prime minister. As for extra-judicial killing, there were many cases in Japan that Chinese were killed. Talking about evil, each and every years, politicians, who worship those who killed other nation's people by millions, at the same time never say sorry to those innocently murdered, are your heroes, aren't they ?

Just before christmas we have 南京 day and パール・ハーバーday and history never ends

Matt Hartwell, what is your basis to claim that "Much of what goes on in China and what is espoused by its leadership is so fundamentally in opposition with basic tenants of Western tradition" ? Let alone that Japan isn't a western nation at all.

Assume that Japan is a western nation, then what is fundamental difference between Japan and China ? We are all humans, we are all eat similarly, talk similarly, walk similarly, smile similarly, even look similarly.

One difference is that Japan has a different way to elect a leader than Chinese way. But both leaders have to serve for their people, don't they ? For Japan, Abe's boss is Japanese people and for China, Xi's boss is Chinese people.

The only other difference is that Abe is working hard to modify Japanese constitution so that it is easier for Japan to be involved in wars. Abe is the only leader on the planet to do that, fundamentally.

Your way to divide the world and people remind me of the past imperialistic Japan. You may claim that Japanese is superior race than all other races on earth, including western races. That would be a truly fundamental difference. Believable or not is a different matter.

Akie, If I had a bit more time I would like to delve into Japan and how a country with what is broadly described as Eastern traditions in terms of culture, can marry that with a Western democratic tradition. Its really very fascinating. And not only very fascinating but really quite successful. If you look at this year's prosperity index, Japan is the only non-Western country to come close to the top 20. Even just purely on economic terms, you have third richest country on the planet with a population of 127 million. Its been a very successful marriage overall.

http://www.prosperity.com/rankings