China steps up appeal to West in Japan propaganda battle

The thing is though the West can't be brainwashed as easily.. The sooner that China realize this the better.

“The way the Japanese think about the East China Sea now is like how they thought about northeast China. They didn’t stop at the northeast, they kept heading south to Shanghai and even Southeast Asia,” Li said.

Wow, the propaganda in China must be really good. Japan has done nothing to indicate it wants to expand. It just wants to maintain its control of the senkakus.

China isnt so good at misdirection.

Western media is very open and pretty fair. Of course they have their local bias. China is doing the right thing. Western media must be told the truth and let them realize what really happened. I have even suggested that the Chinese media should take their issue to other western cities. Do exhibitions, talk shows and documentaries. Let them understand WW2 in this part of Asia and decide for themselves. A real turnaround is through a blitz of media activities as China now has the finance and conditions to tell the events to more countries and more people. Japan of course can deny the events that took place. Nut let the other countries and people decide what actually happened. There are billions of fair minded people in the world!

I'd rather look at the record of each country over the past 69 years.

I'm no fan of Abe, but the more China talks, the more I think he may be correct in his way of dealing with them.

This is the same China who has refused to criticize some of the most vile governments in recent history, most notably North Korea.

The Chinese CCP dictatorship controls it's people through brainwashing and propaganda. They are use to being able to dictate what the facts are and what are not. China is making a very big mistake by assuming that we in the west are just like their population. We all know that China today is communist China, not the Republic of China that was our ally in WWII. We also know that Communist China ousted the ROC which fled to Taiwan. While Communist China killed UN troops in the Korean war, started wars with Vietnam and India threatens all of Asia today. China actually believes that we are idiots and will believe that Communist China was a WWII ally.

Meanwhile now, not the better part of 70+ years ago when nearly every country on earth was involved in a terrible terrible waste of resources and human life, there is a country trying to lay claim to vast parts of previously unclaimed airspace,oceans and islands, a country that doesn't allow its citizens easy and free access to information, a country that is now spending more on military as a percentage of its budget that almost any other, has world effecting pollution issues, human rights issues, massive resource issues and I suspect shortly significant financial problems that isn't Japan. (perhaps with the exception of the pollution with the Fukushima problem and finance....)

If the world is to take notice it should not be of wars of words, digging up painful past misdeeds, which no doubt occurred, but to pay careful attention to the here and now.

Japan could absolutely do better at addressing its past, however the constant noise coming from the other side of the sea isn't providing any disguise for the actual intentions.

China wants to be in control of the whole region as its needs for resources spiral out of control, Japan and the US alliance, (and the Korean/US alliance to a degree) are a major obstacle to this.. its as transparent as looking through a window.

Good.

“Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it." - Churchill

China, the problem is a lot of us westerners remember watching the events of Tiananmen square unfold and don't trust you one bit.

ne-tigerJan. 17, 2014 - 08:44AM JST Good. “Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it." - Churchill

Japan was an Asian country with a huge inferiority complex. Once it became economically and powerful enough it set out to "change the status quo". We all know what happened. Any particular reason why China can't seem to learn from history?

Time to Shut Up china !

Everyday banging on with some cr@p has become tiring all you are doing is alienating yourself.

Whinny little children don't even cry so much.

Time to stop giving business to China. Bring the companies back, and invest in APAC.

Unfortunately, at this point, Japan seems losing supports in the western media and from western governments, especially in the US. For example, after Abe’s inflammatory Yasukuni visit last year, Fox News and Wall Street Journal, both are strong supporting voices of Japan for years, changed their tones in their publications.

As the matter of fact, last Wed., the US Congress attached a document in 2014 spending bill, urging Japanese government to address the issue of "comfort women". Although the resolution passed by the U.S. House of Representatives this week is nonbinding, it provides a gauge to indicate the visible shifting American public’s view on the attitude of Abe’s Admin in terms of the war crimes committed by Japanese imperial forces during World War II.

It may be true that China is leveraging cheap shots in its propaganda against Japan, painting a ridiculous picture of ‘resurrection of Japanese militarism’. Nevertheless, please don’t forget, to reach this juncture, Abe’s admin also bears serious culpability as it has been playing right into the Chinese hands.

Many Japanese people may puzzled by the question – How could the US, Japan’s closest ally, be so easily convinced by China and S.K to join in the Choir to put pressure on Japan ? Well, to answer this question, the best clue might lie in the hawkish incumbent Japanese government.

China has also been using its foreign ambassadors to spread the message about the perceived Japanese threat.

Funny how the Chinese keep saying Japan is the threat while they, the Chinese, write articles about nuking the United States.

Chinese calculations for nuclear attacks on the U.S. are chillingly macabre.

"Because the Midwest states of the U.S. are sparsely populated, in order to increase the lethality, [our] nuclear attacks should mainly target the key cities on the West Coast of the United States, such as Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego," the Global Times said.

"The 12 JL-2 nuclear warheads carried by one single Type 094 SSBN can kill and wound 5 million to 12 million Americans," the Global Times reported.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/oct/31/inside-china-nuclear-submarines-capable-of-widespr/

Yes, Japan has propaganda but China is worse by a longshot. I would like to appeal to Chinese citizens to learn the truth and for their government to stop concealing access to it.

@EthanWilber I would not say that, I think its something else, for decades America is more supportive toward Korea then to Japan ,all because of two wars Americans fighted together with Koreans, in Korean war and in Vietnam war , and that is the reason why USA prefer Korea over Japan . And for huge hate coming from China and Korea, there is easy answer why is that, those two countries has the longest anti japan propaganda in Asian region, while other left that practice , those two countries never abandoned , and so called democratic South Korea had a incredible ban on Japan goods and culture for decades until 1998 , and thats shocking for one democratic country, while in China, majority of movies and series are around Japan occupation in WWII , so, you cant blame Abe for that, this was all before he got in power .

I'm sure reporters would be more interested in visiting contemporary CCP 're-education camps' or chatting to imprisoned dissidents than "a camp which housed Western prisoners of the Japanese in World War Two". No amount of whining about Japanese crimes of the distant past can make people overlook the CCP's squalid behaviour in the present.

There are billions of fair minded people in the world!

That's what is going to doom China's efforts. When the CCP can control the message by controlling the media as they do at home of course they can get people to believe what they want to.

Doesn't work that way in the real world.

“The way the Japanese think about the East China Sea now is like how they thought about northeast China. They didn’t stop at the northeast, they kept heading south to Shanghai and even Southeast Asia,” Li said."

Next Mr Li will show documents that were sent by the Senkaku islands themselves begging the Communist Chinese to come and liberate them from the evil Japanese.

Then he will show more proof of why Communist China is not trying to take territories from it's neighbors, Communist China is just liberating those islands and seas from oppression.

Yes folks, please believe this, Communist China is not trying to take over everything in sight, no no, Communist China is just trying to liberate Asia from the shackles of the Imperialist West,

Yes friends, soon everyone can enjoy the benefits of being under the protection of Communist China. You will never again have to worry about what you want to watch, read or eat. Soon, if Communist China has it's way it will do all that for you.

Hell, our big brothers will even make sure that each and everyone of you have great Chinese products to eat. Free frozen dumplings, free Chinese chicken, free baby food and yes free Chinese toothpaste.

Yes, aren't they kind, they are will to give all those fantastic Chinese products to each and everyone of us.

Soon Communist China will treat you and your country as well as they treat the people of Tibet. All you have to do is believe this propaganda campaign that they are pushing.

Also, it helps to push the eyes of the world away from your own CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY if you keep pointing at someone else's crimes that happened 70 years ago.

Nenad Jovanović, Your angle has partial validity. However, the question is why the U.S. House of Representatives passed the resolution to exert the serious pressure on Japan now since 2007 given the history that, as you pointed out in your response, S.K and China have been consistent on their anti Japan propaganda for years.

So, in my humble opinion, Abe’s admin and his inflammatory Yasukuni visit have indisputably played a trigger affect, which sets the motion and breaks the equilibrium.

You do realize that China isn't even remotely communist, don't you?

China may be loud and blustering, but the more they keep talking, the more they are going to sway the opinion of western media in their direction. If Japan wasn't giving them ammunition (visiting Yasukuni, speaking of re-writing the constitution to allow them to wage war), then Japan would have a much stronger position in the propaganda game. But the fact is, they are on the defensive because of these actions, so instead of being able to point out China's wrongs to the western media, they are instead defending themselves against the accusations of China. And as long as they are playing the defensive game, China will be winning the propaganda game.

Japan's politicians unfortunately don't even remotely compare to the Chinese when it comes to propaganda. Fortunately they are much stronger militarily, so there isn't that much of a risk of an actual physical attack by China. But that won't matter if China wins on the propaganda front.

Japan's crimes against the world are ALL at least 69 years in the past. The Communist regime in China killed nearly as many of its own citizens to gain power, and many millions more to keep that power, and all in times closer to the present day. Anyone remember Tienaman Square? How about the Great leap forward and thousands resettled and starved, all to preserve the power of the current Red leadership and all more recent than Japan's bad actions. That someone redirected the government there to irrelevance and let the people loose to use the market without much regulation is the only reason they have enough money to throw their weight around today.

If china opened freedom of information and stopped censorship, let its people see the whole internet and read what ever they chose I am sure the people would understand that their govt and leaders are corrupt, misleading , controlling and most of all not honest or trustworthy.

The problems Japan and the world have with china would dissolve over night.

Basically china needs to stop hoodwinking its citizens and trying to hoodwink the rest of the world.

Then see how great this paper tiger really is, I am sure we would all see the tiger fold and be discarded into the trash bin.

The world should just stop trading with china until it addresses its appalling human rights record, and falls in line with the rest of the right minded world. Stop selling the worlds resources to them and stop buying their inferior made goods.

If Japan had bad intention it could secretly developed greater military strength but but nothing indicates such activities so China has no reason to create any panic among world leaders.

Every time you think China has reached a new low, the next day they just dig deeper.

@StrangerlandJ - But that won't matter if China wins on the propaganda front.

No sorry, unlike people in China, most of the world has free access the internet and numerous news outlets. People are also free to express their opinions (just like here). The general consensus is that CHINA is developing into a regional bully.

They can spin all the propaganda they like about Japans "past", but the people who are being actually affected by their actions "TODAY" (Vietnam, Brunei, The Philippines, Japan, India, Tibet, to name a few) also speak.

Over the last 69 years Japan has been a model world citizen and has developed excellent, lasting relationships with a great many countries and peoples around the world.

China's continuing propaganda attacks are doing nothing but showing the world what the CHINESE government is truly like and clearly they cannot be trusted. It is not just their words, it is more importantly their actions that speak volumes.

The world is watching and is wary of the Chinese governments expansionist ambitions. To give you a mind set into the official thinking one needs to only refer back to a Chinese professor in Shanghai who, when speaking about Chinese history and actions of the government today stated "Throughout history China has been manipulated and bullied by foreign powers, now with our recent economic growth, it is our turn to be a force in the world".

The question is - What kind of force? At the moment they certainly do not appear to be a force for good.

China took reporters on Thursday on an unusual trip to a camp which housed Western prisoners of the Japanese in World War Two

"Life was extremely difficult for the prisoners in the camp. Food was an extremely precious thing. It was almost impossible to have contact with them as a Chinese person,"

I think the reporters should visit concentration camps in Tibet, which is an on going issue.

This was a really desperate shot from China. I seriously doubt anyone will buy in to it. Besides all China has to do if they are worried about Japans development is to demilitarize themselves and stop their expansionism. Abe would loose support in no time and the constitutions stays.

Same thing is being done by South Korean nationalists with their intent on putting comfort women memorials across the United States. Not to mention the Dodko/Takeshima issue. Nothing wrong with that in theory, but the intent is obvious, to stir up anti Japanese hatreds across America, one of Japan's staunchest allies.

Utterly despicable by both governments nationalists and anti Japan crowd.

If only Japan would grow up, and openly and frankly discuss the horrible things their army did in China and Philippines and Singapore and Burma and elsewhere in Asia during the 30's and 40's.

That would pull out the rug from under the less-than-honest government of China, and give Japan a better position in disputes with China.

German Chancellor Merkel was right in her criticism of Japan's delusions and lies about WW2, and Germany has showed the world what true words and sorrow about their past can mean for all of us.

When will Japan learn?

its so funny how countries point fingers at japan, yet they have been peaceful since the war, who points the fingers at America for mei Lai, who points the fingers at china for crushing uprising and the square or the boxer rebellions.

who attacks germany for the millions they killed, all I ever hear is japan this and japan that, yet I don't hear americans or chinese or anyone blame germany still, yet the killed countless millions.

I respect japan, I rather live under the banner of the rising sun then the stars of red and gold or the red white and blue........

NavyCDRJan. 17, 2014 - 11:26AM JST

If only Japan would grow up, and openly and frankly discuss the horrible things their army did in China and Philippines and Singapore and Burma and elsewhere in Asia during the 30's and 40's.

Japan did so.

Seriously NavyCDR?

The Japanese government has repeatedly apologized for its acts of atrocities during WW2.

I've posted a link before where then Prime Minister Koizumi humbly apologized to the people of China, in China (visiting the Marco Polo Bridge as well as a memorial hall dedicated to the Chinese resistance against Japanese aggression).

Will the anti Japan crowd pretty please stop with the outright lies and misrepresentations of what Japan didn't do?

China did not learn any lesson from WWII

China steps up appeal to West in Japan propaganda battle

As someone from the West, currently living in the West (but not for much longer), I say: Eff you China. I stand with Japan in the Senkaku issue, and I defend Abe's (and indeed any Japanese politician's) right to visit Yasukuni Shrine. And I'm not the only one. Stop trying to divert attention from your dangerously high pollution levels and stop causing troubles. Man, I thought the Coalition Government was a joke. Cameron and Clegg seem perfectly competent in comparison to the CCP.

I hope those reporters who take up the invitation also ask to be show around occupied Tibet and the shown the political prisoners there.

It is really quite the hypocrisy by the Communist Chinese leadership to keep harping about events from 70 years ago while brutalizing occupied territories and making territorial demands on neighbours.

China's continuing propaganda attacks are doing nothing but showing the world what the CHINESE government is truly like and clearly they cannot be trusted. It is not just their words, it is more importantly their actions that speak volumes.

If this was true, then it would be in Japan's best interest to let the Chinese to continue blustering, and say nothing. "Give a man enough rope and he'll hang himself". But the fact is, saying nothing will hurt Japan more than defending themselves, for the simple fact that while the Chinese are blustering, they are blustering about the truth, things that actually did happen. So Japan is damned if they don't respond, and damned if they defend themselves, which is really a strong strategic move on the part of the Chinese, and it's why they are winning this propaganda war.

The smartest thing for Japan would be to stop defending against the Chinese attacks, and start going on about Tibet, Xinjiang, and Taiwan, and put the Chinese on the defensive. Because after all, these are all current situations that the world is sensitive to now, unlike Japan's transgressions which happened in the first half of the last century.

But, the Japanese are not so good at propaganda, and so they continue to defend.

Next Mr Li will show documents that were sent by the Senkaku islands themselves begging the Communist Chinese to come and liberate them from the evil Japanese.

In my humble knowledge, it is inhabited rocky Island. What took it so long for greedy thugs Communist Chinese to go and liberate the Island of rocks from the land of Saints and Angels of Japan? When the commies liberated it, Mount Fuji may be erupted for celebration.

Yes folks, please believe this, Communist China is not trying to take over everything in sight, no no, Communist China is just trying to liberate Asia from the shackles of the Imperialist West,

There is different nature of Imperialist west and Brutal Commies of China expansion. For example, west expansion model was based on Missionary, Merchants and Mercenary. West used the force for settlement like innocent, gental and friendly old Japan. Commies of China prefer culture influence. intermarriage and business establishment.

South East Asia is heavily populated with oversea Chinese diaspora. Their business is dominated by oversea Chinese. The king of Thai has Chinese ancestor. President of Philippines is half Chinese. Modern Chinese expansion model is more likely tribunal state for influencing with blood link, trade and cultural export. San Francisco and Vancouver are examples.

Therefore Commies will make many tribunal states instead of Colonies. Japan influence is waning because of pro long recession. In fact Japan is the land of setting Sun enjoying the last breath of fresh air before the complete Sun Set.

@EthanWilber

I think politics is more in play here than you realize. The Bill was sponsored by Rep. Mike Honda CA, a Japanese American. My guess is he's trying to garner the Asian voters, who live in California. Sure, it passed. But doing so does nothing to harm other Reps. while winning favors for those who voted for it. Furthermore, don't forget about the massive amounts of lobbying $$ that might come their way from Chinese and S Korean corporations.

I'd recommend a bigger shovel and dig deeper into these matters. China has the US by the b#lls, and could easily bring us down by selling our bonds they hold. The more inroads to other nations, like Africa, will lessen the impact upon the Chinese economy. They ARE planning for it.

@Asian2013J

Do exhibitions, talk shows and documentaries. Let them understand WW2 in this part of Asia and decide for themselves.

Just so you know, Chinese academics have been doing this for a long time. Back in 97, while in college, a Chinese group were touring the States promoting, selling and holding seminars of "The Rape of Nanking" book, among others. I bought it, read it, and said, WOW! how horrible. Never did equate any hatred to present day Japanese. That would be illogical. I'm guessing you're Chinese. I hope someday you realize you're on the wrong path.

Japan apologised a long time ago and then some. China does not have the trump cards it seems to think it has, and it playing a game it will 100% lose. The west will not be swayed by Chinese rhetoric and China would do well to pull the plank out of its own eye first, before continuing to drag the past into the present, where it has no place. The world doesn't forget atrocities carried out by China either.

If this was true, then it would be in Japan's best interest to let the Chinese to continue blustering, and say nothing. "Give a man enough rope and he'll hang himself".

China's doing that already, so it doesn't really make a difference whether Japan says anything or not. Having said that though, every time Japan voices objections to China's petulance, China turns around and tightens its own noose. So really, it's in Japan's best interest to keep going. Japan should rally support in the West, forcing China to do something drastic, thereby earning the (Greatly deserved) short drop and sudden stop, and finally ending this debacle.

Pretty rich for China to bitch about past human rights against its people when today China screws its own people left, right and centre. Unbelievable!

China should first right the wrongs of today's treatment of its own people before it tries to moan about past treatment by another country of its people. All this is, is a huge smoke screen attempt by China to make the world not see how today China is treating its own people. Quite sad that China is dumb enough to attempt this and thinking it will work on a world that knows what's going on. Maybe China is doing this only to make Chinese people look the other way which would imply that China thinks its citizens are not as smart as people outside of China. This is assuming that China believes it censorship of outside communication channels such as the internet have been successfully block.

The point of the argument is not Chinas domestic treatment of its own people ( far from wonderful) but Japans apparent unwillingness to face its own imperialistic past. The following questions need to be asked: One, are Japanese kids learning what really went on in the first half of the 20th century, including coercion of the sex slaves, and the Nanking massacre (Kids in Germany and Austria learn all the details) Two, while it is true that numerous apologies have been made by Japanese leaders, and money has been thrown at China and South Korea as compensation, do the current leaders of Japan hold a remorseful view of the past? I think the answer to both questions is no. Japan has no moral high ground here. Not that China has much either, but they were a victim of Japanese imperialism. One mustnt forget that it was Japans invasion of China that hastened the ascent of the Communist party to power. To be fair, I think China would do well to direct its criticism to the US. They are the ones pushing behind the scenes for Japan to alter Article 9. If it wasn`t for the US, Japan would likely never have created a Self Defence Force

Distracting attention from the poisoned environment and people from which the central committee live apart and will eventually abandon as they buy stakes abroad?

One could argue much the same about the US. But again, if China hadn`t invaded China, then we would likely not have a communist government there now. That fact needs to be acknowledged

What I find very funny in all this is Communist China's attempt to convince the world that if Japan gets a strong military they would use this military to attack it's neighbors.

But what Communist China is omitting is the fact that their own military build up is huge and is causing it's neighbors (Japan) to follow suit.

If Communist China would stop it's invasions of it's neighboring nations in it's thirst for natural resources Japan and others would not need to build up their militaries to defend themselves.

Communist China wants Japan to not have a military that can defend itself when the war that Communist China is planning comes.

Communist China's Military budget in 2000 was $20 Billion, now it is $166 Bn.

Japan's Military budget is less than $42 Billion, now it's $60 Billion.

Communist China is the one that is building it's military for war, Japan is not.

Just more Communist Chinese hypocritical propaganda, if you buy it then you would fall for anything.

China actually expects the world to swallow their tripe about Japan becoming a threat.

http://www.infowars.com/chinese-president-orders-pla-to-prepare-for-war/

From the Senkaku's to Shanghai and onward, to Singapore and Beijing?!

Perhaps not quite so ridiculous. I did hear a knowledgeable person claim that the Senkaku's are part of the Japanese/US defence of Taiwan, which if in the Western sphere of influence, is also a defensive nightmare for China. The problem for the Chinese in any attempt to "drive a wedge" is I think that it is as much the West, in the form of the US, that wants to control Chinese expansion, or keep China under control.

Why not take western media out from Philippines shores within there own economic zone and show them Chinese aggression!!!!!!!!!!!!! Then connect that aggression to what China is doing in the East China sea against Japan!!!!!!! I believe US government should be projecting to the US news outlets all that China is doing today with its military in the region! This should be very well established news information given to the US public! Same with in all western countries and allied states! China needs to be stopped in its tracks and sent back to its shore where is does not harm or threaten anyone again!

OK, I was defending China up until now, but this is getting pretty ridiculous. Someone needs to take them aside and tell them that this is not how you get people on your side.

I still don't think the answer to China's military buildup is Japan building up their own though. First, there's no way to beat them, and second, I'm sure the world will come to Japan's aid if (big if) anything happens. They're just going to end up wasting their money and resources, and maybe that's what China wants.

China: Shows the atrocities to the west that happened 70 years ago while trying to hide the atrocities that are going on today inside their borders.

Bridge on the river Kawaii?

Tao De Ching : )

But Japan is changing and we need to pay attention to this and ... reminding the world about its past is understandable

CCP is reading JT post under their surveillance program (spying), so I tell IT like a straight shooter.

LOL, CHINA IS A CRYING BABY.

China needs to explain the reason why they are increasing military spending like this before telling this BS to the world , will ya?

China plans to raise its defense budget by 10.7 percent to 720.2 billion yuan ($114.3 billion) in 2013,

China spent 650.6 billion yuan on national defense in 2012, an increase of 11.6 percent than the previous year

I am not a big fan of Abe, but he has a good reason to defend his country and his people. The world is not so stupid.

I am not a big fan of Abe, but he has a good reason to defend his country and his people

Hmm, good reason? The escalating tension between China and Japan is tension that he created. Tension that provides an excuse for him to amend Article 9, which would also appease his US masters, who have long sought a revision of the law

The point of the argument is not Chinas domestic treatment of its own people ( far from wonderful) but Japans apparent unwillingness to face its own imperialistic past.

China has already made it known that they want everything west of the Hawaiian islands. Chinese complaints about Japan's past are just a red herring.

After all, Admiral Timothy Keating, then US Pacific Commander, recalled in 2009 that a high-ranking Chinese naval officer had once suggested to him that the US and China divide the Pacific Ocean between them, with China responsible for keeping the peace west of Hawaii and the US east of Hawaii.

The United States told China to take a hike.

Gen. Paul V. Hester was asked about China's recent plan to give the United States control of the eastern Pacific region, while China would control the western Pacific.

"Our policy is not to cede space to anyone," Gen. Hester said in a telephone press conference from Hawaii.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2007/aug/17/inside-the-ring-11086842/

Vietnam didn't order six Kilo-class submarines from Russia because they were upset with Japan now, did they? An arms race has started in Asia and it's not because of "Japans apparent unwillingness to face its own imperialistic past."

All this fear-mongering of China is only benefiting Abe, his right-wing cohorts, and military defence spending

Japan apologised a long time ago and then some.

All the apologies were closely followed by downplaying or denials from other politicians. Say what you will about China, but you have to admit there are still a lot of people in Japan, many in high positions, that still believe they did nothing wrong. I'm not anti-Japan at all. I just think they should be honest about their past and stop giving China valid reasons to complain.

Maybe China is doing this only to make Chinese people look the other way which would imply that China thinks its citizens are not as smart as people outside of China

Well, they adopted communism at some point in their past.

@aussie,, We have seen Japan over the last 70 years or so, we have seen it living in peace and its people living and enjoying peace and democracy, and the region in peace for those 70 years, so to say Japan wants to be what it was pre 1941 is just some figment of your own imagination, but I believe that image has been branded in your head by your Chinese leaders that has done anything and everything to keep the people of China ignorant to facts and living in a state of 1941 just for their own benefit to keep the people of China their servants and use this blind nationalism to keep this control over society.What developed, respected nation today is controlled through censorship, forced silence against its people, controlled filtered and blocked internet and supporting of the type of leaders around the world, that China does today? Even North Korea was setting silent until China's rise and influence became a troubling source in the region, then they began acting up with CHina's support! I believe the people of China needs to open their eyes to exactly what their leaders are doing today that is not peaceful and giving China this view from outside as the same backwards country that it has been in the past, and the people begin demanding their rightful place in the country as being the face of their own country and not just the face of the leaders and what they have branded into the minds of the people since birth. Japan is an open free society with access to anything and everything, they are not some censored society with no access to truths of their past or anyone else's past.

aussie-musashiJan. 17, 2014 - 01:46PM JST

You are Chinese living in Australia. The Article 9th needs to be amended as every country needs to defend its own country. Would you please tell me why China needs to increase the military spending substantially lately? Thanks.

WakarimasenJan. 17, 2014 - 01:36PM JST

Bridge on the river Kawaii?

You made my day!! You meant Bridge on the river of KWAI? or Bridge over New Jersey (Chris Christy's scandal)? Bridges to Nowhere?

Nowadays, too many BRIDGES are in troubles, aren't they?

It's classic to read the comments of posters who say, "I'd rather remember the last 69 years" or "It was 70 years ago" but whom are just as likely to post about the atomic bombings and that they should not be forgotten.

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

'Scholars' who were never there and have no idea what happened, vs. the victims and former Imperial army members who WERE there and admit what happened (and who are called 'foggy-minded' and 'old', etc.). But hey, when you have a PM who is the off-spring of a war-criminal, you can't really expect any kind of justice.

Beijing Shuts Down As Pollution Over Past 12 Hours Literally "Off The Chart"

but...but...but...NO! pollution is good for you, look over there!...look over there! SEE! The Japanese!

Somebody has GOT to tell them how foolish they look! But I guess that's what you get when everyone lives in fear of their government.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-01-15/beijing-shuts-down-pollution-over-past-12-hours-literally-chart

@ aussie-musashi - Japan has no moral high ground here. Not that China has much either

Japan has apologised ... I think other countries need to stop preaching. Very few countries have perfect records or have been honest with themselves.

And don't mention "Switzerland" - Bankers for the Nazi's and holders of stolen gold, art and funds for decades. Did they apologise? Do countries still attack them over it? I don't think so.

Basically the only countries with real issues are Korea and China. ( And poorly informed / gullible people from the west who buy into their propaganda).

Brainiac JAN. 17, 2014 - 07:50AM JST I'd rather look at the record of each country over the past 69 years.

It seens that the attititude of a country refuting history is still acceptable to some in this world. So, let's history be bygone and repeat freely again.

But there are many here too worried of China broadcasting this to the world!

At one point China will realize that history lessons do not work, and actually make China look like it is living in the past. Europe, Africa, and US all have dirty history (and China too). Read western coverage (mostly they ignore this as far as I can see) makes China look scary. At the same time, business ignores all this, and we are doing very well with China. China seems totally clueless about how to create a positive image of itself. You do not get that by bashing Japan. Being a "basher" is not a good way to form a perception.

...... why are we still living in the past? Yes and recently China and the Yasukuni issue was front page in MY country, I was dumbfounded. Propoganda everywhere..

aussie-musashiJan. 17, 2014 - 01:54PM JST All this fear-mongering of China is only benefiting Abe, his right-wing cohorts, and military defense spending

Fear mongering of China? Come on the nation that is doing the fear mongering is Communist China. At every turn they point a finger while three fingers point right back at them.

You speak of Japan's military defense spending, well one thing is right, the reason Japan is spending more money in it's Military is to defend itself against Communist China's aggressions.

But, tell me, heck tell us all, why haven't you said a peep about Communist China's increased Military spending?

China's Military spending has gone from $20 billion a year to $166 Billion a year in less than 10 years while Japan's has not.

Why don't you complain about that or is it you will not because you believe it is A-Okay for them, but not okay for anyone else?

You are part of the problem, you don't see Communist China's aggressions against it's neighbors as a problem, you actually welcome it and hope for more.

You know what that is called?

Hypocrisy!

>QamarJAN. 17, 2014 - 04:55PM JST ...... why are we still living in the past? Yes and recently China and the Yasukuni issue was front page in MY country, I was dumbfounded. Propoganda everywhere..

Front page? This shows how effective China's worldwide broadcasting is. One may feels being disturbed, but when the wrong doer refused to accept history, the world need to do something to stop history being repeated.

Why doesn't China propaganda the atrocities of chairman Mao who was instrumental in the deaths of tens of millions of its own people?

China is by no means the good guy in this situation. But Japan certainly isn't helping its situation. Has anyone defended Abe looked at his recent record? The draconian new state secrecy bill is just the tip of the iceberg. Let's not forgot his desire to change the curriculum in schools so they indoctrinate nationalist pride in children (and before anyone asks "what's so bad about nationalism"—keep in mind that patriotism is not the same as nationalism), and his desire to revise the war-renouncing Article 9 of the constitution. Not to mention his continued Yasukuni visits, and if anyone for a second believes his crap about "I didn't know it would offend anyone," then I've got a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you.

China is dangerous, but let's not downplay how dangerous Abe is. He's practically itching to go to war with them.

What was that old expression about stones and glass houses? I have defended China in the past when people make ridiculous and ignorant comments about a country they clearly know little about and have spent no time in. However, the reaction from my Chinese friends when I bring up the appalling massacres carried out under the CCP is met with pure flannel. That's because it's indefensible. Get your own grubby house in order before pointing out the dirt in others.

Misleading analogies attacking Chinas domestic record instead of Japans international record. BTW some people on this thread think I`m Chinese. Amusing.

Wow, China is using Western media to spread its childish , nonsense behaviour against Japan! What China will do when Western media ask for permission to travel to Xinjiang ,Tibet and talk freely to the locals to clarify many" rumours" about China's terrible treatments on those people? Will China allow them to do so ? China is exploiting the past of 70 years ago but people want to know the things of today. .Com on China ,if you truly concern about barbaric conditions which human beings suffered under IJA 70 years ago ,please come clean and let western media see how you treat people of Xinjiang ,Tibet present day.

aussie-musashiJAN. 17, 2014 - 08:26PM JST Misleading analogies attacking Chinas domestic record instead of Japans international record. BTW some people on this thread think I`m Chinese. Amusing.

If they are prepared to falsely imprison and execute their "own" people en masse then yes deserves to be held to account.

Bottom line: Japans international record for the last 70 years (post war years) is impeccable. One cannot say the same for China. Pre- WWII was a completely difference world and world order. There was not even a United Nations as it is structured today.

So easy to blame Japan for things that happened 70 years, what an easy target. Why stop there, go back 150 years and blame Australia for terrible plight its first people started suffering 150 years ago, or the Spanish for what they did to the INCA 300 years ago.

The difference is that the CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY is a concern TODAY.... right now, in our life time.

With a name like aussie-musashi why would any thing that you are anything other than Australian. BTW: When did Australian finally "apologise"?

Over the past decades Japan has invested heavily in China, locating and building industries, not entirely for altruistic reasons, but helping China to enter a new age in developing this country. And China has happily 'adopted' technology on many fronts it would otherwise have taken decades to develop. Why Beijing is continuing to spread hatred about Japan is a bit hard to swallow, even if it is part of a scheme to brainwash its population into believing that all the high tech accomplishments, like the fable about the high speed rail system, are original Chinese inventions. The rest of the world won't be as easy to trick into believing this fallacy. Warily it sees the aggression, provocation and the attempts to swallow up territory that does not belong to them. Does Beijing believe now is their turn to colonize and control Asia? Perhaps they don't, but civil diplomacy on an international level is not something they attach any meaning to. It is some administration that grants its people no rights, no civil rights, no freedom of information while pursuing a dangerously expansionist strategy in east Asia. What is the real game Beijing is playing, what do they really want?

Tibet, Xinjiang, Tiananmaen, N.Korea, wow, can't wait for conducted tours to these places!

Guys, please hold your horses. :)

The reality is unlike good-vs-evil typed Hollywood actions movie, people can feel good about them after walking out from the movie theaters.

The propaganda warfare between Japan and China has turned on the heat on Japan’s side. Abe is under tons of pressures lately by western governments, forcing his admin to constantly struggle on the defensive posture pertaining to the stances relatted to Japanese historical war crimes. Worst of all, Japan’s 68 years of peaceful image is being tarnished, slowly and shurely. Furthermore, the world’s views on Japan are increasingly turning negative, and yet, the tolerance threshold for Chinese regime to roll on its military buildup is being pushed a notch higher.

Here are some real situations for people who are not aware of what is going on, refer to the web link belew:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/17/us-japan-china-idUSBREA0G0J520140117

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/world/news/20140116-OYT1T01148.htm?from=main1

Emotional trenched national pride is one thing, but blindly denial on reality would be another.

I am getting sick and tired of this old movie . Like two kids fighting over who is king of the hill this story has no ending. Japan has already apologized already . How many friggin times do you need a apology till it sticks in your skull? Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines have all moved on. China brain washes it's children from an early age like the war was yesterday. Hey, China lost the war in 1894-1895 and 1931-1945 . The city where I live is filled with Chinese with similar big headed attitudes . It seems China and Korea have never moved on. Suck it up man!

Don't believe anything china says.

China's strategy: Bring up World War Two every fifteen minutes.

The Chinese are using something that happened long ago during a war to justify their behavior now during peace. The Chinese are trying to take more and more territory and they will stop at nothing to achieve it. Japan is doing the right thing in not letting China bully it.

Sanyuyulai

Front page? This shows how effective China's worldwide broadcasting is. One may feels being disturbed, but when the wrong doer refused to accept history, the world need to do something to stop history being repeated.

It is not 'worldwide broadcasting'. It is propaganda of something which has been 70 years ago, something that has changed the entire world (or those involved in it) and brought to an end a certain kind of colonialism-ish politics (I stand to being corrected..I don't know politics).

So tell me, look at Japan's history after WWII, is is the history of a country that is blood thirsty or that of a conqueror? No! So what history being repeated? What it is is just the reopening of wounds and memories of people who have experienced WWII. Instead of letting time doing its course, China is just injecting fear and hate at every possible possibility and it puzzles me. To me, a person from Europe, China is just trying to make Japan look evil and bad, because of the recent 'militarization'. But, Japan didn't have a real army..and now it has! Doesn't China have an army? Doesn't Korea have an army? Doesn't Germany have an army? Doesn't Italy have an army? Doesn't England have an army? Isn't it right for any country to be able to defend itself with its own people?

Do you see Europe remembering and making constant propaganda against Germany because of WII? No! Yes, it happened, but you know, it was painful for BOTH sides, it was very painful..but now it is time to forgive. There was death, fear and tears everywhere...if it makes you feel better, maybe try and speak to Japanese who passed through the war and were on the victims' side themselves. I am not defending what Japan did during WWII, I'm just saying that both parties had victims.

China should stop breathing its own air, its having an effect of its mouth.

@Qamar. I will reiterate yet again, Germany has made extensive amends for WW2, compensating victims of the Holocaust and teaching what really happened in their schools. Do you see Japan doing the same? Most Japanese don`t have a clue about what they did in Nanking, or the sex slaves, or allied POWs. Not a clue. Do you see German or Austrian leaders going out and denying the Holocaust, or that Germany committed wars of aggression? No. Yet we this time and again in Japan from the likes of Abe, Ishihara, Hashimoto, and others. They get away with their statements, apologise, are forgiven and so on. Then they do it again

I guess it's natural for a site about Japan to have such comments, but I take a different point of view: the islands in question were returned to Japan improperly in the early 1970s. There are, according to a columnist for the New York Times, Japanese documents from the time the islands were taken, showing clearly that the government of the day realized they were taking them from China. A glance at a map makes it obvious which country those islands naturally belong to. They are closer to Taiwan than Okinawa, and closer to Fujian than to Kyushu.

I am fairly familiar with Japanese media, and there is a subtle trend toward honoring the military and past military exploits. This is something you do not see in Germany. Now the government wants Japan to be able to attack other countries again. Of course China should be concerned, especially since it is hemmed in by US forces from Japan and its islands all down through Taiwan and the Philippines. China's trade routes east and south could be chopped by the US at any moment it chose.

In both Japan and the West, there is now a wave of anti-China propaganda that commenters here seem to be victims of. In Japan, people are even being told they are in danger of being invaded. This is balderdash. China has enough trouble defending the territory it has now. But of course we always see in others the faults we have in ourselves.

China cannot abandon North Korea (as it might like to) because it cannot allow US arms to be stationed right on its border. Political discussion in China is now far freer than it was a decade or two ago. Chinese in China are aware of the faults of their current and past governments. Popular opinion is putting pressure on the government to reform. I've been told on the streets of Beijing about the number of people who died as a result of Mao's policies. But in Japan, some people actually deny the horrors perpetrated by some units of the Imperial Japanese Army in China. Japanese "apologies" usually use the term "regrettable," as opposed to anything more direct.

The Chinese authorities are at fault for keeping the events of the past alive, but Japan is at fault for not having His Majesty go to China and publicly kneel to the Chinese people in apology for the horrors inflicted on them in the past. This is the only thing that might possibly satisfy the Chinese sense of continuing insult. When Mr. Abe boldly goes to Toyokuni, it is a direct and intentional insult to the Chinese people. This is not the way to solve a problem.

On a more positive note, I see that if you combined research spending in Japan with that in China, it would just about equal that of the US. Chinese R&D spending now much exceeds that in Japan. If the two countries were friends, and combined that spending, they would dominate the world's economy. Please think about that.

aussie-musashi, Japan, following the US lead after normalization, pumped tons of money and technology transfer into China. They gave free education to Chinese in Japan. They were my classmates at university, and we are still friends and I visit them in China. Why does the Chinese ambassador to Japan speak perfect Japanese? Why does the previous Foreign Minister of China speak perfect Japanese? They were all Japan educated. I'm not saying Japan is perfect. Japanese History is an elective class, and lots of students don't take it because history is booring. But there are dozens of books about all of Japanese history (with disturbing pictures) at Kinokuniya bookstore. Why so people compare Japan with Nazi Germany? That is not the correct comparison. The comparison with wiith European Imperialism. Rightises who deny the sins of Japanese history are too scarry for ordinary Japanese people. The history of all countries is ugly. "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." Anyone here cultured enough to know who said that? (Google search is not fair)

Ne PacificJan. 18, 2014 - 10:08AM JST There are, according to a columnist for the New York Times, Japanese documents from the time the islands were >taken, showing clearly that the government of the day realized they were taking them from China

The flaw in that argument is that Japan went through the process of incorporating the Senkakus, which included an investigation of ownership, in accordance with internationally accepted protocol and incorporated them in January 1885. The Sino-Japanese War was finalized with the signing of the Treaty of Shimonoseki in April of 1885. In that treaty, China was forced to hand over some of it's territory to Japan, such as Taiwan and the Pescadores. If Japan actually believed the Senkakus were Chinese territory, all they had to do was put it on the list of Chinese territories to be handed over. There would have been no need to go through the incorporation process, To date no China supporter has been able to explain this.

Not exactly. People say that Japan has apologised many times. Yet people like Ishihara and Hashimoto go and make carefless, damaging statements denying the facts of history. Actually, it seems history may become a compulsory subject from high school onwards http://www.japancrush.com/2014/stories/japanese-history-to-become-compulsory-in-high-schools.html<>

aussie-musashiJan. 18, 2014 - 12:34PM JST

Not exactly. People say that Japan has apologised many times. Yet people like Ishihara and Hashimoto go and make carefless, damaging statements denying the facts of history. Actually, it seems history may become a compulsory subject from high school onwards http://www.japancrush.com/2014/stories/japanese-history-to-become-compulsory-in-high-schools.html<>

And the actions of a few are enough for you to damn the entire Japanese population? I wonder if you are truly aware of what the PRC really gets up to, nor if you really are acquainted with the sense of loss from the war.

It's really disgusting and continually shames me to admit that I'm Chinese when I see my own people, or people who support China always use these same lines, not as a statement, but as a way to downplay, even whitewash China's own slaughters of its own people.

I grew up being told that hating Japanese was a good thing.

aussie-musashi, it is true that Japanese have apologized many times, I think sincerely. There are videos on YouTube showing Japanese soldiers who went back to China to apologize to their victims, includingn 731 victims. Chinese treated them very well. Ishihara and Hashimoto only prove that there are, in fact, stupid Japanese, that is all. Surprise, surprise.

Then why are Hashimoto, Abe, Tamogami, Ishihara, Kawamura, to name a few, able to get away with their statements of denial. Why are they not censured, or prosecuted? It seems a simple apology when the heat gets too much lets them get away with it time and again. When people in China and South Korea, who suffered greatly from Japanese imperialism, see that these politicians are able to make their denialist statements without penalty - then they draw the conclusion (possibly correctly) that many Japanese share their point of view.

Aussi-musashi: Yes that's true, and Europe also did its best to move on from WWII! I said this in another post- there needs to be two parties for something to be forgiven: a sincerely apologetic country, and the victim that tries to forgive and move on. I don't know what goes on in schools, but I do not like the recent events about a nationalistic agenda. I never said that Japan was perfect. Japan though did make amends for WW2. I cannot say anything about history being taught in schools because I only had 5 years of history (and that was history of my country only..the rest of the world is ignored) and the things that I know about the world, I know them from taking genuine interest and reading many books, books which take on different approaches and perspectives.

I don't know about most Japanese, I never lived in Japan. Tell me are there any countries of the world who don't have those kind of people? The only difference is that in Japan it seems that they actually end up being PM. I have no idea why or how this happens..but that's what happens. I can speculate that maybe some Japanese don't care about what kind of beliefs a PM has as long as they think that they will bring some kind of 'good' things. (ex Abe-> economic reform). Also, I don't know if many of the young vote or not..if anything, both in Japan and in my country , they should raise awareness about how politics affects the world. Yes it is pretty scary but eventually we will be adults. (Growing up I never cared less about politics, it was and still is a corrupt world for me, but now I know that it is important...)

Not exactly. People say that Japan has apologised many times. Yet people like Ishihara and Hashimoto go and make carefless, damaging statements denying the facts of history.

The call for apologies is a red herring. The Chinese are talking about taking the western half of the Pacific Ocean. They're writing articles about nuking the United States. They've unilaterally declared a nine-dotted demarcation line that encompasses the entire South China Sea. None one of these things has anything to do with whether an apology was sincere or not. There's a reason all the countries around China are increasing their military spending and it has naught to do with Ishihara or Hashimoto or whatever other character the Chinese like to bring up.

When we discuss the actions of WW2, people keep on harping on what the CCP did in their own country. Did Mao did wrong? Of course he did. His own people will judge him. People want to show Japan only 69 years ago. How ridiculous! Why don't go back 100 years? What Japan did right in the last 50 years are clearly documented. Japan must clearly account for the 50 years prior to that. Last year, I told the Chinese government that preaching to the Chinese public about WW2 is useless. They are the converted. They now have to preach to the western world and let them decide. The Japanese government preaching to Japan is also useless. They too can preach to the western world. History then will be revealed.

*>**some07791Jan. 17, 2014 - 07:41AM JST

“The way the Japanese think about the East China Sea now is like how they thought about northeast China. They didn’t stop at the northeast, they kept heading south to Shanghai and even Southeast Asia,” Li said.

Wow, the propaganda in China must be really good. Japan has done nothing to indicate it wants to expand. It just wants to maintain its control of the senkakus.

China isnt so good at misdirection.

some07791......Do you really believe that??? Read these comments fro the Japanese deputy Prime minister from August last year..........

Taro Aso has done it again. This time, the terminally gaffe-prone deputy prime minister has invoked the ire of a New York City-based Jewish human rights group, the Simon Wiesenthal Center, after suggesting that Japan could learn a thing or two from Nazi Germany when it comes constitutional reform.

“First, mass media started to make noises about Japan’s proposed reforms, and then China and South Korea followed suit,” Aso said in a speech at a right-leaning think tank on Monday. “The German Weimar Constitution changed, without being noticed, to the Nazi German constitution. Why don’t we learn from their tactics?”

China has every right to be concerned about Japan today. So ha the rest of the world!

aussie-musashiJan. 18, 2014 - 02:50PM JST Then why are Hashimoto, Abe, Tamogami, Ishihara, Kawamura, to name a few, able to get away with their statements >of denial

Because in a democratic system citizens including politicians are free to express their views, whether they be right, wrong or crazy. In contrast under a one party dictatorship like China, it is illegal to express a view that is counter to the official government position. Maybe you would be happier living there.

Does China really think the west is as immature and gullible as they are? Sorry china, you're alone in your eternal hatred of Japan.

China wants to be friends - so long as you don't meet bad guys like the Dalai Lama! What a joke..

@Ossan America: Because in a democratic system citizens including politicians are free to express their views

if that were the case, then Germany, and Austria, which have laws against denying the Holocaust, would also be labelled "dictatorships". Yet last I checked, they are democratic models for the rest of Europe. Hmmm

I'm not sympathetic with China on this.

Here's why: the country still cannot completely come to terms with the excesses of Mao Tse-tung, who led China between 1949 and 1976 and whose policies--especially the Great Leap Forward and the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution--may have left a death toll that is mind-boggling and seriously damaged China's own very rich cultural heritage. One wonders what China has done to the Tibetan Buddhists and the Islamic minorities in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region even as I type this.

For China to criticize Japan when they can't come to terms with the excesses of the Mao era and what is happening in the west of the country even now makes me less sympathetic to their government, in my humble opinion.

The West doesn't need this history lesson repeated, ad-nauseum. We know it very well, the atrocities in China are very well documented, and that's partly why so many Japanese were tried and convicted for war crimes. China also took it's revenge at that time by conducting it's own trials.

Japan has been peaceful for 70 odd years - haven't even looked like being aggressive in the slightest, and still don't. The world have moved on, China, a long time ago, and we have forgiven. We also know that Japan of today are not responsible for what happened 70-80 years ago. That's simply not reasonable.

We also know, that because of events like the fire bombing of Tokyo and other major cities, as well as the use of Nuclear weapons on largely civilian populations, that all men are capable of war crimes. We've all learnt.

Just move on. Please.

I'd rather look at the record of each country over the past 69 years.

Brainiac, a very precise number. How did you arrive at it? Oh, yes. You wanted to something inconvenient to what you wanted to see. Why not make it a round 80 years? Cause that would help you understand a great lot of China's behavior over the 69 years you so forcefully insist on focusing on.

The thing is though the West can't be brainwashed as easily.

KariHaruka, yes. And that fact is balanced by the west having much better propaganda. The Soviets envied western propaganda ability. No doubt the Chinese do to.

Of course, some people will swear the western press is free and honest. Just because some people are harder to brainwash, does not mean they aren't.