At the ceremony held in a cemetery in Kokopo, China’s Vice Minister of Civil Affairs Gu Chaoxi said the war of aggression launched by Japanese militarists had brought trauma to countries and nations that were invaded while leaving endless sufferings to people who love peace and amity.
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Japan occupied parts of China from the 1930s until the end of World War II and Beijing says millions died as imperial Japanese troops stormed across Asia.
World’s Radio reported Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga as saying to reporters on Monday that the situation in the Diet had led to the decision.
“He will not be travelling to China shortly before or after September 3”. We will continue to seek out ways for our two countries to communicate with each other.
Abe has decided not to go, apparently fearing that his visit might be used for China’s anti-Japan propaganda campaign. He said that forsaking a Beijing visit will not have any serious impact as they will many opportunities to interact in other settings. It also called on local government departments to organize relevant memorial activities to remind the public, especially the youth, about the Japanese Fascists’ wartime crimes.
There is no reason to politicize the commemorative events in Beijing, because that would send out the wrong signal that the West does not welcome the rise of China and does not want Japan to express remorse for its past and learn the lessons of history. The expected presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin has also put off many Western leaders, diplomats have told Reuters.
The parade rehearsal in Beijing showed fighter jets flying above the city and tanks rumbling through the streets. China has attracted criticism for demanding land in disputed South China Sea.
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Recent Japanese media reports said that Abe might skip the parade but still visit China next week to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in a bid to warm up frosty bilateral relations. It would have marked the two leaders’ third summit meeting.
