Japan should reflect on past fascist atrocities than rise through NATO

Japan’s frequent interactions with NATO and blatant participation in the US- led military alliance have undermined peace and stability in the Asia- Pacific region, causing particular concern, said Zhu Chengshan, former curator of the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders, on Wednesday.

On the same day, Fumio Kishida will become the first Japanese prime minister to attend the NATO summit in Spain, which is expected to collude with NATO members, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea to counter China.

Japan’s advocacy of an “Asian NATO” or “global NATO” is widely considered to go against the times and could lead to a new cold war or even a hot war.

“As a member of Asia, why does Japan insist on bringing trouble to the East? Why is Japan intent on returning to the old path of militarism? Why does it undermine the hardwon peace and stability in East Asia? This is the question for all who do not wish to see history repeat itself,” Zhu asked.

The lessons of the 20th century show that war is the biggest “man- made disaster” and that aggression, expansion and plunder are the sources of it, the former curator said, noting that “today, in the 21st century, peaceful development has become the theme of the world while the ‘ Greater East Asia War’ advocated by Hideki Tojo and other Japanese militarists has long been swept to the dustbin of history.”

Japan should draw lessons from history, bid farewell to militarism, condemn aggression and expansion, live in peace and friendship with other Asian countries and jointly build, maintain and develop a peaceful and tranquil environment in Asia, Zhu urged.

It is an indisputable fact that “the seed of militarism” still exists in Japan, and we must be on guard against the resurgence of Japanese militarism, Zhu told the Global Times in an exclusive interview.

He said that “the Japanese government’s miseducation of distorting historical facts over the years is an important reason for this phenomenon.” Japan’s aggression and victimizing of Asian countries, especially China, during WWII has left a tragic page in the history of mankind and the suffering of the Chinese nation.

“There is overwhelming evidence of the Nanjing Massacre, leaving behind a large number of human and physical evidence, including more than 4,000 testimonies by survivors of the tragedy. More than 60 survivors of the Nanjing Massacre are still alive today. They are victims and witnesses of this period of history,” Zhu said.

“An important task facing us is to inform more Japanese and people around the world about the historical facts of the Nanjing Massacre in an in- depth and lasting way,” Zhu stressed.

Japan must face up to and reflect on its own historical crimes and should not seek military rise by tying up NATO. The people of China and the rest of Asia who suffered at the hands of the Japanese army in WWII and other peace- loving people in the world do not want to see the tragedy of history repeat itself, Zhu said.