Published on: 2026-08-17
Source: People’s Republic of China — Translation
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Beijing, August 17 /Xinhua/ — Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, in her recent speech, avoided words like “repentance” and “lessons,” tried to blur Japan’s responsibility for acts of aggression, and seriously attempted to turn back the wheel of history. This was stated on Monday by the official spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lin Jian.
Commenting at a regular briefing for journalists on the speech of the Japanese Prime Minister on August 15 at the national ceremony honoring those fallen on the battlefield, Lin Jian emphasized that such behavior once again revealed the malicious intentions of Sanae Takaichi’s administration to conceal, distort, and refute the historical facts of Japanese aggression.
As noted by the official representative of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the day of the anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II, Sanae Takaichi sent a ritual monetary offering to the “war criminals’ shrine” Yasukuni. This shrine has been visited by high-ranking Japanese officials and political figures, including Japan’s Defense Minister Shinzō Koizumi.
“This only increases the vigilance of Asian neighbors and the international community regarding Japan’s national policy. Far-sighted people in Japan itself point out that a country devoid of a sense of remorse is incapable of gaining trust, and the actions of the defense minister are effectively equivalent to supporting an aggressive war,” said Lin Jian.
The Chinese diplomat recalled that this year marks the 81st anniversary of the Victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggressors and the World Anti-Fascist War, as well as the 80th anniversary of the start of the Tokyo Trials. According to him, only by facing the truth and learning lessons from history can one avoid repeating the mistakes of the past and stay on the right path.
“We once again urge Japanese politicians to carefully listen to the voices of justice within Japan and the international community, to deeply rethink the war crimes, to completely break away from militarism, and not to continue down the erroneous path,” concluded the official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC.
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