Beijing blames militarists after Xinhua's Akihito apology editorial draws protest

China's foreign ministry urged on Friday the Japanese government to look squarely at  history and deal with historical issues prudently and properly after Tokyo lodged a protest with Beijing over a call by China's state news agency for Japan's Emperor Akihito to apologize for the country's past military aggression.

"The Chinese side holds a clear and consistent position on the history issue. We believe that the responsibilities for war crimes lies with a few Japanese militarists. The Japanese government should face up to and deeply reflect on history, live up to the statements and commitments it has so far made on historical issues, and deal with historical issues prudently as well as properly," read a statement from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent to the Global Times on Friday.

"As for certain viewpoints presented by the media, it is better for us not to make comments," according to the statement.

China's Xinhua News Agency said on Tuesday that Japan's then Emperor Hirohito never apologized to the countries and people that suffered during the war, suggesting his son and successor, Akihito, should do so.

The editorial says the aggression Japan initiated during the 1930s and 1940s was the result of combined efforts by the emperor, the government, the military and industrial conglomerates that nurtured and supported militarism.

It triggered a backlash from the Japanese government. "It is utterly unfavorable as it could throw cold water on the relationship between Japan and China, which is on the path to recovery following two meetings between the leaders," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga was quoted by Reuters as saying on Friday.

Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said "The article is grossly disrespectful to the emperor. It also goes against the position previously expressed by the Chinese government," Japan's public broadcaster NHK reported on Friday.

Kishida said the Japanese government lodged a strong protest with the Chinese side through diplomatic channels.

"Akihito has devoted himself to improving Japan's ties with its neighboring countries," Liu Jiangyong, vice director of the Modern International Relations Institute at Tsinghua University, told the Global Times.

Liu pointed out that Akihito was the first emperor to visit China, traveling there in 1992 on the 20th anniversary of normalized diplomatic relations between China and Japan.

"Only those who have not shouldered direct responsibilities for war or who have beautified wartime history should face demands to apologize," Liu said, referring to nationalist Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
  (By Chen Heying Source:Global Times Published: 2015-8-29)
globaltimes.cn
29/8/15 
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