The war of aggression initiated by Japan brought profound disasters to the Chinese people, and Japan must draw lessons from that part of history, a Japanese veteran Maeda Mitsushige said in Beijing Saturday.

Maeda Mitsushige, once a Japanese prisoner of war in China, joined the Chinese army led by the Communist Party of China in 1939. He is here attending the commemorative activities of the 60th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-fascist War.

Maeda Mitsushige said after being captured by the Chinese army in July 1938, he witnessed with his own eyes the cruel crime committed by Japanese invading troops on the Chinese people, and realized that the "unjust war" was actually military aggression against China.

"These cognition gave me an impetus to make a right decision tojoin the Chinese army half a year after my being captured," he told Xinhua at home before leaving for China a couple of days ago.

He said taking part in the Chinese people's war of resistance against Japanese aggression was a turning point and the most precious treasure in his life.

Maeda Mitsushige initiated the Anti-war League of Japan (AWLJ) in China in 1939, with a purpose to persuade more Japanese soldiers to stop killing innocent common people and to put their weapons down.

As the war ended, AWLJ members returned to Japan and many of them participated in activities to promote Japan-China friendship, including Maeda Mitsushige and another Japanese veteran Kobayashi Kancho, who shares the similar experience with Maeda Mitsushige in China.

Returning to Japan in 1950s, the two have been devoted to promoting economic and trade exchanges between Japan and China.

"Most Japanese people expect to see the long-lasting friendshipbetween Japan and China," Maeda Mitsushige said, hoping that the friendship should not be a reflection of the increasing economic cooperation only.

"Japan must establish friendship with China for the sake of itsown interests," the Japanese veteran said.

The Chinese people's war of resistance against Japanese aggression lasted from 1931 to 1945, and altogether 35 million Chinese soldiers and civilians lost their lives or got injured.

Source: Xinhua