Asian scholars blame Japanese polititians for shirking war responsibility

Recent acts of some leading Japanese politicians have gravely hurt the feelings of people from Asian countries, said a group of experts and scholars from Asian countries here attending a symposium in memory of the 60th anniversary of the victory of Asian people's war of resistance against Japanese aggression.

According to these experts, such acts are intended to help shirk off the responsibilities Japan should bear for its aggression during the World War II.

Just a few days earlier, China postponed a planned visit by Japanese Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura, who was scheduled to visit China later in October. Prior to the announcement of the postponement, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and other senior Japanese officials had repeatedly visited Yasukuni Shrine, which honors 14 Class-A war criminals.

"At the time for the Asian people to commemorate such a victory, the words and deeds of some leading Japanese politicians have gravely saddened their hearts," said Zhuo Nansheng, a Singaporean scholar.

"Their recognition of Japan's history of aggression represents not only a backslide as compared with a decade ago but also serves to shrug off or reduce Japan's aggression liability," said Zhuo at the symposium, which has attracted more than 50 scholars from Asian countries.

According to Zhuo, the reason that those politicians work all out to put their own historical viewpiont over all others is obviously trying to find a tool to spare more room for Japan's royal historical views.

Such practice will render it very hard for Japan to win trust from the people of Asia, he acknowledged.

It was Japan'a past policies of militarism that brought about Japan's historic error of taking wars as the means to resolve its problems with Asian neighboring countries, said Zhang Haipeng, vice president of the China History Association.

"Japan should conduct self-reflection for its history of aggression and truly learn how to co-exist with Asian countries," Zhuo said.

Source: Xinhua