This year marks the 80th anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre, as well as the 45th anniversary of the normalization of Sino-Japan relations. What is the current attitude of Japanese society toward Japan's troubled history and what changes have taken place under Abe's administration? Global Times (GT) reporter Zhou Jiaxin interviewed Zhu Chengshan (Zhu), former director of the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall and a research fellow with the Institute of Nanjing Massacre History and International Peace, who was invited by Japanese peace organizations to deliver speeches on the poignant event in WWII in Japan's 11 cities from December 2 to 16.
Illustration: Liu Rui/GT
GT: Apart from the right-wing provocateurs, what do you think of other Japanese audiences? What was their feedback to your speech?Zhu: Most Japanese audiences usually have three questions about the Nanjing Massacre. What was the population of Nanjing during the massacre and how many people were killed? Why does the Chinese government hold annual national memorial ceremony for it? And why did the UNESCO approve the archives of the Nanjing Massacre as Memory of the World?
Due to the misguidance of the Japanese government and media outlets, even the ordinary Japanese people have doubts about some basic facts of the massacre. I tried my best in my speeches to reveal what really happened to Japanese audience, and in the end, it showed their understanding about China's stance over the matter. The facts I presented and my reasoning also made these right-wing protesters speechless.
GT: Are you concerned about the possibility that the new generation of Japanese tends to believe in the misinformation propagated by these right-wing groups? What can China do to avoid the trajectory?
Zhu: Fewer Japanese youngsters have interest in history. Previous protests launched by thousands of young people have long gone. A middle school teacher in Nagasaki told me that her students, after reading the textbooks compiled by right-wing publishers, don't believe the Nanjing Massacre actually happened. History textbooks have dramatically reduced the extent of the Japanese invasion.
There is a great asymmetry in history education between China and Japan. The Japanese youngsters have no concerns about, no knowledge of and no involvement with historical matters, which have raised anxieties among the Japanese people who have integrity and conscience.
On the surface, China and Japan are engaged in disputes about historical facts. The more profound problem is that Japan is viewing history out of perspective. If the deviation cannot be realigned, there will be more squabbles about historical issues between Japan and its victims in Asia, exerting a negative effect on their people-to-people exchanges.
GT: The history books of Japanese aggression in China and Japan are different, especially about the Nanjing Massacre. What efforts does Japan need to make?
Zhu: The Japanese concept of the history of WWII has sadly changed. I heard a strange rumor that it's been increasingly difficult to teach history. Some believed that Abe's administration has manipulated and shaped the public opinions which changed people's perception of Japan's responsibility in the war. People were likely to discuss about the victims, then the topic became sensitive. But now, this topic is rarely discussed and the identities of those victims are no longer emphasized. Some schools and families discourage the kids to visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. The public is encouraged to have more discussions about what contributions Tokyo has made to the international community as the government advocates the focus to be on Japan's efforts in world peace. It is quite clear that the Japanese government is making the utmost effort to cover up its troubled history and forge a peaceful image of Japan to the world.
GT: What influence have the Japanese rightists brought to Japanese society without Tokyo's full reflections on its history? What could Beijing do then?
Zhu: The negative effects on Japan's history education are tremendous. They (education departments) are keen on emphasizing the postwar events. Some Japanese students suggested that the younger generation of Japanese does not study modern history in schools and examinations are only focused on ancient and contemporary history. Teachers would give no explanations about this. Kimiko Kurihara, a former member of Japan's National Diet, told me that she was dissatisfied with Japan's political atmosphere where Abe doesn't take the pacifist constitution seriously. The deployment of Japan's self-defense forces in South Sudan is completely against world peace. Challenging Article 9 of the constitution is a risky and rightist move worthy of attention and alert.
China should make most of the 80th anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre to voice the factual history and exhibit historical pictures to the world and give the Japanese rightists massive pressure to revoke their denial of Japanese aggression.
