Photo: VCG

Panasonic China said in a statement on Saturday that it would seriously handle and further investigate a recent controversial case in which a Chinese employee claimed to have been threatened with dismissal for commemorating the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) on social media on September 18, the anniversary of the incident that started the war. 

The case was first brought to public attention after an employee of a Panasonic home appliance company based in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province, revealed on social media that he or she had been reproached by a manager for posting a picture with the text "Don't forget the national humiliation" to mark the anniversary of the 9/18 Incident on Wechat moments, claiming that the manager asked the employee if he or she wanted to quit the job. 

According to an alleged conversation record between the manager and the employee, the manager required employees to try not to post patriotic content on social media on September 18 so as to avoid "unnecessary trouble."

The employee later decided to resign as this kind of company culture is unacceptable." 

He or she said that the company doesn't have the right to interfere in the post, and employees of the Japanese company should also "respect history," especially for Chinese employees. 

The employee's experience sparked an avalanche of criticism online, with netizens slamming the company and the manager, who is also Chinese, for putting their interests and profits above national history and dignity.

Panasonic China issued a statement on Saturday on Sina Weibo, saying that the company attached great importance to the incident in which an employee "received interference in posting justifiable content", adding that they will further check the facts with the employee and handle the case seriously.

Netizens had different reactions to the company's response. Some believed the statement showed the company's support for the employee by calling the post "legitimate", while others said the company was just handling the case cleverly, and its attitude was ambiguous. 

The War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression started on September 18, 1931, when Japanese troops began their invasion of Northeast China. 

Chinese people usually hold commemorative activities or send posts on social media in remembrance of this painful chapter of history. 

Global Times