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Journalism of Courage
TOKYO, Nov 27: Chinese President Jiang Zemin today refused to let up on Japan’s notorious war history after getting only a lukewarm apology at a landmark summit to strengthen ties.
“My visit, which comes on the 20th anniversary of our friendship treaty is to promote friendly relations between the two countries,” Jiang told members of a Buddhist Japanese opposition party, the Komei.
“But to achieve that objective it is important to understand history in the right way.” During yesterday’s summit with Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi, Jiang got only a verbal version of a three-year-old general Japanese apology to Asia, slightly tailored to China.
The two sides also issued a written joint statement, but one which neither leader signed, in which Japan cited its “deep remorse” over the past but did not offer a clear apology.
Japan’s war-time aggression in China remains a thorn in ties, and even though the two countries formally resumed diplomatic ties in 1972, Jiang’s six-day state visit is the first by aChinese president.
China says 20 million people died during and after the 1937-45 war with Japan.
On Taiwan, China demanded Japan’s support for its “three nos” — no Taiwan independence, no two Chinas (China and Taiwan) and no Taiwan joining international organisations as a sovereign state. Instead, Beijing got one `no’, a restatement of Japan’s promise not to support independence on the island, which China regards as a renegade province.
