China January 23 condemned a gathering of Japanese right-wing activists in Osaka denying that the Nanjing Massacre ever took place.

A January 21 Japanese Supreme Court ruling once again rejected the statement of a former Japanese soldier, Azuma Shiro, who openly confessed to atrocities committed by Japanese aggressors during the Nanjing Massacre.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhu Bangzao said in no uncertain terms that the court ruling was totally unreasonable, encouraging right-wing activists in Japan to deny the massacre.

The gathering and the court ruling "have seriously hurt the feelings of the Chinese people and disturbed the growth of Sino-Japanese relations. The Chinese government and people hereby express their extreme indignation and strong condemnation," Zhu said.

Zhu stressed that the Japanese government and Osaka authorities have taken a laissez-faire attitude toward this sensitive issue, totally disregarding repeated serious representations by the Chinese. The Japanese government and Osaka authorities "must be held responsible for the current situation," he added.

Zhu said that history between the two countries has been problematic placing an enormous strain on Sino-Japanese relations, and hence is a matter of principle. Today, after more than half a century, he said, there often emerges an adverse current in Japan, openly defending militarism, denying historical facts and going against people's common knowledge.

He added that this fact cannot but invite deep thought and call on the Chinese people and the people of the whole world as well to maintain sharp vigilance.

Zhu said that how to treat the history of Japanese militarists indulging in wanton massacre or persecution during their aggression of China is a political foundation and the touchstone for judging whether the Japanese government has the sincerity to safeguard Sino-Japanese ties.

He said that the Japanese government is responsible for and obliged to fulfill its commitment, and must be true in words and resolute in deed.

China demands that the Japanese government take immediate measures to check the domestic adverse current of denying the history of aggression, avert the very bad effect of this gathering, and be effectively responsible to ensure that such an incident never occurs in the future again.