OSAKA, Dec. 14 -- Some Japanese civil groups held memorial meetings on Saturday to spread the truth about Nanjing Massacre and mourn the victims in that massacre.

At the meeting held in front of the stone lions of Osaka Castle Park Saturday afternoon, Iseki, one of the organizers and member of the Osaka Stone Lions Association, said that Japan should reflect on its history of aggression and value peace.

"Nowadays some Japanese people avoid talking about or even deny the atrocities that the Japanese army committed in China during the Second World War, and that is wrong. Only by facing up to history, could we deal with the relationship between Japan and China in the right way and develop the friendship between the two peoples."

The stone lions in Osaka Castle Park were robbed from China by the Japanese invaders in 1937. In the 1980s, many Japanese citizens demanded the stone lions be returned to China since they were war trophies. Later, the Chinese government gave the stone lions to the Osaka city as a gift to commemorate friendship between the two peoples.

"It is of special significance to hold such a gathering in front of the stone lions, as they are both witness of the invasive war and token of friendship between the two peoples," said Iseki.

Yamahashi, also a member of the Osaka Stone Lions Association, brought his daughter to the meeting.

"I know a few veterans who took part in the war invading China. They told me about the atrocities they committed in China. After I learned the truth about the war, I knew I had to do something," he said.

The same night, about 100 people attended a memorial meeting for Nanjing Massacre victims in the Osaka Prefecture Youth Center.

At the meeting, a video of a Japanese veteran being interviewed was played to the audience. The veteran recalled the atrocities he committed in China during the war and told about his remorse. After that, representatives of two civil groups gave speeches, revealing how the Japanese right-wing forces tried to hide the truth about "comfort women" and the war.

"There are few channels for me to find out about the truth of the invasive war. The Japanese government does not talk about it. But my visit to Nanjing Massacre Museum a few years ago shocked me. The evidence showed in the museum and at today's memorial meeting gave me the chance to know more about the true history," a viewer said.

The invading Japanese troops captured Nanjing on Dec. 13, 1937 and started a bloodbath that lasted for more than 40 days. More than 300,000 Chinese civilians and unarmed soldiers were killed and about 20,000 women were raped.