The Canadian province of Ontario, home to Canada’s largest Chinese population, is expected by September to become the first Western government to declare a national day of remembrance for the Nanjing Massacre.

The bill to hold the commemorative day on Dec. 13 was proposed by Chinese Canadian lawmaker Soo Wong, who wrote in her Bill No.79 that the Nanjing Massacre Commemorative Day in Ontario will provide an opportunity for all Ontarians, especially the Asian community, to gather, remember, and honor the victims and families affected by the Nanjing Massacre, an atrocity where over 300,000 Chinese civilians and soldiers alike were indiscriminately killed by Japanese soldiers after the city’s fall.

(Lawmaker Soo Wong. Photo/Xinhua)

“As one of the most diverse provinces in Canada, Ontario is recognized as an inclusive society. Ontario is also the home of one of the largest Asian populations in Canada. Currently, some Ontarians have direct relationships with victims and survivors of the Nanjing Massacre,” Wong added.

The bill passed the second hearing at the end of 2016, and will go through a third hearing in September. If passed, December 13 will become the official commemorative day in the province. As of May, more than 100,000 signatures have been collected in support of Bill No.79.

The possible designation of the commemorative has received opposition from Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, which has reportedly launched a lobbying campaign against the bill.

China’s Foreign Ministry said on Monday that it welcomes the motion of the provincial Legislature of Ontario.

“This year marks the 80th anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre. The Nanjing Massacre is a grave crime committed by the Japanese militarism during the Second World War and it is a painful history which cannot be obliterated. Only by drawing lessons from history in a profound manner and taking history as a mirror can we avoid the repetition of the tragedy of war and truly uphold peace and usher in the future,” spokeswoman Hua Chunying said.