China says preventing resurrection of militarism "Japan's due obligation"

BEIJING, April 20 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday preventing the resurrection of militarism is Japan's due obligation and the unwavering will of the international community, including China.

The spokesperson urged the Japanese side to draw lessons from history, abide by its international obligations, and remain committed to the path of peaceful development.

Spokesperson Guo Jiakun made the remarks at a regular press briefing in response to a question about recent protests by tens of thousands of Japanese people against the Japanese government's attempts to revise the country's pacifist constitution.

"We also noted that Japan's push for constitutional revision has been increasingly questioned and rejected in Japan itself as well as its Asian neighbors and the wider world," said Guo.

Japanese militarists have not only committed atrocities to the people in China and other countries in Asia, but also brought profound sufferings to the Japanese people, Guo added.

He noted Japan's constitutional revision concerns the postwar international order and where Japan is going, and it has been closely watched by the international community and its Asian neighbors.

However, so far, the Japanese side has failed to thoroughly reflect on its history of aggression, said Guo. Some forces in the country even attempted to gloss over and whitewash the crimes committed during the aggression, and push for accelerated remilitarization of Japan, which led to the rampant and dangerous spread of neo-militarism in the country and threatened regional peace and stability, Guo said, adding the international community needs to be on high alert against this.