Nation not accepting full responsibility for savage war crimes

Japanese Consul Tsutomu Kawata in his letter headlined, 'Peaceful Japan of today is sincerely remorseful' (South China Morning Post, November 7), simplifies the Sino-Japanese relationship to one of friendly co-operation, but fails to settle the blood accounts that are still outstanding.

May I draw his attention to the following:

The 'assets abroad' valued at US$28 billion which he counts as compensation to the victims of his country's aggression were the assets of China and other Asian countries in the first place: their land, their slave labour with all its sweat and blood, and their materials. Was it compensation to return them to the countries to whom they belonged?

The 964 billion yen which the consul claimed were given as compensation did not reach the victims, who were not represented in the San Francisco Peace Treaty. Those in Hong Kong who still hold Japanese military money can testify to that, as one example.

The consul says that former prime minister Tomiichi Murayama and others have apologised. Mr Murayama did not say who he represented in offering what appear to have been his personal apologies. The present Emperor, Akihito, when he visited Beijing, merely referred to the brutal slaughter, rape and looting, as 'an unfortunate incident'.

There has been no written apology, no visit of penitence, no solemn memorial service (such as the Emperor pays to Japanese war criminals) in the most devastated cities, such as Nanjing, Shenyang, Liukuchiao, Harbin and other Asian cities. Conscience-stained Japanese such as Azuma Shiro who have shown penitence with tears in such cities have been persecuted recently, their books have been banned and they have been called to court on libel charges. Would the consul see any sign of apology or penitence in these facts?

Concerning teaching the children in their history books that Japan invaded China, we have no way to prove that since we have not seen all school textbooks.