Japan 'disappointed' with Chinese President Xi Jinping's speech on second world war

Japan said on Thursday it was “disappointed” there were no signs of rapprochement in President Xi Jinping’s speech to mark the 70th anniversary of Tokyo’s defeat in the second world war, as Beijing showed off its growing might with a huge military parade.

“Tokyo had requested that Beijing make sure that the event was not so anti-Japanese, but instead contain elements of rapprochement between Japan and China,” top government spokesman Yoshihide Suga told reporters. “It was disappointing that such elements were not in President Xi Jinping’s speech today.”

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said earlier China should not "excessively focus on its unfortunate past history but show its intention to tackle common issues facing the international community with a view to the future". 

Suga refrained from directly commenting on the parade and other events taking place in China, only saying the Japanese government “is closely watching related developments”.

Suga also expressed Japan’s readiness to advance a plan to hold a trilateral summit with China and South Korea as early as October as part of efforts to promote regional cooperation.

Japan “will continue communications with China and South Korea and work out a specific timing and venue” for the summit, Suga said, referring to an agreement struck on Wednesday between Xi and South Korean President Park Geun-hye to hold it “at a convenient time including late October or early November”.