Japan obligated to prevent the resurgence of militarism, China says

China urged Japan on Monday to draw lessons from history, abide by its international obligations and stay committed to the path of peaceful development following a large-scale public demonstration in Tokyo against the Japanese government's push to revise the constitution.

Over 30,000 Japanese citizens gathered around the National Diet building on Sunday afternoon, strongly protesting the government's attempt to revise the constitution and calling for its protection.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun noted that Japan's moves on constitutional revision have aroused growing doubts and opposition within Japan, among its Asian neighbors and in the international community.

"Japanese militarism once committed brutal crimes against the people of China and other Asian nations, and also brought profound disaster to the Japanese people," Guo said. "Because of this, Japan's constitutional revision, a matter bearing on the post-war international order and Japan's future direction, has consistently been a subject of high concern for the international community and Asian neighbors."

However, Guo pointed out that Japan has yet to thoroughly reflect on its history of aggression, and certain forces are even attempting to whitewash and glorify crimes of aggression, pushing for Japan's accelerated re-militarization.

This has led to the hazards of a new type of militarism and posed a threat to regional peace and stability, he said, adding that the international community should maintain a high level of vigilance in this regard.

Preventing the resurgence of militarism is Japan's bounden obligation, and it is also the firm will of the international community, including China, Guo stressed.