Beijing calls on Tokyo to break with militarism

China on Thursday urged Japanese right-wing forces to fulfill international obligations, fully remove the pernicious influence of militarism and stick to peaceful development.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun made the remarks at a news briefing when asked whether Japan is challenging the outcomes of World War II as Tokyo released its 2026 Defense White Paper last month, claiming to further seek "enemy base strike capability".

Japan's Defense Ministry on Monday also submitted a record fiscal year 2027 budget request of roughly 8.89 trillion yen ($56.9 billion).

Thursday marked the 81st anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the World Anti-Fascist War.

Guo said Sept 3 was designated as Victory Day to remember the profound suffering that Japanese military aggression imposed on the people of China and the world, and to remind the public not to forget history and uphold the outcomes of World War II victory and the postwar international order.

Over the years, Japanese right-wing forces have tried to turn the verdict on the history of aggression and break free from the postwar international arrangements and obligations, he noted.

A series of international documents, including the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation and the Japanese Instrument of Surrender, legally established Japan's status as a defeated state and explicitly stipulated its obligations, including eradicating militarism, dismantling its military industries, destroying its war-making capabilities and not rearming for war.

These arrangements help uphold historical truth and international justice, Guo said, adding they also set up an institutional line of defense against the resurrection of militarism and embody the outcomes of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War.

China will stand together with peace-loving countries to firmly hold back the malevolent emergence of Japanese neo-militarism under the pretext of making Japan a "normal country" and prevent it from wreaking havoc on the region and the world, he said.

Also on Thursday, Guo said that China stands ready to engage with visionary people in Japan in the hope of enhancing mutual understanding and trust as long as they abide by the four political documents, support a friendly China policy and cherish China-Japan relations.

The Japan-China Friendship Parliamentarians' Union is reportedly considering sending a delegation to China this month that would comprise young lawmakers from both the ruling and opposition parties.

Guo said some visionary people in Japan are deeply concerned over the current state of China-Japan relations and wish to make an effort to improve bilateral ties.

"We call on those running the government of Japan to listen to and value the voice of reason at home and create the conditions necessary for normal exchanges between China and Japan with concrete actions," he said.