Lessons of history for Japan

Abe's evil designs cannot check China's peaceful rise or deter the world from advancing toward peace and prosperity

History is a mirror, and people can distinguish contemporary politicians' sense of right and wrong and their actions through their understanding of history. And going by history, there seems little doubt that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his supporters worship Japan's imperial past, a past of naked fascism and brutal aggression.

From posing for photographs in a plane emblazoned with "731", the number that represents the notorious Japanese chemical and biological warfare Unit 731, and shouting "Long live the emperor", a chant commonly used by Japanese soldiers during World War II, to visiting Yasukuni Shrine that honors 14 Class-A war criminals, Abe has exhibited his appreciation for Japan's militarist past and hard-line stance on territorial disputes with neighboring countries.