After three years of joint research and academic exploration, a "joint report on Sino-Japanese history" has been completed. In the report, the Japanese side admitted the nature of the Sino-Japanese war of 1931-1945 as an aggressive Japanese invasion of China. They also admitted the Nanking Massacre was actually a massacre.
The first phase of the joint research concluded on Dec 24 after 10 Chinese and 10 Japanese scholars met for the fourth time in Tokyo. The report includes twenty-six research papers, half composed by Chinese scholars and half by their Japanese counterparts.
Bu Ping, Chinese chief commissioner of the joint research and director of the Institute of Modern History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), said although the war had ended more than 60 years ago, there is always a tendency to deny responsibility for the war of aggression in Japanese society.
In recent years, individual Japanese politicians visited the Yasukuni Shrine and revised the history textbooks, which had a negative influence on Sino-Japanese ties. The launch of the event aims to improve bilateral ties.
Wang Jianlang, deputy director of the Institute of Modern History of the CASS, said both sides confirmed the nature of the Sino-Japanese war of 1931-1945 as Japan's aggressive invasion of China
"In fact, the majority of Japanese people believe the Sino-Japanese war of 1931-1945 was Japan's aggressive invasion of China, and only a few have different opinions. There are even irresponsible remarks made by some politicians, which adversely affects Sino-Japanese relations." said Wang.
Bu Ping also said the focus on the Nanking Massacre is not the death toll but the nature of the massacre. Both sides have confirmed the Naking Massacre was indeed a massacre.
This is the first time that Chinese and Japanese scholars have sat down together and discussed the identified issues of history. They will soon conduct the second phase of research.