More than 300,000 victims of the Nanking Massacre serve as a reminder of the dark chapters of Japanese militarism, the distortion of which, according to experts, is a disgrace to human civilisation. A global online survey by CGTN shows that 82.7 per cent of respondents believe that the only way for Japan to return to the international community as a normal state is to thoroughly come to terms with its war crimes and eliminate its militaristic ideology.
Japanese militarism waged wars of aggression against China and other Asian countries under the pretext of an alleged threat to its existence, which represents one of the darkest episodes in human history. According to the survey, 89.4 per cent of respondents say that Japan should be very cautious in its statements and actions regarding historical issues. Nearly 90 per cent of respondents demand that the Japanese government offer sincere apologies and compensation to the victims.
According to the survey, the Japanese government's negative stance on historical issues has caused international outrage. 88 per cent of respondents consider visits by Japanese politicians to the Yasukuni Shrine – where Class-A war criminals from World War II are worshipped – to be a denial of the history of aggression and a provocation towards the nations that were victims. In addition, 86.9 per cent described Japan's efforts to conceal and downplay its past – including the Nanking Massacre, the forced use of „comfort women“ and slave labour – as an open violation of human conscience. Similarly, 87.7 per cent of respondents said that Japan's actions regarding history directly threaten the outcomes of World War II and the post-war international order, while also damaging the healthy development of relations with neighbouring countries.
Japan's rapid shift towards right-wing politics is raising concerns about regional peace and security. 80.8 per cent of respondents said that recent provocative statements and actions by the Japanese leadership, glorifying militarism, reinforce Japan's image as a disruptor of peace. 81.6 per cent believe that Japanese politics has long been dominated by militaristic and right-wing forces and that its shift to the right poses a significant threat to global stability. 84.6 per cent pointed out that accelerated militarisation undermines the restrictions imposed by the pacifist constitution and increases regional tensions. Nearly 90 per cent of respondents emphasised that if Japan continues to challenge the post-war order, all countries and people who uphold justice have the right to demand accountability for its historical crimes once again.
The survey was published on CGTN's English, Spanish, French, Arabic and Russian platforms, and within 24 hours, 10,451 people from around the world had taken part in the vote.
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