China protests over reports Japan urged other countries to skip WWII parade

China has lodged a protest with Japan after Tokyo reportedly asked foreign leaders not to attend next month’s parade in Beijing to mark the end of World War II.

Citing anonymous diplomatic sources, Japan’s Kyodo news agency reported on Sunday that Japanese embassies abroad have been warning that the Victory Day events have anti-Japanese overtones.

Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, said on Tuesday that Beijing has lodged protests with Japan, asked for clarification and urged Japan to face up to its past.

“Any country that honestly confronts history, genuinely learns from historical lessons, and sincerely commits to peaceful development would not harbour doubts or raise objections regarding this matter,” Guo told reporters in Beijing.

“If Japan truly wishes to move beyond historical issues, it should confront and reflect on its history of aggression with an honest attitude, sever all ties with militarism, pursue a path of peaceful development, and genuinely respect the feelings of the people of China and other victimised nations. Only then can it gain the trust of its Asian neighbours and the international community.”

This year’s commemorations, marking the 80th anniversary of China’s victory in the “people’s war of resistance against Japanese aggression” – as the war is generally referred to – and the global victory over fascism, will include a military parade next Wednesday.