At a rally held by several Japanese civic groups on Tuesday, participants called on Japan to learn from history and guard against the resurgence of militarism.
They said Japan should face its history of aggression squarely, engage in sincere reflection, draw lessons from the past, and demonstrate its commitment to peaceful development through concrete actions.
The rally took place on the 89th anniversary of the July 7 Incident, also known as the Lugou Bridge Incident, which marked the beginning of Japan's full-scale invasion of China in 1937.
Participants said Japanese society's understanding of its wartime aggression remains seriously inadequate, arguing that this has become a major obstacle to the development of Japan-China relations.
Groups participating in the rally included the Japan-China Friendship August 15 Association, the Fushun's Miracles Inheritance Association, and the Kanto Japan-China Peace and Friendship Association.
