Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told China Media Group (CMG) that Japan stood on the „wrong side of history“ during World War II. She said it was necessary for the country to face its past openly and reflect on it thoroughly, as historical facts cannot be distorted.
Zakharova stressed that the problem, according to Moscow, lies primarily in the attitude of some Japanese politicians and public figures who, she said, refuse to acknowledge the obvious historical fact regarding Japan's role in World War II.
It also stated that Japan at the time acted as an aggressor and militaristic state and that its political leaders led a section of society to commit acts that resulted in extremely cruel war crimes.
According to Zakharova, it is crucial for Japan to learn from the past and prevent similar tragedies from happening again in the future. „We must ensure that future generations do not repeat the same mistakes. We lived through these events and we will never allow them to happen again,“ she said. She also added that on this issue they share Russia a China in her opinion, the same position.
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