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2012 February 22 - 28 TOP3 [HISTORY]

JCP Nagoya City Assembly members protest against mayor’s denial of Nanjing Massacre

The Japanese Communist Party members of the Nagoya City Assembly on February 21 petitioned City Mayor Kawamura Takashi to retract his remarks denying the Nanjing Massacre by the Imperial Japanese Army in 1937, stating that his remarks inexcusably distort historical facts.

Kawamura made the remarks on February 20 during a meeting with a Chinese Communist Party delegation from Nanjing City, a sister city of Nagoya, at the city office building.

Kawamura said that he believes that when the Japanese military occupied Nanjing City in 1937, there was regular combat but no slaughter of innocent people.

In the petition, the JCP pointed out, “The former Japanese troops’ massacre of Nanjing citizens and the atrocious acts committed are undeniable historical facts. In 2006 when Kawamura was a Lower House member, the Japanese government in its written response to his question admitted to the criminal acts, ‘It is undeniable that when the Japanese Army invaded the city, it slaughtered a large number of non-combatants and committed looting and other criminal acts.’”

The JCP petition also states, “As assembly representatives of Nagoya citizens, in our opinion it is unforgivable for the city mayor to make such insulting remarks that contradict historical facts and the government view on formal occasions as mayor.”

Stating that he would not retract his remarks, Kawamura on February 22 said, “I’ll say what I need to say.”

The Nanjing City government on the previous day announced its suspension of its sister city relationship with Nagoya on the grounds that the Nagoya mayor’s denial of the massacre insulted the citizens of Nanjing.