The Japanese government categorically disagrees with the accusations of militarism contained in a joint statement by Russia and China, said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi.
“We believe that the allegations that our country should distance itself from militarism are completely incorrect“, he noted. Hayashi stressed that Japan “will continue the path of a peaceful nation that it has followed throughout the post-war years“. “And this will not change in the future“, added the Japanese government's secretary-general.
Hayashi again criticized Russia's actions in Ukraine, as well as China's military activity in the region. “We hope that both sides will focus on solving these problems instead of criticizing other countries“, he said.
In a joint statement by Russia and China on further deepening cooperation in honor of the 80th anniversary of the Victory, the two sides called on Japan to be careful in its words and actions regarding the Yasukuni Shrine and to completely distance itself from militarism.
“The parties believe that official Tokyo should learn from the inhuman pages of its own history, be careful in its words and actions regarding the Yasukuni Shrine and other moments in history, and completely distance itself from militarism, which in the past has brought sorrow and suffering to the peoples of the world and to Japan itself“, the statement said. The Yasukuni Shrine is considered a symbol of Japanese militarism in Asian countries.