The Chinese military parade has been criticized as stoking anti-Japanese sentiment, as wartime history between the two nations remains a sore subject.
The “Victory Day” parade marks the 80th anniversary of Imperial Japan’s surrender at the end of World War II, which China refers to as the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. Millions of people died during Japan’s invasion and occupation of China from 1931 to 1945.
Experts said the Beijing parade lacked the spirit of reconciliation seen in other World War II commemorations.
“It’s unfortunate that China can’t celebrate itself and it has to celebrate the demise of Japan to gain political validation,” said Drew Thompson, a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.
Japan, a key U.S. ally, has not confirmed reports that it urged other countries not to attend the event.
Yoshimasa Hayashi, the Japanese government’s top spokesperson, declined to comment on China’s intentions but said “Japan has consistently pursued the path of a peaceful nation since the end of the war, determined never to repeat the horrors of war, striving to build a free and democratic nation that respects human rights and the rule of law.”
“We have repeatedly emphasized this position to China and have communicated this to the international community on multiple occasions,” he told reporters in Tokyo.