Today is the 80th anniversary of the July 7th Incident. Looking back at history at such a special time node also opens a window for people to examine the present and think about the future.
"Fundamentally speaking, every period of history belongs to all mankind. There is no history that belongs to only one country or one nation. " Akira iriye, a famous Japanese historian at Harvard University, once wrote this sentence, which should be a vision for people to think about the July 7th Incident and the history of Japanese militarism's full-scale war of aggression against China. This is not only because the "July 7th Incident" was an important event that rewrote the historical trend of mankind in the 20th century-China started the national war of resistance, thus opening up the world's first anti-fascist battlefield, but also because by repeatedly examining this magnificent history of life-and-death struggle between peace and war, justice and evil, mankind, as a community of destiny, can draw better spiritual strength for the future.
There is no need to avoid today's commemoration of the July 7th Incident. From a practical perspective, there is no lack of anxiety. As the initiator of the war of aggression 80 years ago, Japan has not really completed historical redemption and sought reconciliation from the victims of the militaristic war of aggression. On the contrary, for some time, the right deviation of Japan's political ecology has gradually intensified, and the forces that whitewash the history of war have also risen.
Over the past year, Japan has exposed a series of "shock" news from time to time, making the world clearly see Japan's "default" psychology in historical cognition. Defense Minister Tomomi Inada visited the Yasukuni Shrine on the second day of his so-called Pearl Harbor trip to seek reconciliation with the United States. Despite all kinds of objections, the owner of APA Hotel insisted on placing historical books in the hotel room that denied the Nanjing Massacre, the Japanese forced the "comfort women" and other historical facts. Educational imperial edicts, bayonet wars and other historical relics with strong militaristic colors have re-entered the Japanese education system ... even "the Sino-Japanese War was not a war of aggression" and "the US-Japan War was a conspiracy of Roosevelt".
On the other hand, Japan, eager to deny history, now shows an anxiety about the future. The Abe government's eagerness to amend the peace constitution is an obvious manifestation of this mentality. In the eyes of Japanese right-wing political forces, including historical cognition and peaceful constitution, they are all fetters that hinder Japan's future and are eager to dilute or abandon it. However, history is history and facts are facts. No one can change history and facts. "ostrich mentality" has never been the correct way to solve historical problems. In a sense, the more Japan evades its historical responsibility, the heavier its historical burden will be. In an attempt to evade historical responsibility and "rush into" a future, Japan will only let itself walk into a dead end. The reason is simple: Japan's Asian neighbors and the international community will not turn a blind eye to Japan's words and deeds that challenge historical facts and international justice.
Not long ago, former German Chancellor helmut kohl passed away. Juncker, the president of the European Commission and a good friend of Cole, deeply recalled at a mourning occasion: "Everyone deeply admired Cole's unremitting efforts to make up for the wounds of World War II, and I may be the only one who has seen him cry. On that day, we finally decided to include several countries in Southeast Europe in the EU. Cole said with tears at the time that this was the best day of his life, because as German Chancellor, after his country brought such a deep disaster to Europe, he finally ushered in a day to personally promote European unity. " In Juncker's narrative, "No one at the scene was embarrassed by Cole's tears, because it was also one of the best moments in Europe".
In Cole's tears, there is honesty about history and a politician's responsibility to open up the future, which may make people better understand why Germany can regain international recognition after World War II. At the same time, it is also reminiscent of a slogan made by Japanese young people at the demonstration site against Abe's "constitutional amendment" in Shinjuku Central Park in Tokyo at the beginning of this year-"What should be changed is not the constitution, but politics." On the key issues of how to understand history and face the future, Japanese politicians should really take responsibility and make changes as soon as possible.
History cannot be tampered with, this is a fact, this is irrefutable evidence, and we can't hide it if we want to. We can't forget history, we must avenge our shame, and we must believe in the power of the people!