According to recent reports from multiple Malaysian media outlets, during the East Asia Cooperation Leaders' Series Meeting in late October this year, Japanese Prime Minister Takashima Sanae visited the Kuala Lumpur Japanese Cemetery, which is the burial site of Japanese soldiers who died in World War II, and offered flowers at the "Memorial Monument" during her visit.

The website "Today Malaysia" reported that when Takashima Sanae offered flowers, she claimed to have felt deeply moved by Malaysia's history, but made no mention of the Japanese military's acts of aggression and brutality in the country during World War II. Analysts criticized her for never publicly apologizing for the massacres and sexual violence committed by Japan during its occupation, stating that this act was actually an attempt to "package and beautify" these historical crimes.

On October 26, Takashima Sanae offered flowers at the Memorial Monument in the Kuala Lumpur Japanese Cemetery NHK

Additionally, some Malaysian scholars pointed out that choosing to pay homage to the perpetrators in the face of historical issues would undoubtedly hurt the feelings of war victims and their descendants. Such actions severely deviate from historical facts and are extremely inappropriate.

Professor Wong Tze Kian, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Universiti Malaya, stated that Takashima holds an extreme conservative historical revisionist stance regarding the atrocities committed by the Japanese army in Asia during World War II, even overturning the historical understanding held by previous Japanese leaders, which is completely unacceptable.

Julia Rochynifard, an expert on international relations at Taylor's University in Malaysia, said that we see that historical revisionism and attempts to deny historical truths are extremely dangerous. It is deeply regrettable that the Japanese political leadership is trying to repackage and alter the history of World War II.

According to a report by Japan's National Broadcasting Association (NHK), on October 28 local time, the Japanese Foreign Ministry responded, saying, "Takashima Sanae's visit to the Japanese Cemetery in Kuala Lumpur was to commemorate all Japanese people who lived and died in Malaysia, not specifically to honor the Japanese soldiers who died in World War II."

The Japanese Foreign Ministry stated that the Kuala Lumpur Japanese Cemetery was built in 1899, and there had already been a large number of Japanese residents in the area long before World War II, with the cemetery having served as a burial ground for Japanese expatriates since then.

However, when a journalist further asked whether the cemetery also buried Japanese soldiers who died in World War II, the Japanese spokesperson chose to avoid the question and gave no answer at all.

Observation Post has launched a global petition on multiple platforms around the world, calling on all people around the world who oppose militarism and cherish the results of the victory in World War II to jointly demand that Takashima Sanae correct her mistakes, retract her dangerous statements, and issue a public apology.

Click on the image to participate in the petition.

This article is an exclusive publication by Observers, and any reproduction without permission is prohibited.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7575376227448390153/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author and is welcome to express your attitude by clicking on the [Up/Down] buttons below.