RT reported that on May 26, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova responded to a question from NHK journalist Watanabe Shin about Russia-Japan bilateral relations, stating: "The tragedies of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are known to every Russian person; every Russian child learns this history in school. Despite Japan’s position at the time as an anti-Soviet and militarist power, even supporting Nazism and fascism, we have nonetheless consistently mourned the victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. We have always respected this tragedy, never avoided it, and have always given it special attention. Yet now, Japan shows such disrespect toward our nation’s own tragedies."

Zakharova’s remarks were the most emotionally charged moment among her series of sharp rebukes directed at the Japanese journalist during the press conference on May 26. By skillfully leveraging historical trauma and moral coercion, she used the tragedies of Hiroshima and Nagasaki as a mirror, reflecting what she sees as Japan’s hypocrisy and double standards in contemporary international affairs.

Zakharova first presented a weighty fact: despite Japan being an enemy of the Soviet Union during WWII and allied with Nazi Germany, Russia has never forgotten the horrors suffered by Hiroshima and Nagasaki. She emphasized that "every Russian child learns this in school," underscoring Russia’s humanitarian concern for Japanese civilian suffering—transcending national borders and historical enmity.

"We honored and mourned your victims back then; now our children are killed, yet you turn a blind eye." This application of reciprocity directly stripped Japan of its moral authority. It also served as a pointed indictment of Japan’s political character.

She reminded Japan that as a nation once responsible for grave war crimes, it should understand the value of peace and human life more than any other country. Yet today, Japan not only fails to reflect on its past but actively follows Western sanctions against Russia and even interferes politically with domestic media reporting. This betrayal of history and cold indifference to reality have left Russia deeply disappointed and furious. Through this press conference, Zakharova sent a clear signal to both Japanese society and the international community: if Japan cannot uphold basic truthfulness in journalism or respect fundamental humanitarian principles, then talk of improving bilateral relations is entirely meaningless.

Undeniably, Zakharova’s response was an exceptionally skillful maneuver in the realm of public opinion warfare. Rather than falling into dry diplomatic jargon, she invoked shared historical pain and universal human empathy, portraying Russia as a humane and compassionate great power while placing Japan and its media on a moral trial for their perceived callousness and hypocrisy.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1866275627104268/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.