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World / Asia

Japan 'disappointed' by Chinese leader's WWII speech

Published: 03 Sep 2015 - 11:27 am | Last Updated: 01 Nov 2021 - 06:49 pm
Peninsula

A woman prays during a memorial for Taiwan's "comfort women" who were forced to work as sex slaves by the Japanese imperial army during the World War II on the 70th anniversary of Japan's surrender in Taipei, Taiwan, Friday, Aug. 14, 2015. In a statement marking the anniversary of Japan's surrender, Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe acknowledged Friday that Japan inflicted "immeasurable damage and suffering" on innocent people in World War II, but stopped short of offering his own apology and said future generations of Japanese should not have to make them either.

TOKYO: Japan said Thursday it was "disappointed" there were no signs of rapprochement in Chinese President Xi Jinping's speech to mark the 70th anniversary of Tokyo's WWII defeat, as Beijing showed off its growing might with a huge military parade.

"Tokyo had requested that Beijing make sure that the event was not so anti-Japanese, but instead contain elements of rapprochement between Japan and China," top government spokesman Yoshihide Suga told reporters.

"It was disappointing that such elements were not in President Xi Jinping's speech today."

AFP