Russian MFA calls on Japan to acknowledge World War II past

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Japan must honestly confront its historical legacy and reflect on the consequences of its actions during World War II, stressing that history should not be distorted.

According to CGTN, Zakharova made the remarks in an interview with China Media Group, where she addressed historical interpretations of Japan’s wartime role.

She argued that the problem, in her view, lies with certain Japanese politicians and individuals who ignore what she described as the clear historical reality that Japan sided incorrectly during World War II. Zakharova stated that Japan at the time acted as an aggressor and a militarist state, adding that political leaders of that era pushed many Japanese citizens toward losing their humanity and committing acts of cruelty.

“Japan must learn lessons so that future generations do not repeat the same mistakes. We have lived through all of this, and we will never allow it to spread again. I believe that Russia and China share the same position on this issue,” she said.

Zakharova also emphasised that modern Japan should openly acknowledge past errors and carefully reassess them, noting that historical memory requires accuracy and responsibility.

During World War II, Japan pursued an expansionist policy across East and Southeast Asia, occupying large territories including parts of China, Korea and Southeast Asia. The conflict in the Pacific intensified after Japan’s 1941 attack on Pearl Harbour, which brought the United States into the war.

Japanese forces were involved in numerous brutal military campaigns and wartime atrocities, while the war ultimately ended in August 1945 following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and Japan’s subsequent surrender, bringing an end to the global conflict in the Pacific theatre.

By Tamilla Hasanova