A Chinese envoy has warned Prime Minister Shinzo Abe against absolving Japan from responsibility for wartime aggression in his statement marking the 70th anniversary of the end of the hostilities.
Cheng Yonghua, China's ambassador to Japan, told a news conference today that Beijing is closely watching if Abe's statement would stick to Tokyo's past expressions of remorse and show "sincerity" to the victims of Japanese wartime brutality.
He says it will be a sign determining Japan's future direction and relations with Asian neighbours.
Relations between Japan and China have been strained over historical and territorial disputes, though some improvement has emerged since Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping met last November.
Abe is seen as reluctant to use the same language of apology and wants to stress Japan's postwar achievements.
