From: zzuo@iastate.edu (Zhiqi Zuo)
Subject: It is a shame, Re: An open letter to the Emperor Akihito of Japan
Organization: Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1992 22:45:04 GMT

for both Chinese and Japanese people that the flagrant crimes are 
still coverred by the Japanese governments, 47 YEARS AFTER THE WAR.

Facing the historical facts can't save the more than thirteen milion 
chinese victim's lives, can't save the great damages to the then 
developing country. But it can give us the hints how wars can be 
avoided, if we consider other people's feelings more considerately. 

The following request is going to attract more attention, if the 
open letter is to the Japanese government.

In article <1992Aug14.151714.8459@cbnewsk.cb.att.com> lor@cbnewsk.cb.att.com (edward.lor) writes:
>
>Dear friends:
>
>As you may know from the news media, Emperor Akihito is
>planning a visit to China later this year.  Historically, this will
>be the first visit of a Japanese Emperor to China.  Incidentally,
>this year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of
>diplomatic relation between the two countries.  Thus Akihito's visit
>no doubt will be one of the most significant events in the history
>of Sino-Japanese relation.
>
>It is time to let our voice be heard, otherwise our silence will
>be interpreted as consent to Japan's irresponsible attitude
>toward the crime she did to our country during the Sino-Japanese War.
>In order to urge Emperor Akihito to "take positive actions to put the
>Sino-Japanese relationship in the proper context," we have drafted 
>an open letter to the Emperor, which we have enclosed a copy for your
>perusal.
>
>If you agree to the content of this open letter, please endorse 
>it as an individual or an organization and e-mail it back to me.
>
>For further information, please contact Edward Lor at 
>lor@mtdcr.att.com.
> 
>New Jersey Hong Kong Network
>
>*******************************************************************
> 
>Your Majesty:
>
>As you contemplate the first visit by a Japanese Emperor to China,
>we sincerely hope that you would keep in mind the historical
>perspective of the Sino-Japanese relationship.
>
>Japan's unprovoked invasion of China claimed as many as 15 million
>lives and caused irreparable suffering to many millions more.
>In the Rape of Nanking alone, three hundred thousand Chinese were
>tortured and mass executed by the Japanese Army, in addition to
>rampant raping, looting, and burning of the city.  Yet, Japan has
>never expressed remorse, let alone apologized to China, for the
>crimes and atrocities she committed.
>
>The world have not forgotten the atrocities committed by the Japanese
>soldiers in Asia from 1931-45, and Chinese all over the world are
>still demanding that the Japanese government handle this tragic history
>in a reponsible and honorable way.
>
>With regard to your contemplated visit to China, we strongly request
>that you
>
>(1) formally apologize to China for the war crimes committed
>    by Japan, including the establishment of wartime-brothels,
>(2) begin a thorough review of Japan's school textbooks to
>    ensure that the coverage of the Sino-Japanese war is presented
>    in a truthful way,
>(3) visit the site of the Rape of Nanking and pay respect to the
>    victims, and
>(4) discuss appropriate compensation for Japan's war crimes in
>    China.
>
>We sincerely urge Your Majesty to lead your country to examine,
>acknowledge, and compensate for Japan's war crimes.  This not only
>will help repair the broken friendship between Japan and her
>neighbors, but also will serve as a reminder to the Japanese people
>and potential aggressors in this world of the horrors of war.
>Unless these positive actions are taken to show Japan's sincere
>remorse for the inhumane suffering inflicted upon her neighbors
>during the invasions, and to demonstrate a genuine commitment
>to prevent future aggression, Japan will never be truly regarded as
>a respectable power by nations around the world.
>
>
>The undersigned are organizations or individuals around the world:
>
>New Jersey Hong Kong Network
>
>