Anniversary of Japan's WWII surrender marked

More than 100 Chinese people and Japanese pacifists held a memorial ceremony on Wednesday in the eastern Chinese city of Nanjing to mark the 67th anniversary of Japan's surrender during World War II.

Three friendship delegations from Japan, survivors of the Nanjing Massacre and Chinese researchers on the holocaust attended the ceremony at the Memorial Hall of the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders to mourn the 300,000 victims and pray for world peace.

Zhu Chengshan, president of the memorial hall, said the rally showed people's aspirations to oppose war and pursue peace, and that world peace be maintained perpetually only by drawing lessons from the past.

A professor from Nagasaki University said that on the soil of Nanjing, Japanese attendees again deeply acknowledged the atrocity their country's invaders committed against Chinese people, labelling the era "extremely sorrowful."

The Japanese pacifists said they will encourage more Japanese nationals to learn about this part of history to avoid a repeat of the tragedy, and strive to help boost bilateral exchange to achieve real friendship between the two countries.

Japanese troops occupied Nanjing on Dec. 13, 1937, and launched a six-week massacre. Chinese records show more than 300,000 people, not only disarmed soldiers, but also civilians, were killed.

Also on Wednesday, more than 30 survivors of Japanese bombings of Chongqing and their relatives gathered near Japan's general consulate in the southwestern Chinese metropolis to protest against Japan's wartime crimes.

The protesters also demanded that the Japanese side stop any plans and actions to encroach the Diaoyu Islands.