China calls for international efforts to prevent Japan from reverting to path of militarism

A Chinese envoy on Monday called on the international community to jointly prevent Japan from reverting to "the old and pernicious path of militarism."

Sun Lei, charge d'affaires of China's Permanent Mission to the United Nations, made the appeal at the first session of the Preparatory Committee for the UN Conference of Plenipotentiaries on Prevention and Punishment of Crimes Against Humanity.

Crimes against humanity constitute grave offenses that threaten international peace and security. This charge first appeared in the Charter of the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg and the Charter of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East, embodying the conscience of humankind, Sun said.

During World War II, Japanese militarism inflicted profound atrocities on the people of China, other Asian nations, and the world. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the beginning of the work of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East ("Tokyo trials"), Sun added.

"The Tribunal systematically adjudicated and exposed the crimes of Japanese militarism in planning, preparing for, and invading China and other Asian nations, as well as in launching the Pacific War," Sun said.

"It sentenced relevant war criminals for crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity."

The Tokyo trials stand as irrefutable historical evidence of Japan's crimes of aggression, pioneered the development of international criminal law, and sounded a clarion call for peace to correct Japan's expansionist policies, said the Chinese diplomat.

"The international community should jointly safeguard the victorious outcomes of World War II, including the Tokyo trials, uphold the international order based on international law, and prevent Japan from reverting to the old and pernicious path of militarism," he said.

Against the current international situation marked by intertwined changes and turmoil and regional conflicts arising one after another, strengthening the prevention and punishment of crimes against humanity is both timely and of great significance, said Sun.