In Japan, different social strata and political blocs have diverse evaluations of history. While conservatives who refuse to take responsibility for the war still maintain a foothold, progressives who call for reflection and apology are becoming more assertive. Among these progressives, understanding of Japan's responsibility also varies.

Left-wing political parties, represented by the Japanese Communist Party, have staged a left-leaning mass movement, with the belief that the state and the leaders of the war headed by the Japanese emperor should be held politically accountable. The Japanese Communist Party is the only political party in Japan that stayed clear of the war.

Liberal-minded intellectuals are also active in reflecting upon Japan's responsibility for waging the aggressive war. Intellectuals who celebrate democracy, in particular, have voiced strong condemnation of the leaders of the state and the military who they believe are directly responsible for launching and expanding the war.

Thanks to the intellectuals' unremitting efforts, remarkable changes have taken place in Japan's history education. In the 1970s, as they condemned the United States for its involvement in the Viet Nam War, the Japanese younger generation was awakened to the aggressive and vicious nature of the war Japan waged against China. An opinion poll at the time showed that over half of the respondents believed the war was aggressive, whereas only some 10 percent of the people surveyed answered that it was defensive. History textbooks with a correct or largely correct evaluation of history became the mainstream.

Regarding the "history issue," two tendencies coexist in Japan. Some people face up to history, while others deny history. Sometimes Japan offers an apology; at other times it attempts to whitewash history of the invasion. Given this inconsistency, China and Japan face the common tasks of sustaining their peaceful and friendly relations, resisting any moves that jeopardize relations and honoring the principles enshrined in their basic political documents. Scholars of the two countries are obliged to do their part by carrying out the joint history study.

The author is director of the Institute of Modern History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and head of the Chinese team on the China-Japan joint history study