Japan should think long and hard about China's War of Resistance against Japan (1937-45), said visiting Hatoyama Yukio, head of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ).

During Tuesday's meeting with President Jiang Zemin, Yokio said that the war launched by Japan caused Chinese people pain, suffering and sacrifice, and noted that Japan should have the courage to face up to reality and history.

But stressing that Sino-Japanese relations are seeing a smooth development on the whole, Jiang said that maintaining healthy, stable and co-operative bilateral relations will not only benefit the basic interests of the two peoples but also bring about a positive contribution to regional and world peace, stability and development.

To improve bilateral relations is the common responsibility of statesmen, especially the young generation of statesmen of the two nations, Jiang said, noting that the two sides should "draw lessons from history and look to the future."

Positively valuing the ties between the two nation's parties, Jiang said that in recent years the Chinese Communist Party has had frequent exchanges with major Japanese political parties, including DPJ.

He added that such activities play a positive role in promoting mutual understanding, mutual trust and friendly relations between the two peoples.

Jiang said he hoped Japanese political parties and leaders can draw up a long-term plan on how to further co-operation in all fields.

Jiang paid a successful state visit to Japan in 1998, when the two nations' leaders reviewed and summed up the experience and lessons of the history of bilateral relations this century. The two sides said they would build up a partnership of friendship and co-operation which would create a climate of peace and development. In July last year, Japanese Prime Minister Obuchi paid an official visit to China. The two countries then defined future focal points and areas of co-operation.

Tuesday Yukio said the DPJ agreed with Jiang's spirit of "drawing lessons from history and looking to the future."

Noting the remarkable progress that China has made since its opening-up policy, Yukio said there is great potential for the two nations to work together even more.

(China Daily 12/13/2000)