The Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions (FTU) demonstrated yesterday against Japan for its refusal to repent for its wartime crimes on the eve of the 74th anniversary of the Japanese invasion of China.

FTU members assembled in front the Japanese consulate in Central, demanding Tokyo face up to history and apologize for the atrocities the Japanese aggressors committed on the Chinese people in the 1930s and 1940s.

The Japanese invasion began in 1931 with the "September 18 incident", in which its troops overran the northeast city of Shenyang and subsequently occupied Northeast China, then known as Manchuria.

Waving banners and shouting slogans, FTU lambasted Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi for visiting Yasukuni Shrine.

"When maintaining world peace is a common aspiration among people all over the world, Koizumi has ignored strong opposition from other Asian countries and visited the Yasukuni war shrine. His act is absolutely shameful and humiliating for all Chinese and Asian peoples," FTU legislator Wong Kwok-hing said.

Japan should also stop its incursions in the Chinese territory of Diaoyu Islands, the protesters said.

(China Daily September 19, 2005)