China says militant Japan must face war past .
BEIJING 1996-08-28
China on Wednesday called on Japan to acknowledge its wartime past and put a stop to a tide of resurgent militarism to prevent similar atrocities in future .
" Some Japanese are still unrepentant about the atrocities committed by the Japanese militarists during the war , " said a commentary in the official China Daily .
" If they are still undecided whether the war Japan launched was aggressive in nature , it will be difficult to tell whether they will do the same again , " the newspaper said .
China raised indignant protests after several Japanese cabinet ministers visited a shrine dedicated to their country 's war dead on August 15 , the 51st anniversary of Japan 's World War Two surrender .
" Numerous Japanese politicians have tried to whitewash their country 's war atrocities in recent years , " the commentary said .
China estimates 35 million Chinese were killed or wounded by invading Japanese troops from 1931 to 1945 .
" The Japanese have never genuinely apologised for their wartime crimes , " the commentary said .
Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto marked the August 15 anniversary by expressing " remorse " for foreign victims of Japan 's World War Two atrocities .