TOKYO, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Japanese people called on their compatriots to learn from the history and never let war tragedies happen again Saturday on the occasion of the 81st anniversary of the Lugou Bridge Incident, which marked the outbreak of Japan's full-scale invasion of China in 1937.
Over 300 people rallied in front of the parliamentary building in Tokyo Saturday evening, holding banners with slogans such as "Learn from the history", "Historical revisionism shall not be allowed" and "Never war again."
"July 7 is a day that we shall never forget. Japan inflicted tremendous sufferings on the Chinese people that day (81 years ago). Japan also caused tremendous sufferings to the Chinese people by committing the Nanjing Massacre," said Mieko Kanesugi at the rally.
"The Japanese government now tries to hide that part of history. I think it's really important for us who know that part of history to come here and call for peace," she said.
Kouichiro Kita, a historian and expert on Japan's use of chemical weapons in the war, urged the Japanese government to sincerely apologize and reflect upon the war.
"I think the Japanese government should apologize for the invasive war that it waged. It's a crime that was committed by the Japanese government. They robbed people of their food, their resources and their lives. They should be held accountable for that," he said.
"I think if the Japanese government wants to have a good relationship with China, it should first admit the wrongdoings that it has committed and apologize for it, and after that, consider how to develop its relationship with China," he added.
On July 7, 1937, Japanese troops attacked the Lugou Bridge, also known as the Marco Polo Bridge, on the outskirts of Beijing, triggering China's full-scale resistance against the Japanese invasion.
