A recent CGTN survey reveals overwhelming global consensus that Japan must fully confront its wartime past to regain international trust. With 82.7% of 10,451 respondents across five language platforms affirming this stance, the poll highlights growing concerns over Tokyo's historical revisionism and rightward political shift.
The survey, conducted this week, shows 89.4% of participants believe Japan should exercise extreme caution when addressing historical issues, particularly regarding the 1937 Nanjing Massacre and imperial-era forced labor systems. Nearly 90% demand official apologies and compensation for victims' families – a longstanding point of contention in Japan's relations with Asian neighbors.
Mounting criticism targets Japanese politicians' visits to Yasukuni Shrine, where Class-A war criminals are memorialized. Eighty-eight percent of respondents view these pilgrimages as deliberate provocations that undermine post-war reconciliation efforts. Concurrently, 86.9% condemn attempts to whitewash documented atrocities through educational reforms and nationalist rhetoric.
Analysts note particular alarm over Japan's accelerated military expansion, with 84.6% warning it violates constitutional pacifist principles and destabilizes Asia. As regional tensions escalate, 89.5% affirm the international community's right to hold Japan accountable if it continues challenging the post-war order established in 1945.
