The repatriation of 1.05 million Japanese emigrants in China
after World War II was marked Sunday in Huludao City, northeast
China's Liaoning Province.
Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan and former Japanese Prime Minister
Tomiichi Murayama addressed a forum on China-Japan relations, part
of the activities marking the 60th anniversary of the
repatriation.
"The fact that Chinese and Japanese gathered here today to
review the history and look forward to the future displays our
resolution and belief to cherish peace, oppose war and promote
friendship, " Tang said at the opening address.
Tang said the commemorations are of "great historical and
realistic significance."
"The repatriation demonstrated the munificence and
humanitarianism of the Chinese people, thus quite a few Japanese
are deeply grateful to the repatriation," said Murayama, who served
as Japanese Prime Minister from June 1994 to January 1996.
The forum was sponsored by the Chinese People's Association for
Friendship with Foreign Countries and the Liaoning provincial
government.
On May 7, 1946, nine months after Japan surrendered to the
Allies, about 2,500 Japanese emigrants, victims of their country's
colonial expansion, began their voyage home from Huludao, marking
the beginning of a repatriation effort that lasted until 1948.
(Xinhua News Agency June 25, 2006)