Extensive Reading Lesson 4

中日发布研究报告 称南京大屠杀系集体屠杀事件

       在《中日共同历史研究报告》中，日方承认对华战争（1937年爆发，导致30多万人死亡）的定性为侵略战争，同时，承认南京大屠杀是一次集体的屠杀事件。据《新京报》报道，这份报告经过中国学者和日本学者3年时间的共同研究和学术探讨，已经宣告完成。

       中日共同历史研究，是由中国外交部和日本外务省委托双方的学术机构对中日历史进行共同历史研究的学术活动。该活动是近年来中日双方学者第一次一起探讨中日历史上双方尚未共同确认的问题。

       该活动中方首席委员、中国社科院近代史研究所所长步平介绍，尽管战争已经结束60多年，但是日本社会始终存在着否认侵略战争责任的倾向。近年来，日本个别政要参拜靖国神社以及修改历史教科书等事件对中日关系造成非常不好的影响。而启动中日共同历史研究就是从学术上能够对增加双方历史认同感，对中日双方的国民以及未来中日关系产生深远影响。

       在报告内容上，参与研究的中国社科院近代史研究所副所长、中国史学会秘书长王建朗透露，双方一致确认了日本对中国发动的战争是一场侵略战争。

       “其实在日本社会中认为对华战争是侵略战争的人占多数，只是少数人的意见分歧很高，而且有些政治家的言论非常不负责任。”王建朗说。

       步平称，这次研究关注的并不只是被害人数问题，首要问题是关于这一大规模的反人道残暴行为性质的认定。双方学者对这一屠杀事件性质的判断达成一致，都承认这是一次集体的屠杀事件。

       中日共同历史研究第一阶段工作结束后，中日双方还将根据实际研究情况开展第二阶段的研究。


Sino-Japan joint report: Nanjing massacre undeniable

In a report, The Joint Research Report on Sino-Japan History, Japan admits the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945) was an aggressive war and the Nanking Massacre was a collective mass murder. An estimated 300,000 Chinese were murdered in the Nanking Massacre in late 1937. The report holds findings after three years of discussion by Chinese and Japanese researchers, according to The Beijing News.

The research on Sino-Japan history was an academic study launched by China and Japan’s ministries of foreign affairs. It was the first time the two countries discuss the debated questions in recent years.

Bu Ping, chief Chinese committee member and director of the Research Institute of Modern History at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said there has been a tendency of denying the responsibility of the war in Japan, though six decades has passed. Some recent events, such as the visit of the Yasukuni Shrine and amendment of Chinese text books, negatively impacted the bilateral relations. The latest cooperation could improve consensus between the two countries on the history and influence future Sino-Japanese relations and their peoples.

File photo: Bu Ping, director of the Research Institute of Modern History at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. In a report, The Joint Research Report on Sino-Japan History, Japan admits the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945) was an aggressive war and the Nanking Massacre was a collective mass murder.

As for the content of the report, the two sides confirmed the Nanjing Massacre is an aggressive war, said Wang Jianlang, general secretary of the Association of Chinese Historians and vice director of the Research Institute of Modern History at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

“A majority of people think that the war of aggression against China is an aggressive war,” Wang said. “But there have been great differences among the minority, and some opinions from politicians are irresponsible.”

But Ping said the concern is not only on the death toll but also the confirmation of the nature of the anti-humanist violence. Both the two sides accepted the essence this time.

After the first phase of research, the two sides will enter into a second phase.

(China.org.cn translated by Jessica Zhang, February 4, 2010)