Premier Wen Jiabao said yesterday that Japan should "face up to history" and admit to the tremendous suffering it inflicted on people in China, Asia and the rest of the world during World War II.

He added that Japan should reflect on widespread protests over the last weeks. Demonstrations were organized in major Chinese cities at the weekend against Japan's perceived distortion of history and whitewashing of wartime atrocities. Protesters in China and elsewhere in Asia have spoken out against Japan's hope to become a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

"The strong response should cause the Japanese government deep and profound reflections," Wen told reporters in New Delhi, where he was wrapping up a four-day trip.

"Only a country that respects history, takes responsibility for its past, and wins over the trust of the people of Asia and the world at large can take greater responsibility in the international community," he said.

In Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Qin Gang said at Tuesday's regular media briefing that the protests were "totally spontaneous" and prompted by public dissatisfaction at "the bad practice and attitude adopted by the Japanese toward its history of aggression."

"What I want to stress is that they are not targeted against the Japanese people," Qin said.

When asked how Beijing would respond to Japanese demands for an apology and compensation for damage to the Japanese Embassy and other Japanese institutions in China, Qin said the government has all along asked the demonstrators to express their feelings in a calm, rational and orderly manner in accordance with the law.

"The relevant authorities have done a lot in this regard to ensure the security of Japanese institutes and citizens in China," he added. "As for a few excessive actions during the demonstration, that is not what we wish to see."

During Tuesday's meeting with the president of Kyodo News Service Toyohiko Yamanouchi, State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan called upon Japan to accept its past and allow the country to move forward and promote friendship between China and Japan.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of China's victory in the War of Resistance Against the Japanese Invasion (1937-45).

In March, on the sidelines of the third annual session of the 10th National People's Congress, the premier said China’s relationship with Japan is one of its most important and that high-level exchanges and visits should be encouraged, joint strategic studies on promoting friendship launched and historical issues appropriately handled.

(China Daily April 13, 2005)