MANILA, Philippines — Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Friday told China to back off who accused Japan of “neo-militarism” after it launched its Type 88 surface–to-ship missile in the Philippines for the first time.
After years of being an observer, Japan finally debuted its active participation in this year’s Exercise Balikatan training simultaneously with Filipino and American soldiers as well as other allied countries
The Type 88 missile was used to sink a decommissioned Philippine Navy vessel simulated as a target enemy ship.
But shortly after the drills, China Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian accused Japan of “re-militarization” citing its invasion and imposition of colonial rule over the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries during World War II.
Labelling Japan as an “aggressor,” Lin Jian said the country should “shoulder grave historical responsibilities” after it “failed to reflect on its historical crimes” sealing defense partnerships with the Philippines and the United States “under the pretext of security cooperation.”
Teodoro hit back at China for its condemnation of Japan dismissing everything it said as something that should not be believed.
“It’s surprising coming from China—a dictatorship whose military suppresses its own people—and then they use improper references to history while hiding what they themselves are doing. But I’ll repeat: no one is listening to or believing what China says. Those messages are only to deceive their own citizens,” Teodoro told reporters.
Teodoro said he simply dismisses China’s accusations and that they do not have any business making comments on what’s happening in the Philippines.
“Number one, I don’t believe it. Number two, they have no business there. I mean, what is their business? They should mind their own backyard. They should mind their own backyard, especially the suppression of their own citizens that they haven't stopped. This is also a distraction for their citizens from their own problems,” Teodoro said.
Japan occupied the Philippines from 1941-1945 often described as one of the darkest chapters in Philippine history.
Japanese atrocities in the Philippines during WWII were well documented including the brutal Bataan Death March, Manila Massacre and sexual slavery or "comfort women" resulting in roughly one million Filipino civilian deaths.
Japanese forces targeted civilians, guerrillas, and prisoners of war through mass executions, torture, and forced labor, leaving the Philippines devastated
To this day, the Japanese government has generally acknowledged the atrocities committed during its occupation of the Philippines during World War II, but its apologies and acknowledgments have often been described by survivors and activists as vague, or lacking in full legal responsibility.
The Japanese government has not issued any formal statement answering China’s accusation.
