A powerful Chinese historical film about the 1937 Nanjing Massacre has ignited cross-cultural dialogue in Tokyo, with viewers from China and Japan calling for ‘learning from history to shape peace’. The screening of ‘Dead To Rights’, hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Japan, drew 150 attendees who shared emotional reflections on war’s brutality. 🌏
Audience Reactions: Heavy Hearts, Hopeful Voices
Tamiko Kanzaki, a former NHK translator, emphasized the film’s unflinching portrayal of wartime atrocities: ‘Forgetting Japan’s role as perpetrators blocks true friendship. We must remember to move forward.’ Japanese military journalist Makoto Konishi added that the film revealed ‘painful truths often sidelined in modern Japan’, criticizing recent military expansion efforts. 💔
Youth Dialogue: Key to Future Ties
Masayuki Inoue of the Japan-China Friendship Association stressed the need for ‘historical education and open discussions among youth’ to strengthen relations. Chinese Ambassador Wu Jianghao echoed this, calling history ‘a textbook and sobering agent’ for reconciliation. 🕊️
The event highlighted a shared desire: turning historical wounds into bridges for understanding. As one attendee put it, ‘Films like this aren’t about blame—they’re about ensuring no one repeats the past.’ ✨
