Diplomats and advocates for Japan-China friendship gathered in Inawashiro, Fukushima Prefecture, on May 18 to reflect on the past and renew their commitment to a peaceful future between the two nations.

The completed restoration of a monument honoring fallen Chinese laborers was marked with a commemorative tree-planting ceremony.

Historical records show that near the end of World War II, around 40,000 Chinese people were forcibly brought to Japan and subjected to brutal forced labor, resulting in 6,830 deaths.

About 1,000 Chinese were sent to Fukushima, where 25 died under inhumane conditions. To mourn the souls of the Chinese laborers and stand against militarism, a 17-foot-tall monument was unveiled in Inawashiro in 1971.

After being expanded in 1988, a second major renovation begun in 2023 and was recently completed with the support of Japan-China friendship organizations.

Participants in the tree-planting ceremony expressed their commitment to learning from history, looking to the future, working together to safeguard peace, and supporting the continued improvement of China-Japan relations.