严跃文：历史问题没有恣意行事的空间（中英对照）

历史问题没有恣意行事的空间

Distorting History is Unacceptable

 

严跃文

Yan Yuewen

 

波澜壮阔的中国人民抗日战争暨世界反法西斯战争早已载入史册。

 

The entire world remembers the history of the world’s anti-Fascist war and the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.

 

这场战争是由哪些国家在何种邪恶思想驱使下发动的？世界反法西斯阵营如何凝聚起正义的力量，用鲜血和生命捍卫了人类尊严？无论是历史教训还是历史功绩，理应成为世界各国的共同记忆。战争期间和战争结束后签署的一系列拥有国际法效力的文件、经得起历史检验的对战争罪责的审判、战后70年来不断深化的历史研究成果，都为这种共同记忆奠定了坚实的基础。

 

But some important questions about the war must be clearly answered. Who launched the aggression at the beginning? What dark motivations led them to start the war? How did allied nations unite in the strength of justice and how much did they sacrifice to fight for freedom of humanity? The history of World War II (WWII), including its achievements and lessons, should be remembered by all nations. Legally binding international documents signed during and after the war, postwar trials of war criminals as well as historical research conducted over the past 70 years compose an undisputable foundation of the world’s shared memory.

 

时至今日，个别国家的某些人明目张胆发起挑衅，企图在所谓的“历史战”中将水搅浑，借以卸下包袱、推掉责任。这是一个发人深思的现象，也是一个需要警惕的信号。

 

At present, some Japanese politicians have brazenly attempted to distort WWII history, intending to relieve Japan of responsibility. The world should be alert to these provocative remarks and acts.

 

历史不容颠覆，世间自有公理。我们一方面要有足够的定力和自信，同时也必须对歪曲篡改历史、挑战中国人民抗日战争暨世界反法西斯战争胜利成果行径的毒害作用有清醒的认识。

 

History cannot be reversed. Justice will speak itself. However, we must maintain vigilant against any actions that would seek to distort historical verdicts and deny the fruits of victory.

 

日本《读卖新闻》新近一项调查显示，对日本发动的侵华战争和太平洋战争，只有5%的受访者“很清楚”，44%的受访者“知道一些”，49%的受访者“不知道”或“完全不知道”。这项调查同时显示，学校教育和教科书是受访者了解战争真相的主要途径。

 

According to a recent survey conducted by Japan’s leading newspaper The Yomiuri Shimbun, only 5 percent of the surveyed Japanese citizens said that they are “fully aware of” the Japan-provoked aggression and the Pacific War. Around 44 percent of the respondents said that they “know a little” about the war. And another 49 percent of the respondents answered that they are uninformed about the history. The survey also showed that education and school textbooks are the main ways for students to learn the truth of past warfare.

 

历史不是随意涂抹的画布，国际公理和国际正义包含刚性约束。某些跃跃欲试在历史问题上动手脚、做文章的日本人需要搞清楚，战胜国做出战后安排时，明白无误确认了日本发动侵略战争的罪责，日本也无条件予以承认。

 

History should not be recklessly tampered with. Such acts are anathema to international law and justice. The postwar arrangement clearly confirmed Japan’s responsibility for aggression in WWII, and Japan admitted it unconditionally.

 

1943年12月1日公布的中、美、英《开罗宣言》写道：“我三大盟国此次进行战争之目的，在于制止及惩罚日本之侵略……”

 

The Cairo Declaration, jointly released by the United States, China and Britain on December 1, 1943, stated, “The Three Great Allies are fighting this war to restrain and punish the aggression of Japan.”

 

1945年7月26日发表的美、英、中三国敦促日本投降的《波茨坦公告》（苏联随后加入）不仅强调“《开罗宣言》之条件必将实施”，同时还写道：“欺骗及错误领导日本人民使其妄欲征服世界者之威权及势力，必须永久剔除。盖吾人坚持非将负责之穷兵黩武主义驱出世界，则和平安全及正义之新秩序势不可能。”“吾人无意奴役日本民族或消灭其国家，但对于战罪人犯，包括虐待吾人俘虏在内，将处以法律之裁判……”

 

The Potsdam Declaration (or the Proclamation Defining Terms for Japanese Surrender), jointly released on July 26, 1945 by the United States, China and Britain with the Soviet Union joining later, stated that Japan shall enforce the Cairo Declaration, and also declared the elimination “for all time of the authority and influence of those who have deceived and misled the people of Japan into embarking on world conquest.” The declaration went on, saying, “We do not intend that the Japanese shall be enslaved as a race or destroyed as a nation, but stern justice shall be meted out to all war criminals, including those who have visited cruelties upon our prisoners.”

 

1945年8月15日发表的日本《终战诏书》和1945年9月2日签署的日本向同盟国家投降的降书均明确表示接受《波茨坦公告》。

 

Japan accepted the terms of the Potsdam Declaration in the Imperial Rescript on the Termination of the War issued by Japanese Emperor Hirohito on August 15, 1945 and the Japanese Instrument of Surrender signed by Japanese delegates aboard the United States Navy battleship USS Missouri on September 2 of the same year.

 

日本承认侵略历史、反省战争罪责，也是日本同亚洲邻国发展正常关系的必要前提。

 

Admitting its historical aggression and reflecting on the responsibility for war is a precondition for Japan to reconcile with its Asian neighboring countries that suffered under its military campaigns in WWII.

 

1972年9月29日发表的《中日联合声明》写道：“日本方面痛感日本国过去由于战争给中国人民造成的重大损害的责任，表示深刻的反省。”

 

The China-Japan Joint Statement issued on September 29, 1972 stated, “The Japanese side is keenly conscious of the responsibility for the serious damage that Japan caused in the past to the Chinese people through war, and deeply reproaches itself.”

 

1978年8月12日签订的《中日和平友好条约》，确认1972年《中日联合声明》是“两国间和平友好关系的基础，联合声明所表明的各项原则应予严格遵守”。

 

1998年11月26日发表的《中日关于建立致力于和平与发展的友好合作伙伴关系的联合宣言》写道：“正视过去以及正确认识历史，是发展中日关系的重要基础。日方表示，遵守1972年的《中日联合声明》和1995年8月15日内阁总理大臣的谈话，痛感由于过去对中国的侵略给中国人民带来巨大灾难和损害的责任，对此表示深刻反省。”

 

The China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship signed on August 12, 1978 confirmed that the 1972 Joint Statement “constitutes the basis of the relations of peace and friendship between the two countries and that the principles enunciated in the Joint Statement should be strictly observed.” The China-Japan Joint Declaration released on November 26, 1998, stated, “Both sides believe that squarely facing the past and correctly understanding history are the important foundation for further developing relations between China and Japan. The Japanese side observes the 1972 Joint Statement between the government of the People’s Republic of China and the government of Japan and the August 15, 1995 Statement by former Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama. The Japanese side is keenly conscious of the responsibility for the serious distress and damage that Japan caused to the Chinese people through its aggression against China during a certain period in the past and expressed deep remorse for this.”

 

2008年5月7日签署的《中日关于全面推进战略互惠关系的联合声明》写道：“双方决心正视历史、面向未来，不断开创中日战略互惠关系新局面。”

 

In a joint statement on advancing strategic and mutually beneficial relations in a comprehensive way, signed on May 7, 2008, China and Japan announced that the two sides resolved to face history squarely, advance toward the future, and endeavor with persistence to create a new era of a “mutually beneficial relationship based on common strategic interests” between Japan and China.

 

无论是从国际关系体系还是双边关系角度看，承认侵略历史、反省战争罪责是日本必须做的事。中国人民抗日战争暨世界反法西斯战争胜利70周年之际，如果日本领导人有关谈话否认侵略历史，将是对国际秩序的破坏，将严重损害中日关系，对日本发展及其国际环境也将产生负面影响。

 

From the perspective of either international system or bilateral relations, admitting aggression in the past and reflecting on the responsibility for the war is what Japan must do. On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the victory of the world’s anti-Fascist war and the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, if Japanese leader denies the history of aggression in his commemoration statement, it will jeopardize current international order and severely harm China-Japan relations. As well, it will have a bad influence on Japan’s development and its status in the international community.

 

历史认知问题不容倒退。日本若在历史问题上恣意行事，逞一时之快，最终吞下苦果的还将是日本自己。

 

Any retrograde step should not be taken on understanding history. If Japan acts willfully and unscrupulously on the historical issue for shortsighted intention, it will swallow the bitter pill at last.