How did the Nanjing Massacre affect relations between China and Japan?

The Nanjing Massacre, a period of mass killing and atrocities committed by the Japanese Imperial Army in 1937–38, remains a deeply divisive issue that continues to shape diplomatic and social relations between China and Japan.12

The impact on their relationship is characterized by ongoing friction regarding historical memory and accountability:

• Commemoration vs. Denial: In China, the massacre is a central element of national memory, marked by a national Memorial Day and a dedicated memorial hall. Conversely, public discourse in Japan has often been contentious, with instances of the massacre being minimized or omitted in textbooks, which frequently triggers formal diplomatic complaints from China.3
• Diplomatic Disputes: Efforts to preserve the historical record, such as China’s 2015 submission of archival documents to UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register, have been met with criticism from Japan, which viewed the move as politically motivated.3
• Insufficiency of Apologies: While Japan has issued formal apologies, such as the 1995 Murayama Statement, these are often viewed as insufficient by China. Tensions are frequently exacerbated when Japanese politicians visit the Yasukuni Shrine, which honors convicted war criminals, a practice that many observers feel undermines previous expressions of contrition.34