PLA hits out at Chinese student accused of wearing Japanese rising sun flag in classroom

The People’s Liberation Army has criticised a Chinese student who reportedly wore the Japanese rising sun flag in a classroom at a Russian university, accusing him of whitewashing Japanese militarism.

The flag, which is still used by the Self-Defence Forces, is widely seen as a symbol of Japanese militarism and aggression in many countries, including China.

“Regardless of which country or campus one is in, advocating for militarism is an explicit offence against human conscience and is held in contempt by all,” Jun Zhengping, a social media account run by the People’s Liberation Army, said late on Sunday.

The account described the incident as “egregious” and “shocking”.

The incident took place on Wednesday during a history class at Moscow State University, according to Global Times, which is owned by the party mouthpiece People’s Daily.

The report added that the sources said the student had brought a 1930s Japanese military cap into the classroom and had draped the flag over himself.

Some Chinese students objected and asked him to stop, but he refused and allegedly resorted to physical violence and verbal abuse in Japanese, the report said. Chinese students from other departments later gathered at the classroom to confront him.

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China mourns thousands killed in Nanking massacre ahead of World War II

The Chinese Students and Scholars Association at Moscow State University said it had raised the incident with the university and had also reported it to the Chinese embassy.

The university has launched an internal investigation, with a decision expected soon, the association added.

Two Chinese-language videos appearing to show the student apologising have gone viral on social media.

One, which showed the student’s face, was apparently filmed by other Chinese students on the day of the incident.

In it, he admitted that his actions were “wrong”, offered a “sincere apology” and said he would “reflect on his behaviour”. He also pledged to promote a deeper understanding of the Nanking massacre, saying: “I think this is what we, as historians, should do.”

The second video, said to have been filmed a day later, appeared to show the student wearing sunglasses and a face mask and saying that it was “completely wrong” to display the flag and had shown a “lack of respect” for his motherland and its people.

The South China Morning Post could not independently verify the content of the videos.

Moscow State University has been asked for comment.

Beijing has repeatedly called on Japan to reflect on its wartime record and relations have come under increasing strain after the country’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said last November that a Taiwan Strait crisis could be a “survival-threatening situation” that could trigger military intervention from Tokyo.

Beijing sees Taiwan as part of China and has never renounced the use of force to reunite it with the mainland. Japan, in common with most countries, does not recognise Taiwan as independent.

The shrine honours Japan’s wartime dead, including convicted war criminals, and is regarded by Beijing as a symbol of Japanese militarism.