I wish to refer to the letter History: Let's not have double standards where the writer said that double standards shouldn't be applied to Japan with regards to the wartime atrocities it committed.

I think the writer is rather confused on several issues confronting us.

Firstly, Japan declaring war does not make any difference to the issue we are discussing. A war is a war whether declared openly or not. The fact is that millions of people suffered or were killed. A killer remains a killer no matter what the circumstances are.

That is why Japan today dares not face up to history - it has a guilty conscience. What is worse is that it is now trying to whitewash its wartime history with regards to the crimes it committed.

We are not saying that other countries are not guilty of committing wartime atrocities, but the focus now is on Japan.

As for Japan's bid for permanent membership of the UN Security Council, it must be pointed out that the existing members of the said council are there for one simple reason - they won World War II.

Where is justice if a country which lost the war is now allowed to sit on the council?

But of course, time and situations are never static and that is why the Security Council is prepared to accept new members subject to the right of other members to object.

China, being a victim of Japan's terrible wartime atrocities, has therefore every right to object. And at least it is doing this in a civilised way - not be declaring war on Japan!