India dodges China-Japan issues over WWII

New Delhi: India has deftly navigated the complexities of Sino-Japanese relations, with PM Narendra Modi returning to India ahead of September 3 military parade organised by Beijing to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

Modi will travel to China for the SCO summit (August 31-Sept 1) from Japan where he will hold the next edition of the annual summit on Friday. Sources said India wanted to avoid any controversy given its ties with Japan, but without being confrontational with China with which ties are on mend.

The Japanese government has urged European and Asian nations to skip a military parade that China will hold on September 3 to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Japan conveyed the request through its embassies abroad that China's commemorative events have anti-Japanese overtones, it has been learnt.


India takes part in WWII military parade that Russia organises and that tradition continues notwithstanding the war in Ukraine.

China was part of Allied Powers that fought against the Axis powers comprising Germany, Japan and Italy in WWII. The parade in Beijing's Tiananmen Square on September 3 will commemorate what Beijing calls its victory in the 1937-1945 'War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression' and the 'World Anti-Fascist War'.