Japanese colonization point of view 'is erroneous'

Editor's note: In 1995, then Japanese prime minister Tomiichi Murayama, a socialist, made a "heartfelt apology" for the wartime damage and suffering caused by his country. Shinzo Abe, then a rookie lawmaker from the conservative Liberal Democratic Party, was one of those who opposed the move. In an exclusive interview with China Daily, Murayama, 91, asked his compatriots to review Japan's wartime past and defend the pacifist Constitution. Here are excerpts:

Are you going to visit Beijing in September for the ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of China's victory over Japan in World War II?

The event is still several months away. I want to visit China, but the trip depends on arrangements and my health.