A 150-page signed confession by Japanese war criminal Fujita Shigeru was publicized by the Chinese State Archives Administration last Friday in time for the 77th anniversary of the Sino-Japanese War on July 7.

The following are some of Shigeru's translated entries detailing his actions during the war as cited by Xinhua News:

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"May 21, 1944 shot dead 12 Chinese people (including 1 woman) in Luoyang, Henan."

"March 27, 1945 massacred all inhabitants of about 50 households in a village along the Dengxian County-Laohekou road, 200 meters to the north of Zhulinqiao, killing seniors, women, children... and other inhabitants; used gas shells during the attack in Maqushan on the same day."

Aside from the original Japanese language text, the administration also provides Chinese and English translations. A total of 45 confessions from 45 different Japanese war criminals will be released per day, according to the State Archives Administration.

Officials said they hoped the manuscripts will serve as reminders of the horrors of inhumanity and encourage the public to preserve and promote peace in the region.

In an opening speech for the ceremony marking the anniversary of the Sino-Japanese war, President Xi Jinping criticized those who sought to "beautify the history of aggression" and blatantly ignore the thousands of lives lost during the war. He said that those who belittled the losses of war threatened "mutual trust" and created "regional tension."

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and a number of Japanese officials have been repeatedly denying Japan's aggression during the war despite China's accusations.

It is, therefore, not surprising that Beijing is once again hitting back at Tokyo through the publicized confessions and speech, said Oxford University Chinese history and politics professor Rana Mitter.

"It's really part of a growing tendency that we have seen, notably in the last few months, of attempts by China and the Chinese leadership to use events from the second world war period to make points about contemporary geopolitics, particularly if they relate to Japan," he said.

China-Japan relations have been strained in recent months. Both countries are currently embroiled in a maritime dispute over islands in the East China Sea. Last week, Japan officially approved a motion to amend its pacifist constitution to ease restriction of military activity outside the country; a move that is speculated to contribute to the defense of neighboring countries of disputed territories against China.

TagsSino-Japanese War, War criminals, China-Japan relations, China State Archives Administration, Fujita Shigeru, War Crimes, second world war