Former Japanese footballer Keisuke Honda issued a heartfelt apology on X on Saturday, admitting he was wrong to echo claims disputing the Nanjing Massacre 😳.
On Friday, Honda had shared a clip of right-wing politicians Shintaro Ishihara and Takashi Kawamura denying the massacre, writing, "I believe that too." His post sparked global outrage, with many urging him to study historical records.
After diving into primary sources1 diaries and reports from Japanese soldiers, internal documents from the Japan National Institute for Defense Studies, and testimonies from eyewitnesses1 Honda realized the overwhelming evidence supports the tragedy that left over 300,000 Chinese civilians and unarmed soldiers dead 🔎.
He then corrected his statement, tweeting, "Although I thought I knew about history, I made optimistic comments. After researching primary sources in detail, I realized that the facts are almost consistent with history. In this respect, I was wrong. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to learn that again!" 🙏
Reference(s):
Former Japanese footballer apologizes for questioning Nanjing Massacre
cgtn.com
