Japan's invasion on China 60 years ago retarded China's social development for half a century, leaving Chinese great pains never to be forgotten, said a Chinese history researcher in Beijing Tuesday.  

Dr. Bian Xiuyue, researcher on modern history with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said Japan's invasion on China during 1931 and 1945 wreaked havoc on the Chinese people, causing great casualties, economic and cultural losses and more importantly, "retarded China's social modernization process for as long as 50 years."

From 1937 to 1945 alone, when the Chinese waged the war against Japanese invasion, the Japanese army killed tens of millions of Chinese in more than 4,000 slaughters.

"Japanese atrocities happened on almost two thirds of the Chinese territory and covered most of the 14 years from the time Japan started the war to its defeat," Bian said.

He said over 250 killing methods were used by Japanese troops on Chinese, many women and children.

He estimated the war caused the loss of a population of 50 million.

The majority of China, except Tibet and Xinjiang, was directly under the Japanese scourge and bombarded by Japanese warplanes, he said.

He said the research showed that the war brought about US$100 billion of direct and US$500 billion of indirect economic losses to China.

"Of course, losses investigation of the war were not adequate both in war time and space coverage given limitations under the warring state," he said. "It is almost impossible to get a precise answer on the damages and calamities by Japan's invasion."

He stressed that the academic circle should keep on studying the impact of the war and how it set back China's social progress.

"I can say without any exaggeration that China was hurt most in the world Anti-Fascist War. No other country like China suffered so heavy losses and paid so high prices for the war."

"Although China renounced war compensation from Japan, it doesn't mean the nation will forget the calamities and losses we suffered. The Chinese will never forget Japanese army's war crimes and inhuman atrocities."

(Xinhua News Agency July 7, 2005)