Memorial gatherings were held in some places across Japan to mark the 88th anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre, with participants urging the Japanese government to reflect on its war crimes and not to steer the country back toward a path of war.
The Nanjing Massacre took place after Japanese troops captured the then-Chinese capital on Dec 13, 1937. Over the course of six weeks, they proceeded to kill approximately 300,000 Chinese civilians and unarmed soldiers in one of the most barbaric episodes of World War II.
"As a Japanese, I firmly oppose what the Japanese government has done. The government is clearly attempting to lead the nation toward war, which would harm both the Japanese people and the world," said a participant at a testimony meeting for the Nanjing Massacre in Tokyo.
The commemorations also drew international attention. Italian jurist Oliviero Diliberto warned that the history of the massacre must never be forgotten.
He also criticized recent erroneous remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi concerning China's Taiwan region, stating that her words revealed a dangerous trend of interfering in another country's internal affairs, which could undermine the post-war international order and regional peace.
"The Japanese Prime Minister's remarks are grievously severe as they were made during a hearing in the Diet, which was an official and formal setting. The remarks are clearly erroneous. In other word, they show an attempt to erase a historical memory that must not be forgotten. Japan invaded China in 1931, starting a brutal war of aggression, and later perpetrated the Nanjing Massacre in 1937, in which 300,000 people were killed within weeks," said Diliberto.
Japanese residents hold memorials for Nanjing Massacre
The supply transport mission is carried out by Snow Eagle 601 -- China's first fixed-wing aircraft for polar flight -- which takes only about one hour and 10 minutes to deliver personnel and materials from Zhongshan Skiway, the airstrip near Zhongshan Station, to its destination, the Grove Mountains.
This airstrip, built on the Antarctic ice sheet, is China's first permanent airfield on the continent. Although modest in scale and equipped only with basic facilities, it fully meets operational needs.
Along the sides of the approximately 1,600-meter-long ice runway, small flags of various colors mark its boundaries. To withstand the frequent strong winds in Antarctica, the flags are deliberately perforated with round holes to allow wind to pass through.
"They were intentionally made this way to let the wind through. Green flags indicate a turn can be made between them for aircraft to taxi off, while red flags mark the end of the runway," said Jiang Yifei, member of the aviation team for China's 42nd Antarctic expedition.
Not far from the runway, several container-based structures stand. Among them, a two-story building flying China's national flag serves as the terminal of Zhongshan Skiway.
Unlike conventional terminals, it has no check-in counters. Its ground floor functions as both a kitchen and a lounge.
Located on the Antarctic ice sheet and far from natural water sources, the terminal's chef collects clean snow outdoors daily. Melted snow supplements the water supply for daily use, acting as a reserve alongside bottled water and other supplies.
"I go outside every day to shovel snow, always from the upwind side where it's cleanest," said the chef Yang Yongchuan.
While the facilities at the airstrip are simple, they have enabled Snow Eagle 601 to carry out multiple aerial missions swiftly across the ice-covered continent since commencing operations in March 2023.
"This is a snow-surface runway on ice. Large wheeled aircraft cannot land here. Snow Eagle 601, however, has been modified with skis, giving it much greater adaptability," said Zhao Duanran, captain of the aviation team.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of Snow Eagle 601's service in China's Antarctic expeditions. Over the past decade, the aircraft has played an increasingly vital role in personnel and material transport, aerial scientific surveys, international cooperation, and emergency rescue operations.
Zhao Duanran said that, for a long time after Snow Eagle 601 entered service, it had to rely on other countries' ice runways to operate.
"Back then, we used Zenit Airfield at the Russian Antarctic station 'Progress.' Using their facility required paying fees, and it wasn't convenient. Landing, refueling -- everything needed their approval," Zhao said.
Through persistent efforts by China's Antarctic expedition teams, the country's first Antarctic airstrip -- Zhongshan Skiway -- officially began regular summer operations in March 2023.
In its ten years of service, Snow Eagle 601 has completed eight Antarctic expedition missions, accumulating over 1,100 operational days, 2,500 safe flight hours, and roughly 800,000 kilometers in total flight distance -- equivalent to circling the Earth's equator 20 times.
The flight network established by Snow Eagle 601 within Antarctica radiates from its base at Zhongshan Station, reaching more than 20 Chinese and international research stations, including China's Kunlun Station, Russia's Progress Station, Australia's Davis Station, and the United States' McMurdo Station.
China's 42nd Antarctic Expedition team nears completing supply unloading surrounding Zhongshan Station
