It is exactly Japan which should accept this demand of the times, says Rodong Sinmun Sunday in a bylined commentary.

The commentary goes on:

The acknowledgment of the past crimes and compensation for them are the responsibility of Japan before history and its legal and moral duty.

Other criminal countries are striving in every way to turn over a new leaf for peaceful development after breaking with their past.

Japan stands in sharp contrast to Germany in its attitude toward the past. If it is guilt-conscious even a bit and feels remorseful for its inglorious past, it should show the will to sincerely reflect and settle it.

Wrongdoers should feel responsibility for their crimes and redeem them. This is the ethics and morality and international usage. It is only Japan in the world that is not willing to right its past wrongs.

What is most resentful is that the Japanese reactionaries are stepping up the establishment of war system and the moves to be a military power spurred by sinister ambition to repeat the past history of aggression and war crimes. They are getting frantic in the war exercises while intensifying the moves for revival of militarism and arms buildup for aggression. They aim to realize their ambition for reinvasion without settling the past.

All the soldiers and people of the DPRK with mounting anger at Japan, their sworn-enemy, are renewing their will to settle accounts with it. It had better come out for the earlier liquidation of the past, clearly understanding the feelings toward Japan and will of the army and people of the DPRK.