Japanese wartime aggression during the 1931-1945 invasion of China continues to be a contentious issue for both the countries.
Japan's invasion of Manchuria in 1931 and subsequent aggression, during which the Imperial air force repeatedly bombed every major city in China, had resulted in the death of millions of civilians.
During his 1998 visit, Jiang had sought a written apology from Japan, which Japan refused to provide. While China was offended by the refusal, Japan had to bear the brunt of Jiang dragging in its wartime past in each and every one of his speeches during his visit.
Relations between the two countries soured further when Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi visited the Yasukuni Shrine for the war dead, which is considered a symbol of Japan's imperialist history. Beijing suspended high-level contact with Japan between 2001 and 2006.
Touching upon the bitter history between the two countries, Jintao said, "The unfortunate history caused not only great misfortune among Chinese people but also great suffering for the Japanese people."
Image: Chinese President Hu Jintao and his wife Liu Yongqing with ballet dancers at the Matsuyama Ballet Company in Tokyo.
Photograph: Issei Kato/AFP/Getty Images
Also read: Impressions: An Indian in China
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