NEW YORK, April 22 (Xinhuanet) -- Hundreds of Chinese and Korean Americans and Chinese students studying at US universities on the east coast on Friday gathered in a massive protest against the Japanese government's denial of its past war crimes and its bid for permanent membership of the UN Security Council.

    At Dag Hammarskjold Square which lies just across the UN headquarters, protesters held banners and posters that read "Jingoist Japan wants to forget, but we don't," "Down with Japanese militarism," "No ambition without regret." Some displayed big posters with photos of badly burned and mutilated victims of Japan's war of aggression.

    Liang Guanjun, chairman of the United Chinese Association of Greater New York, said in his speech that the Japanese government has gone so far as to revise the history textbooks in an attempt to whitewash its war atrocities.

    "We think Japan is not qualified to bid for the permanent membership of the UN Security Council, an organization aimed at safeguarding world peace," he noted.

    Mike Hong, vice president of the Korean American Association of Greater New York, expressed his indignation at the Japanese government's attempt to whitewash its war of aggression against many Asian countries during World War II.

    He noted that Japan's failure to own up to its wartime past indicated a lack of assurance to its future, which may pose a grave threat to peace and stability in East Asia and the world at large. "We are here today just to express our anger for this act,"he said.

    Zhu Hongwen, chairman of the Association of Chinese Students and Scholars of Greater New York Area, said the protest is meant to call attention of all UN member states to Japan's war crimes against Asian countries during World War II and show how Chinese and many Asian peoples feel about the Japanese government's attempt at whitewashing its war of aggression and paying homage towar criminals.

    "A country that cannot face its past and the reality is not qualified to bid for permanent membership of UN Security Council,"he said.

    The organizers of the rally displayed a banner with signatures of protesters who express firm opposition to Japan's bid. One organizer read a letter of petition addressed to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, urging the UN chief to reconsider the motion to include Japan as a permanent member of the new Security Council.

    The letter noted that the Chinese people always cherish peace and desire to befriend with their neighbors, and they highly appreciate the significant financial contribution made by the Japanese government to the United Nations as well as the economic assistance to some developing countries.

    "Nevertheless, without facing the history with honesty and sincere reflection, without fully engaging itself in healing the wounds of war, Japan fails to demonstrate its commitment to peace," the letter said.

    "We are looking forward to that day, when Japan brings a final closure to its crime against millions of Asians and starts to play an important role in helping fulfill the noble mission," it added.

    The organizers then submitted the letter of petition, along with a banner filled with protesters' signatures to representatives of the UN chief. Enditem