Reports Sumner Lemon of The Industry Standard March 30, Chinese Internet users have turned to the Web to voice their opposition to Japan's bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. On Wednesday, March 30, 6.1 million people since March 23 had signed their name to a Sina Corp. petition opposing Japan's bid. Online petitions to Netease.com Inc. and Sohu.com Inc. had garnered 4.4 million and 2.3 million signatures, respectively. To sign these petitions, users must submit their name and place of residence.
Lemon remarks, "Chinese opposition to Japanese efforts to secure a permanent seat on the UN Security Council largely stems from continued anger over Japan's brutal invasion and occupation of China during the 1930s and 1940s. Many Chinese feel that Japan has not fully accepted responsibility for atrocities committed by its soldiers during that period, including the 1937-1938 massacre in Nanjing."
According to Hamish McDonald, China correspondent of The Age in Beijing, as of March 31, More than 19 million people, mostly Chinese, are reported to have signed Internet petitions opposing Japan's bid to become a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.