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Associated Press
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Global Times: Japanese textbooks contain misleading descriptions regarding the causes of WWII, says Japanese civil group
06/11/2025, Beijing, China // KISS PR Brand Story PressWire // A Japanese civil group said in an exclusive interview with the Global Times on Tuesday that Japanese junior high school history textbooks contain inaccurate descriptions regarding the causes of World War II. The group warned that Japan's current lack of responsibility in addressing historical issues could make it difficult for Japanese young people to understand the true history of the war and to critically examine the essence of contemporary social issues. Since April, junior high schools across Japan started to use new textbooks. The changes to the way World War II is described have sparked concern and unease among the Children and Textbooks Japan Network 21, a non-governmental organization formed in 1998 that has long been focusing on issues surrounding textbook approval and the presentation of war history in Japan. 'We reviewed junior high school history textbooks published by Tokyo Shoseki, Kyoiku Shuppan, Teikoku-Shoin, Yamakawa Shuppansha, Nihon Bunkyo Shuppan, and Manabisha. Among them, only Manabisha's version explicitly writes that 'Japan started the war,' while most textbooks used descriptions like 'the war began,'' Yoko Kojiya, secretary-general of the organization, told the Global Times on Tuesday via email, noting this expression makes it difficult for students to understand and contemplate why Japan started the war and how it proceeded with colonial rule. Kojiya pointed out particularly that the descriptions in textbooks about Japan's invasion of China are not sufficiently detailed. Also, the content about why Japan went to war with the US and the UK in 1941 is problematic because it is described as 'Japan had to go to war due to being isolated by the ABCD [America, Britain, China and Dutch] encirclement.' Kojiya said to better teach history and allow Japanese students to grasp war history more fully and impartially, it's vital to enable discussions on why Japan started the wars and how Japanese people should prevent such conflicts from happening in the future. 'Therefore, it is necessary to provide a large amount of historical material to help understand the nature of war.' Kojiya also highlighted the changes concerning the 'Nanjing Massacre' and 'comfort women,' slamming Japanese government's textbook screening policy as political interference in educational content. 'The term 'Nanjing Massacre' is used in fewer textbooks nowadays, with many referring to it as the 'Nanjing Incident' instead. And the number of people massacred is accompanied by caveats such as 'there are various opinions' or that the number 'is being researched,'' Kojiya said. The Nanjing Massacre is one of the darkest chapters of World War II. The atrocities began on December 13, 1937, when Japanese troops captured the then-Chinese capital Nanjing, unleashing six weeks of devastation that claimed the lives of an estimated 300,000 civilians and unarmed soldiers, according to Xinhua. Regarding 'comfort women,' Kojiya said that the removal of the term 'accompanying the military' in the textbooks aims to hide the fact that these women were forced into sexual servitude by the Japanese military. 'The National History Textbook published by ReiwaShoseki even writes 'There is no evidence of Japanese troops forcibly taking away women.' I consider it a serious problem that this passed the government screening without any objections,' Kojiya said. The 'comfort women' system was a military sexual slavery regime enforced by the Japanese government and its military during World War II. It resulted in at least 400,000 innocent women worldwide being forced into sexual slavery. Nearly half of them were Chinese, according to Xinhua. According to Xinhua, in 2021, the Japanese government decided through a cabinet meeting to deem expressions such as 'comfort women accompanying the military' as 'inappropriate textbook terminology.' Japan's education authority subsequently requested modifications to related teaching materials, including those already distributed. Kojiya told the Global Times that it is a serious problem that the descriptions in Japanese history textbooks can be greatly influenced by the policies of the government at any given time. 'The current textbook screening in Japan is not focusing on pointing out academic errors, but rather on whether the descriptions align with government inclinations,' said Kojiya. This year marks the 80th anniversary of victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. On May 31, the organization held a seminar in Tokyo to discuss the proper role of Japanese history education eight decades after the war. According to the seminar material Kojiya sent to the Global Times, during the seminar, Hisao Ishiyama, former chairman of the History Educationalist Conference of Japan, said that since 2014, forces that glorify war and distort history started to utilize the deteriorated textbook system and government power to launch a government-wide effort to distort the entire population's understanding of history. In response to this challenge, Kojiya told the Global Times that she is especially worried about the rise of conservative forces, such as the 'Tsukurukai,' which attack reflection on the war and the pacifism of the constitution, advocate for a constitutional amendment, and push forward policies aimed at expanding military capabilities to build Japan into a country that can wage war. 'Thus, it is crucial to squarely face the historical facts of aggression on the basis of the reflection that led to the creation of the Japanese Constitution, and to gather the strength of people who wish to stop policies that will make Japan a 'war state',' Kojiya said. This story first appeared in Global Times:
Business Upturn
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Business Upturn
Global Times: Japanese textbooks contain misleading descriptions regarding the causes of WWII, says Japanese civil group
Beijing, China, June 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A Japanese civil group said in an exclusive interview with the Global Times on Tuesday that Japanese junior high school history textbooks contain inaccurate descriptions regarding the causes of World War II. The group warned that Japan's current lack of responsibility in addressing historical issues could make it difficult for Japanese young people to understand the true history of the war and to critically examine the essence of contemporary social issues. Since April, junior high schools across Japan started to use new textbooks. The changes to the way World War II is described have sparked concern and unease among the Children and Textbooks Japan Network 21, a non-governmental organization formed in 1998 that has long been focusing on issues surrounding textbook approval and the presentation of war history in Japan. 'We reviewed junior high school history textbooks published by Tokyo Shoseki, Kyoiku Shuppan, Teikoku-Shoin, Yamakawa Shuppansha, Nihon Bunkyo Shuppan, and Manabisha. Among them, only Manabisha's version explicitly writes that 'Japan started the war,' while most textbooks used descriptions like 'the war began,'' Yoko Kojiya, secretary-general of the organization, told the Global Times on Tuesday via email, noting this expression makes it difficult for students to understand and contemplate why Japan started the war and how it proceeded with colonial rule. Kojiya pointed out particularly that the descriptions in textbooks about Japan's invasion of China are not sufficiently detailed. Also, the content about why Japan went to war with the US and the UK in 1941 is problematic because it is described as 'Japan had to go to war due to being isolated by the ABCD [America, Britain, China and Dutch] encirclement.' Kojiya said to better teach history and allow Japanese students to grasp war history more fully and impartially, it's vital to enable discussions on why Japan started the wars and how Japanese people should prevent such conflicts from happening in the future. 'Therefore, it is necessary to provide a large amount of historical material to help understand the nature of war.' Kojiya also highlighted the changes concerning the 'Nanjing Massacre' and 'comfort women,' slamming Japanese government's textbook screening policy as political interference in educational content. 'The term 'Nanjing Massacre' is used in fewer textbooks nowadays, with many referring to it as the 'Nanjing Incident' instead. And the number of people massacred is accompanied by caveats such as 'there are various opinions' or that the number 'is being researched,'' Kojiya said. The Nanjing Massacre is one of the darkest chapters of World War II. The atrocities began on December 13, 1937, when Japanese troops captured the then-Chinese capital Nanjing, unleashing six weeks of devastation that claimed the lives of an estimated 300,000 civilians and unarmed soldiers, according to Xinhua. Regarding 'comfort women,' Kojiya said that the removal of the term 'accompanying the military' in the textbooks aims to hide the fact that these women were forced into sexual servitude by the Japanese military. 'The National History Textbook published by ReiwaShoseki even writes 'There is no evidence of Japanese troops forcibly taking away women.' I consider it a serious problem that this passed the government screening without any objections,' Kojiya said. The 'comfort women' system was a military sexual slavery regime enforced by the Japanese government and its military during World War II. It resulted in at least 400,000 innocent women worldwide being forced into sexual slavery. Nearly half of them were Chinese, according to Xinhua. According to Xinhua, in 2021, the Japanese government decided through a cabinet meeting to deem expressions such as 'comfort women accompanying the military' as 'inappropriate textbook terminology.' Japan's education authority subsequently requested modifications to related teaching materials, including those already distributed. Kojiya told the Global Times that it is a serious problem that the descriptions in Japanese history textbooks can be greatly influenced by the policies of the government at any given time. 'The current textbook screening in Japan is not focusing on pointing out academic errors, but rather on whether the descriptions align with government inclinations,' said Kojiya. This year marks the 80th anniversary of victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. On May 31, the organization held a seminar in Tokyo to discuss the proper role of Japanese history education eight decades after the war. According to the seminar material Kojiya sent to the Global Times, during the seminar, Hisao Ishiyama, former chairman of the History Educationalist Conference of Japan, said that since 2014, forces that glorify war and distort history started to utilize the deteriorated textbook system and government power to launch a government-wide effort to distort the entire population's understanding of history. In response to this challenge, Kojiya told the Global Times that she is especially worried about the rise of conservative forces, such as the 'Tsukurukai,' which attack reflection on the war and the pacifism of the constitution, advocate for a constitutional amendment, and push forward policies aimed at expanding military capabilities to build Japan into a country that can wage war. 'Thus, it is crucial to squarely face the historical facts of aggression on the basis of the reflection that led to the creation of the Japanese Constitution, and to gather the strength of people who wish to stop policies that will make Japan a 'war state',' Kojiya said. This story first appeared in Global Times: Company: Global TimesContact Person: Anna Li Email: [email protected] Website: City: Beijing Disclaimer: This press release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies (including product offerings, regulatory plans and business plans) and may change without notice. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same.
Japan Forward
04-06-2025
- Business
- Japan Forward
Lee Jae-myung Wins: A New Era for South Korean Diplomacy?
Lee Jae-myung, the former Democratic Party chief, won South Korea's snap presidential election on June 4. The vote followed the ouster of former President Yoon Suk-yeol in April over his controversial December 3 martial law declaration. In the highest voter turnout in 28 years, Lee received 49.42% of the vote. He finished ahead of ruling People Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo (41.15%) and third-party contender Lee Jun-seok (8.34%). Unlike the razor-thin margin in the 2022 presidential race, this year saw a commanding triumph for Lee. By late Tuesday night, South Korea's major broadcasters had projected him as the presumptive winner. With victory secured, Lee stood before the National Assembly in the early hours of Wednesday and said, "I sincerely thank the citizens of South Korea. I will never forget the mission you have entrusted to me, and I will fulfill it without fail, without deviation." Lee Jae-myung (right) celebrates his victory with DP lawmaker Park Chan-dae. (©Park Chan-dae FB) The former opposition chief also vowed to prevent any future military coup, condemning the use of arms entrusted by the people as a tool of intimidation. He pledged to revive the economy, improve livelihoods, and work toward a peaceful Korean Peninsula where coexistence is possible. Meanwhile, Kim Moon-soo, who trailed by nearly 2.9 million votes, said, "I congratulate Lee Jae-myung on his victory and sincerely thank the citizens who gave me their overwhelming support despite my shortcomings." With a left-wing takeover of the executive branch, some conservatives have expressed concern over a potential shift in South Korea's foreign policy amid rapidly evolving geopolitical tides. Observers note that his populist tendencies and left-leaning ideology could lead to a significant realignment in Seoul's defense and diplomatic posture. "Lee's presidency could create a serious rift in our alliance with the United States," said Min Gyun-wook, a South Korean journalist and former parliamentarian. "He would steer the country closer to Beijing and Pyongyang, just as Washington intensifies efforts to counter China's regional ambitions. "That would not sit well with President [Donald] Trump and his team," he added. Opposition leader Lee meets with then-Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming, June 8, 2023 (©DP Facebook) Under Lee's predecessor, the government pursued closer ties with the US, elevating the alliance to an unprecedented level. Yoon, the former president, also firmly positioned his country alongside Japan in efforts to contain Beijing's regional ambitions. President Joe Biden, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and President Yoon during the G7 Summit on May 21, 2023 (©White House) Still, some experts see Lee as a realist who is likely to adopt measured policies despite his often incendiary rhetoric. Moon Chung-in, distinguished professor at Yonsei University and former presidential adviser, says that Lee recognizes the importance of South Korea's traditional alliances and is unlikely to seek any major changes or undermine them. "At heart, Lee is a pragmatist," said Moon. "He advocates for a foreign policy rooted in empathy – one that respects neighboring countries and seeks to understand their perspectives." What's needed now, Moon Chung-in added, is not a confrontational urge to pick sides and deepen global blocs, but a level-headed approach grounded in careful analysis. When it comes to empathy, however, the soon-to-be president has shown less generosity toward Japan. Throughout his political career, Lee has frequently criticized his neighboring country and, at one point, even referred to Japan as a military adversary of South Korea. Ruriko Kubota, a longtime observer of Korean Peninsula politics and journalist at The Sankei Shimbun , warns that tensions with Tokyo could flare up again under Lee's administration. "Lee rose from dire poverty, and growing up, he came to see South Korea's elite and wealthy establishment as tied to pro-Japanese collaborators," she said. "To that end, anti-Japanese sentiment runs deep within him." Kubota (left) discusses Lee Jae-myung's rise with South Korean political pundit Kang Yong-suk in April. (©Kenji Yoshida) Thorny disputes, such as wartime labor issues and the release of treated water from Fukushima, could resurface and strain bilateral relations in the future, Kubota said. While Lee may not drastically alter his predecessor's diplomatic stance, he could pursue domestic legislation aimed at penalizing those who challenge established narratives of colonial-era history. Under a previous left-wing administration, for instance, a special law was amended to allow criminal prosecution of those who expressed dissenting views about the May 1980 Gwangju uprising. Concerns are that a similar law in a new administration could target those who express heterodox views on issues like comfort women or wartime labor, effectively silencing voices more cordial to Japan while avoiding direct confrontation with Seoul's neighbor. Although Lee emerged victorious on Wednesday, the president-elect continues to face serious legal challenges that could undermine his political legitimacy. On May 1, South Korea's Supreme Court overturned Lee's acquittal in an election law violation case and sent it back to the Seoul High Court for retrial. Depending on the outcome of the retrial, Lee's term as president could be cut short. The legal community remains sharply divided over whether a criminal case initiated before a presidential term can proceed once the defendant assumes office. There is also debate about whether a conviction would force the sitting president to step down. Aside from this, Lee faces several other criminal trials, including allegations of transferring bulk cash to North Korea through a private company during his tenure as governor of Gyeonggi Province. The transfer was reportedly intended to facilitate a meeting with Kim Jong Un. Author: Kenji Yoshida
Epoch Times
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Epoch Times
Rallies Held in US Cities to Commemorate 1999 Peaceful Appeal in China
Rallies were recently held in several cities across the United States to commemorate a peaceful protest that happened 26 years ago in China, where the communist regime has no tolerance for public dissent. Falun Gong practitioners held events in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Seattle, Chicago, and New York to observe what is now known as the April 25 appeal, an event that took place in Beijing, China's capital. On April 25, 1999, about 10,000 Falun Gong practitioners from various walks of life and across China gathered near Zhongnanhai, the compound of high-ranking officials of the Chinese Communist Party. They demanded the release of 45 fellow practitioners who had been arrested days earlier in Tianjin city and called for the protection of their rights to practice their faith freely. During the April 25 appeal, then-Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji The peaceful protest became one of the excuses for the Chinese regime to launch a brutal persecution to eradicate the group on July 20, 1999. CCP propaganda has portrayed the April 25 appeal as a 'siege' against the Party. Los Angeles On the evening of April 22, nearly 200 Falun Gong practitioners gathered outside the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles to commemorate the April 25 appeal. Each of them held a candle to remember fellow practitioners who had been persecuted to death at the hands of the Chinese regime. Zheng Cunzhu, chairman of the local committee of the China Democracy Party in Los Angeles, said at the event that overseas Chinese and governments in the West should be concerned about the ongoing persecution against Falun Gong. Related Stories 4/25/2025 4/19/2025 'If we are not vigilant and allow the CCP's authoritarian force to expand around the world … in the end, it will spread worldwide like COVID-19,' Zheng said. Hundreds of thousands of practitioners have been subjected to torture while incarcerated, Philadelphia Gong Qinhua, a traditional Chinese medicine doctor, spoke at a rally in Philadelphia's Chinatown on April 19. She recalled witnessing the events of April 25, 1999. Gong said she traveled to Beijing with her family and arrived very early on that day. 'The practitioners were all extremely quiet without causing a disturbance. Some just stood there, while others did the Falun Gong exercises or read,' Gong said. 'In the evening, knowing that the CCP authorities had promised not to suppress Falun Gong and would release the Tianjin practitioners, the crowd dispersed quietly.' Gong Qinhua speaks at a rally commemorating the 26th anniversary of the April 25 appeal, in Philadelphia, Pa., on April 19, 2025. Yang Qian/The Epoch Times Gong said the Chinese authorities arrested the 45 Falun Gong practitioners in Tianjin to lure practitioners from all over the country to come to Beijing and file their appeals. When they arrived in the capital city on April 25, 1999, she said, the police also 'deliberately arranged' for the practitioners to gather on the sidewalks of two streets next to Zhongnanhai, creating the impression that they were carrying out a 'siege.' Roughly 10,000 Falun Gong practitioners peacefully appeal outside Zhongnanhai, the central headquarters for the Chinese Communist Party, in Beijing on April 25, 1999. Courtesy of Thousands of Falun Gong practitioners line up on the street outside Zhongnanhai, the Chinese Communist Party headquarters, in a peaceful protest, in Beijing, China, on April 25, 1999. Goh Chai Hin/AFP via Getty Images 'Some people think that if the April 25 event had not occurred, the suppression against Falun Gong could have been avoided. This view reflects a lack of understanding of the CCP's conspiratorial nature,' Gong said. 'The CCP often sets up traps, such as calling on intellectuals to speak up during the Other Cities On April 20, Falun Gong practitioners in Seattle held an event to commemorate the 26th anniversary of the April 25 appeal at downtown Westlake Park. In Chicago, a group of local Falun Gong practitioners held their event in front of the Chinese Consulate on April 19. Falun Gong practitioners in front of the Chinese Consulate commemorating the 26th anniversary of the April 25 appeal, in Chicago, Ill., on April 19, 2025. The Epoch Times In New York, thousands of Falun Gong practitioners took part in a Sun, from northern Liaoning Province, said he didn't get the chance to participate in the appeal 26 years ago because he was just a high school student at the time. Sun Ye and his wife, Yuan Jing, at a parade commemorating the 26th anniversary of the April 25 appeal, in Flushing, New York, on April 19, 2025. Sarah Lu/The Epoch Times 'This is my first time taking part in an April 25 event. To be able to come to this free society and participate in such a grand event, I am very fortunate,' Sun said. 'I hope people can remember this part of history, understand the truth about Falun Gong, and work together to stop this persecution.' Yang Qian, Ma Shanen, and Sarah Lu contributed to this report.
Epoch Times
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Epoch Times
A Peaceful Appeal in China 26 Years Ago Still Echoes Today
The legacy of an unprecedented peaceful protest that happened decades ago in communist China was recently commemorated in New York, in the form of a parade and a vigil. A few participants in both events were among the protesters in China at the time, advocating for their right to practice their faith freely. On April 25, 1999—exactly 26 years ago to this day—about 10,000 Falun Gong practitioners congregated in China's capital, Beijing, in one of the largest protests in China's recent history. The event, known as the April 25 appeal, came less than three months before the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) launched a brutal campaign to eradicate the group—a persecution that has continued unabated to this day. Wang Bingzeng, a calligrapher and former lecturer at China's Hebei University of Technology, was among thousands of Falun Gong practitioners who took part in a Wang said he started practicing Falun Gong in 1995 and soon afterward diseases plaguging his muscle and spinal cord became a thing of the past. As for his decision to travel to Beijing for the appeal, he said he had heard about the After a train ride of more than an hour, Wang said he arrived in Beijing at around at 9 a.m. local time on April 25. He then headed for the Office of Letters and Appeals, which is located near Zhongnanhai, the compound for the top CCP leaders. 'I went there early, and there were not many people. Later, more and more people arrived. We all stood there, very quietly, without shouting any slogans or holding any banners,' Wang said, pointing out that 'everything was in an orderly fashion.' Related Stories 4/22/2025 4/19/2025 'Later, at around 9 p.m., I heard that several representatives of Falun Gong had talked to [then-Chinese Premier] Zhu Rongji, and several of our demands had been met. People began leaving when they heard about this,' Wang said. 'As for me, I went straight to the nearby train station and went home.' Wang Bingzeng in Flushing, New York, on April 19, 2025. Courtesy of Wang Bingzeng Tianjin authorities released the 45 Falun Gong practitioners in the evening on April 25, 1999, which the New York-based Falun Dafa Information Center said was an orchestrated decision by the Chinese authorities, considering that multiple Falun Gong practitioners who had gone to the appeal 'were confronted by police at their homes for doing so.' The April 25 appeal was significant because it became an excuse for the Chinese regime to launch its persecution later that year. China's state-run media have been distorting facts about the peaceful protest and have repeatedly published propaganda about the event, often calling it a 'siege' against the CCP's leadership, As for the opportunity to take part in the parade, Wang said with tears in his eyes that he was thrilled and emotional. 'I want to say this from my heart, dissolving the CCP as soon as possible, so that Chinese people can regain their freedom,' he said. Falun Gong Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a spiritual discipline that features meditative exercises and teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. The practice became enormously popular in China by the late 1990s, with official estimates putting the number of practitioners at more than 70 million at the time. Fearing that the practice's following could threaten its rule, the CCP launched the persecution on July 20, 1999. Since then, millions have been detained, with hundreds of thousands tortured while incarcerated and untold numbers killed, according to the Falun Dafa Information Center. Some were victims of China's state-sanctioned practice of Zhang Guiying in Flushing, New York, on April 19, 2025. Courtesy of Zhang Guiying Zhang Guiying, a medical doctor, also took part in the parade. Speaking at a rally after the parade, Zhang said that she was at Tianjin Normal University and an eyewitness to the mass arrests in Tianjin in April 1999. She said the police officer made their arrests violently—an old lady in her 60s was pushed and fiercely beaten, a young girl started crying after being beaten, and a young man who had come to defend the girl was injured after he was slammed against a wall. Zhang also went to Beijing on April 25, 1999. The appeal was peaceful and orderly from start to finish, she said, noting that none of the Falun Gong practitioners there made a commotion or caused a disturbance. Samuel Ortiz, president of a Queens-based leadership association for Puerto Ricans, was among those who came to see the parade. He said that he had heard about Falun Gong's three principles. 'I think compassion is what it's all about,' Ortiz said. Ortiz said he had also heard about the Chinese regime's forced organ harvesting, calling such a practice sinister and shocking. 'Every force of Heaven and Earth should be brought together to bring those people to justice,' he said. 'It's a terrible thing. Beyond medieval. 'I think we need to shine a light on justice. And I think one of the goals in our journey is to bring people together. Find out what we must do together in order to uplift humanity.' Falun Gong practitioners attend a vigil in front of the Chinese Consulate in New York on April 19, 2025. Larry Dye/The Epoch Times Vigil About 500 Falun Gong practitioners held a vigil to commemorate the April 25 appeal in front of the Chinese Consulate in New York on the evening of April 19. Among them was Wen Ying, who had managed to flee China with her husband, Liu Jianping, and their son six months earlier. Wen, who is from northern China's Heilongjiang Province, said she started practicing Falun Gong in 1994. Since the start of the persecution, Wen said she had been arrested five times, and she completed her seven-year imprisonment in 2023. Now living in the United States, Wen expressed her gratitude for the chance to practice her faith openly in a society that values freedom. Wen Ying and her husband, Liu Jianping, in New York on April 19, 2025. Zhao Fenni/The Epoch Times Gao Hongmei had come to the vigil appealing to the Chinese regime to release her mother, a Falun Gong practitioner named Hu Yulan, who is in her 70s. Gao said her mother was given a five-year sentence in 2020. 'There are many Falun Gong practitioners, including those around my mother's age, who are still in prison,' Gao said. 'Now we hope that the CCP will quickly end the persecution and release all the Falun Gong practitioners.' Gao Hongmei in New York on April 19, 2025. Zhao Fenni/The Epoch Times The Tian Guo Marching Band takes part in a parade to commemorate the 26th anniversary of the April 25 appeal, in Flushing, New York, on April 19, 2025. Larry Dye/The Epoch Times Falun Gong practitioners take part in a parade to commemorate the 26th anniversary of the April 25 appeal, in Flushing, New York, on April 19, 2025. Larry Dye/The Epoch Times Falun Gong practitioners take part in a parade to commemorate the 26th anniversary of the April 25 appeal, in Flushing, New York, on April 19, 2025. Larry Dye/The Epoch Times Shi Ping contributed to this report.
