Back to the future - with history lesson

The row over the ownership of the Diaoyu Islands is one of many disputes between China and Japan. Past conflicts include two Sino-Japanese wars, and the Nanjing massacre, when thousands in the city were murdered by Japanese forces during the second world war.

Finding a lasting solution to disputes will never be easy until the youngsters of both nations learn about their country's history. Japan's controversial editing of its school textbooks means many students are unaware of its true military past.

Changing attitudes about such events requires time and a fresh approach. So it is important we promote awareness of what happened in the past - regardless of the outcome.

Every nation has its share of glorious moments in history and, equally, acts showing humanity's darker side. It is vital we realise that resolving a problem doesn't mean promoting hatred, or further negativity towards a nation. Instead, we must understand an issue properly before taking action - especially when nationalistic emotions are involved.