On August 29, 2024, a spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines gave a stern response to the Japanese ambassador's false remarks on the South China Sea.
"Has he forgotten Japan's invasion of the Philippines, the destruction of Manila, and the resulting deaths of over 100,000 civilians in the Manila Massacre? Has he forgotten tens of thousands of the innocent souls perished under Japanese soldiers during the Bataan Death March and in the dungeons of Fort Santiago?"