 In a statement released by People's Daily, Murayama emphasized the two nations' linguistic and cultural similarities, insisting that China and Japan develop a strong bond.Although some Western nations such as Australia showed warmth and welcome towards the first explicit apology for Japan's imperialist and war time actions, other Asian countries such as Singapore and Malaysia expressed similar reactions to China and South Korea.Reactions were generally subdued compared to Western states, and not all Asian states issued official responses to the Murayama statement.