Tokyo: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressed deep remorse yesterday over World War II and said previous national apologies were unshakeable, but emphasized future generations should not have to keep saying sorry. In a closely watched speech a day ahead of the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII, the nationalist premier appeared to tread a fine line between regret over Japanese wartime aggression while also focusing on what his pacifist country had done since the end of the conflict.
“Japan has repeatedly expressed feelings of deep remorse and heartfelt apology for its actions during the war.... we have consistently devoted ourselves to the peace and prosperity of the region since the end of the war,” Abe said.
“Such position(s) articulated by the previous cabinets will remain unshakable into the future.”
When speaking about China, Abe referred to “unbearable sufferings caused by the Japanese military” and said Tokyo “took the wrong course” in going to war.
Referring to those who perished in the war, Abe expressed “profound grief and my eternal, sincere condolences”. He said this was also for millions of Japanese who died, some from the US atomic bombings. Abe, a grandson of a wartime cabinet minister, y added that we have “engraved in our hearts” the suffering of Asian neighbours, including South Korea, Indonesia, the Philippines and Taiwan.
But Abe -- who has been criticised for playing down Japan’s war record and trying to expand its present-day military -- added that future generations of Japanese should not have to apologise.
“We must not let our children, grandchildren and even further generations to come, who have nothing to do with that war, be predestined to apologise,” he said.
China says more than 20 million of its citizens died as a result of Japan’s invasion and occupation for 35 years until 1945.
AFP
