Draft of Japan PM’s WWII statement includes ‘apology’

An advisory panel to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on August. 6 released a report characterizing Japan’s military campaign from the 1931 Manchurian Incident in northeastern China through the end of World War II as “aggression, ” and also referred to Japan’s past colonial rule.

In response, the ruling Saenuri Party said Abe will “betray the trust of the global community” if he refuses to apologize for Japan’s past wrongdoings.

South Korea has called for Abe to include four key words, including war of aggression, colonization, apology and repentance, in the statement, inheriting historical perceptions of previous governments shown in the former prime ministers’ statements by Murayama and by Junichiro Koizumi in 2005.

The coalition said only after Japan faces its past mistakes will it be able to foster close ties with South Korea.

Abe, seen by some critics as a revisionist who wants to play down wartime misdeeds, would spark criticism if he failed to acknowledge the mainstream view that the war was an act of aggression, Kitaoka said.

The anniversary comes as Japan is divided over Abe’s push to pass unpopular legislation to expand the country’s military role internationally. While it does note dissenting opinions by some commission members and the reasons for their dissent, in a footnote of the final report, the report argues that Japan went against the key trends in the post-World War I global order-self-determination, democratization, delegitimization of war, and economic development-and inflicted grave damage in Asia.

Abe’s comments Thursday, on the 70th anniversary of the Hiroshima atomic bombing, came the same day as a panel set up to advise on the wording of the war statement condemned Japan’s colonial past.

As a country who was defeated, Japan should take its responsibilities and hold the right attitude, which means “until the victims say “it’s OK”, we should keep apologizing”, Hatoyama said.

It said Japan had “caused much harm to various countries, largely in Asia, through a reckless war”, but stopped short of recommending a fresh apology.

“President Park is pushing ahead with the emotion-based diplomacy toward Japan from the outset of her administration, and making it clear that she does not intend to seek any progress in bilateral relations unless Japan compromises on the recognition of history”, the report said.

Along with other world leaders, China has invited Abe to the commemoration.

The inclusion of these terms in the statement would be a welcome surprise to many who fear that Abe intends to speak primarily of Japan’s postwar record of pacifism and global contributions while glossing over its historical actions in the period leading up to its 1945 defeat.

The remarks infuriated Asian countries, especially China and South Korea.

Sankei newspaper also said Monday that Abe was likely to use the word “aggression” but not necessarily linked to Japan’s war history. He has said focusing on language would trivialize the content.