Japanese prime minister plans landmark visit to Pearl Harbor

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will honour war dead, but will not apologise when he becomes the first Japanese leader to visit Pearl Harbour this month, a top government spokesman said on Tuesday (Dec 6).

Abe announced on Monday he would join President Barack Obama on a December 26-27 visit to the site of the Japanese surprise attack 75 years ago that drew the United States into World War Two.

Abe’s visit, and Obama’s, signal to the world that we must find some way to end war. It will also serve as a reaffirmation of the strong bilateral ties between the two nations and, according to an expert, highlights the importance of settling issues of history.

Prime Minister Abe Shinzō talks on December 5 in Tokyo about his planned visit to Pearl Harbor.

Events to mark the 75th anniversary of the start of World War II are scheduled Wednesday in Carson City and Reno.

At 7:48 a.m., more than 300 Imperial Japanese attack planes swarmed the American fleet in an unprovoked attack – the U.S. had not yet entered World War II.

Knowing that the jets critical to USA air superiority would lead the 75th anniversary commemoration was “a real honor”, said Pearl Harbor survivor Ira “Ike” Schab, a former North Las Vegas resident.

In Hiroshima, Obama reiterated his commitment to pursuing a world without nuclear weapons, while avoiding any direct expression of remorse or apology for the USA nuclear bombings. “But the fact remains, as President Reagan said when first proclaiming National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, “there can be no substitute for victory” in the pursuit of peace”, he said.

“I’d like to make it (meeting with Obama) an opportunity to send a message to the world that we will further strengthen and maintain our alliance towards the future”, he said.

Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor 75 years ago Wednesday, propelled the United States to enter World War II.

During his May 27 visit to Hiroshima, Obama – the first sitting United States president to visit the city – clasped hands with one survivor and hugged another.

Lehner says no one has apologized for not believing him for so many years, but he’s not upset about it.

Abe met with Trump in NY last month. Philip Zelikow, chairman of the 9/11 Commission, said the great tragedy of 9/11 was that “the system of intelligence learned from Pearl Harbor broke down”.