Reading stages VJ ceremony to mark 70th anniversary

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Saturday, the day marking the 70th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II, sent a ritual offering to the notorious Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, which honors Japan’s war dead, including 14 Class-A convicted criminals of WWII.

In the statement, Abe said: “I bow my head deeply before the souls of all those who perished at home and overseas”. I went back to technical college and got my qualifications which allowed me to get a job with the MEB.

Aside from China, South Korean President Park Geun-hye has also said that Abe’s speech “left much to be desired”.

Seventy years ago on Saturday, a collective sigh of relief rose around the Pacific when Emperor Hirohito announced Japan’s unconditional surrender to his nation over the crackly wireless.

Koizumi was ultranationalistic. But he knew it was wrong for Japan to annex Korea in 1910, to start aggression against China by instigating the Mukden Incident on November 18, 1931, and to attack Pearl Harbor to begin the Greater East Asian War on December 8, 1941.

In 1995, then-prime minister Tomiichi Murayama expressed his “deep remorse” and “heartfelt apology” for Japan’s “colonial rule and aggression”.

“This day is recorded in history as the day the world had peace”, Pittman said.

– Britain suffered 90,332 casualties in the war against Japan of whom 29,968 died – 12,433 whilst prisoners of war.

“We must not let our children, grandchildren and even further generations to come, who have nothing to do with that war, be predestined to apologize”, he said.

“These precious gifts are those things that we in the future would stand up to be counted for”.

Veterans, serving personnel and members of the public are invited to join the Mayor of Woking, Councillor Derek McCrum, in silent tribute at the Town Centre War Memorial this VJ (Victory over Japan) Day.

The Diaoyu Islands are a group of islands now under the control of Japan as part of the city of Ishigaki, but have been disputed for generations by both the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of China.

Abe made no direct reference on Friday to “comfort women”, a euphemism for the girls and women – many of them Korean – forced into prostitution at Japanese military brothels. “Lest we forget”. Given the region’s geo-political balance, the continued rancour among Tokyo, Seoul and Beijing will likely continue to play in sharp contrast to Europe, where former enemies France and Germany are among the world’s closest allies.

Abe said that Japan must never again repeat the devastation of war, saying the countless lives of young people lost in countries that fought Japan leaves him speechless and rent with grief. “What is done can not be undone”.