VJ Day commemorations to take place across Wales

A Japanese journalist cited in a Washington Post report described the remarks as “unprecedented”, and it has been suggested that the emperor has shown a subtle opposition to Abe’s “aggressive form of pacifism” when it comes to commenting on the nation’s wartime past.

Pyongyang criticised Abe for “running the whole gamut of gimmick to bury the unprecedented hair-raising crimes into the oblivion of history”.

Akihito also emphasized that Japan’s peace and prosperity stand on “the people’s tireless endeavors and their earnest desire for peace”, and renewed his war-renouncing pledge.

“Abe trod a fine line with linguistic tricks, attempting to please his right-wing base on the one hand and avoid further damage in Japan’s ties with its neighbours on the other“, it said.

While pledging that Japan would remain peaceful, he used the speech to make veiled criticism of China’s activities in disputed waters in the region.

Nagy added that “relations with South Korea could have improved dramatically” had Abe made a clearer statement on the victims of military brothels.

Abe chose his words carefully to ensure his explanations and condolences would not be confused for an apology. Why? In 1995, Socialist Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama focused overseas when extending his “heartfelt apology” for atrocities his country committed in World War Two.

Previously, Abe has angered Chinese and South Korean leaders by visiting the Yasukuni shrine.

He donated Shinto-style religious ornaments for the Yasukuni shrine, as he has done in the past since his last visit in December 2013, which triggered uproar from China and South Korea.

Revere said he believes it was also a mistake by Abe to talk about the apology burden of future generations.

The Prime Minister’s speech was reported in full, along with the words of US President Truman to the American people, in which he said: “This is the day we have been waiting for since Pearl Harbour”.

Meanwhile, in a speech on Saturday to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Korean Peninsula from Japanese colonial rule, South Korean President Park Geun-hye praised Abe’s war-end anniversary statement to a certain extent because Abe said he would uphold views on history expressed by past Japanese cabinets.

Like it or not, Japan is a very important country for Korea, not just in terms of economy and technology but in national security, and this is true whether North Korea has nuclear weapons or not.

The Reverend Dr Sam Wells, vicar of the church, told the congregation: “The struggles, the suffering and the sacrifice of the war in the Far East are a defining experience in our nation’s history”.

But Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in a statement that Beijing is “firmly opposed to and dissatisfied” with the Yasukuni visits by the three ministers and with Abe’s ritual offering.

It is interesting that he did not bring China into this friendly embrace or note how the two countries helped each other’s development once Deng Xiaoping opened China’s door to the world.

Prince Charles and Prime Minister David Cameron laid wreaths.