The Japanese prime minister on Monday apologised for atrocities committed by his country during World War II, on the 60th anniversary of the end of the conflict.
In a written statement, Junichiro Koizumi expressed his ”deep reflections and heartfelt apology” for Japan’s colonisations and invasions in Asia during the war, before joining Emperor Akihito — son of wartime Emperor Hirohito — for a ceremony marking the end of hostilities.
”Our country has caused great damages and pain to people in many countries, especially our Asian neighbours, through colonisation and invasion,” he said.
”We humbly accept these historic facts, and would like to express once again our deep reflections and heartfelt apology, and also express our condolences to all victims of the war, both at home and abroad. We will not forget the terrible lessons of the war, and will contribute to world peace and prosperity.”
After the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima on August 6 and Nagasaki on August 9 1945, Japan surrendered to the allies on August 15, bringing World War II to an end.
Tokyo estimates that 2,4-million Japanese soldiers were killed in the war along with hundreds of thousands of civilians.
The legacy of the war still overshadows relations between Asian countries. Many of Japan’s neighbours feel that the country has not yet full accepted, or atoned for, the atrocities it committed during the conflict.
Koizumi’s apologies echo a similar statement he made at an Asian summit in Indonesia in April. His apologies then were reported as an attempt to improve relations between Japan and China after anti-Japanese protests in China were sparked by Tokyo’s approval of history textbooks that critics say ”whitewashed” Japanese wartime atrocities.
On Monday Koizumi was expected to stay away from the Yasukuni shrine. The shrine honours Japan’s war dead, including executed war criminals. Koizumi has made annual visits to the shrine since taking office in 2001, but never on the anniversary of the war’s end. His visits have been criticised by China and South Korea.
Thousands of people, both those remembering the dead and anti-Yasukuni protestors, had gathered at the shrine by midday.
Many of them told reporters that Koizumi should visit the shrine to show that Japan had fully accepted its role in World War II.
”As a national leader, he should come to pray for peace and honour the dead as they do in all civilised countries,” said Masakazu Aihara (64) a retired trading firm executive.
An editorial in the China Daily said: ”Actions speak louder than words … His words appeared faint and his sincerity is also in doubt,” referring to Koizumi’s past apologies.
Earlier on Monday in Taiwan, six elderly Taiwanese women were protesting about being forced to work as sex slaves — or ”comfort women” as they were called — during World War II. They are demanding an official apology from Japan and compensation.
Similar protests took place in China and South Korea.
Historians estimate that around 2 000 Taiwanese women who were forced to work as sex slaves for Japanese troops across Asia.
Between 1895 and 1945 Taiwan was a Japanese colony, and about 200 000 Taiwanese men were drafted by Japan to fight in World War II. More than 50 000 were either killed or remain missing, historians say. – Guardian Unlimited Â