What will Abe say about Japan's role in World War II?

“There has been growing concern that Abe might try to effectively overwrite the Murayama statement with the ‘Abe statement,’” he said.

A scary thought, but a realistic one, given Abe's ego, and the "mandate" he recently received.

he sought to reassure the world that he wouldn’t veer from past official statements on Japan’s wartime responsibility

This is laughable.

Abe frequently 'veers' from past official statements on Japan's wartime responsibility, and at great expense to the nation's positive reputation globally. He has a long and egregious track record of such veering, and there is no reason to think he won't continue to do so.

How much sack does it take to admit past wrong-doings done not by you, but by your fathers?

You don't have to apologize. You don't have to pay. All you have to do is admit your fathers were criminal and distance yourself from them and explain how you are most certainly not like your fathers.

Does Japan even have a collective sack? Or is it that so many in fact admire their fathers' criminal actions and hope to repeat them someday?

Japan's neighbors have reason to be wary. These right wingers may not be the majority, but they clearly have power. History shows that a minority with power can suddenly take control of a country and however peaceful it was, thrust it right into a war.

Peace loving people get sick of all this constant verbal and political warfare with the rightists. The rightists however never grow weary of conflict. They live for it! And as we cannot just shoot them dead, eventually they will win out again, the horrible bastards!

"World War Two was very regrettable. I believe that Japan my need to shoulder some of the burden of responsibility for this regrettable circumstance that occurred. It is our hope Japan can lead the future as a peaceful nation that has always been interested in being friends with our neighbors by showing them the superiority of Japanese customs and products."

There ya go Abe, I won't even charge you for it.

@Magic Eight Ball That ignores the fact that even if China and SK would drop any further demands for reparations (which I doubt they would), they would demand a hate speech law enacted to criminalize what they have none of: free speech.

That it didn't necessarily go to Japan's advantage?? That it was a fifth column back in Japan that let the troops down?

That ignores the fact that even if China and SK would drop any further demands for reparations (which I doubt they would), they would demand a hate speech law enacted to criminalize what they have none of: free speech.

So you are saying that rather than trying to aim for doing the right thing, they should not do the right thing because someone else is not doing the right thing either?

Have you murdered anyone you didn't like lately? Others are doing it you know. So that should make it ok if you do it, because others are also doing it.

How can South Korea be a "victim of Japan's wartime aggression"?

There was that whole 35 year occupation thing and all. I guess that slipped your mind.

StrangerlandJan. 07, 2015 - 04:01PM JST

There was that whole 35 year occupation thing and all. I guess that slipped your mind.

The 35 years may be annexation or colonization, but has no element of "occupation" as defined in international laws.

In addition, the 35 years has nothing at all to do with "wartime aggression". When was Japan at war with Korea after all?

I hope someday Koreans and Japanese can talk straight without history distortion by Korean education.

Japan's govt may include some expression of remorse, and China/SK would dance for joy again, but J public will never forgive the two countries for extorting apologies so many times, so It will cost the two a lot as a result. Especially, SK will never be in good relation with Japan again.

tinawatanabe said:

"...J public will never forgive the two countries..."

There are many words and phrases in the English language that can describe this -- shall we say -- "audacious" statement, but most of them would get my comment deleted. So I'll just point out that in order to have the moral right to choose to forgive/not forgive someone, first you have to have been victimized by them. So let's see.., looking at the Korea-Japan relations just of the last 100 years, I wonder what the judgment of most un-crazy people in the world outside of Japan would be..?

So let's see.., looking at the Korea-Japan relations just of the last 100 years

slowguy, You should not ignore all the efforts Japan has made over the last 70 years. And I merely stated the sentiments among J public which is different from J govt, and more powerful than you think.

Yes, the J public is certainly a powerful force to be reckoned with, especially considering the voter turnout for the last "election" They certainly do much to make their "powerful" voices heard as can be seen by all of the current reforms that are happening for the lower class....

L....O......L.

“The Abe Cabinet will uphold the general stance on history of successive prime ministers, including the Murayama statement,” he said, referring to a 1995 apology made by then-Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama on the 50th anniversary of the war’s end. He said the government would draft a new statement “that includes Japan’s remorse for the war,” though he stopped short of saying it would again apologize

Soften the Murayama statement by 5%? Soften the Murayama statement by 10%? Overwhelm the "regret" aspect with a "forward looking" aspect?

It has been done and said over the last 70 years. What more is there to say? It is best to say nothing at all

He will say Japan's main role was and still is a victim of the war, especailly the atomic bombings, and also Japan hasn't gotten the proper credit for trying to bring prosperity to all the countries it had its soldiers in.