Commentary: Japan's word games will never result in improved ties with neighbors

It's more than frustrating to see some Japanese politicians, including Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, repeat their stereotypes of playing word games and double-dealing tricks in the latest attempts to water down its war atrocities both in Tokyo and in Jakarta.

Over 100 Japanese lawmakers and three of Abe's cabinet members visited the notorious Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, which honors 14 Class-A convicted criminals of World War II (WWII), respectively on Wednesday and Thursday.

Although Abe did not go to worship the shrine in person this time so as to create a proper atmosphere for a hard-won meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, he made an offering in the name of prime minister on Tuesday.

Moreover, at the Asian-African summit in Jakarta, Abe squandered another golden opportunity to apologize to the Asian countries that have been gravely traumatized by Tokyo's atrocious aggression and slaughters 70 years ago. He only expressed a "deep remorse" over its country's war past.

These despicable double-dealing tricks and word games have ignited widespread disappointment and alarm in Asia and beyond, as the whole world is ready to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII, one of the most brutal catastrophes in human history in which Japan was a prime culprit.

The Japanese rightists, represented by an increasingly strident nationalist leader Abe, should be reminded again that unless they repent and apologize sincerely, they will never be forgiven by the neighboring countries whose memories of sufferings in WWII run deep.

It should also be made clear that whatever tricks the Abe administration plays, the world would not be its dupe.0 More heartrendingly, disputes over historical recognition between unapologetic and provocative Japan and its thus irritated neighbors have pushed the East Asian security situation to the dangerous cliff over and over again in recent years.

Abe should know better than any others that to Tokyo, diplomatic, political and economic prices for such confrontations, which could have been prevented otherwise, have been unbearable.

With all these calculations in mind, Abe should make wiser choices than clinging to unnecessary provocations and trying to get by without making a sincere apology.

The history issue is not negotiable, because it is a major matter of principle concerning the political basis of Japan's relations with its Asian neighbors, as Chinese President Xi said when meeting Abe in Jakarta.

Hence, Tokyo should urgently and seriously treat the concerns of its neighbors, stop cheap tricks, and come up with sincerity by making a clearly worded apology for its war atrocities to the whole world, so as to set its country's relations with neighboring countries back on the right track.

Otherwise, the Japanese side will have to swallow the consequences resulting from tense relations with neighboring countries. Endi