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1st LD Writethru: Abe to release WWII statement on Aug. 14: official

Xinhua, August 5, 2015 Adjust font size:

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is scheduled to release his landmark statement to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of the World War Two (WWII) on August 14, a Japanese government source said Wednesday.

According to Kyodo News Agency, an advisory panel on the anniversary statement will submit its final report to the prime minister on Thursday afternoon.

The statement will include "reflection on the past war" and highlight Japan's international contribution in the future, said the source.

However, most of the panel members have agreed that the statement could drop key phrases such as "apology" which the previous prime ministers expressed in their statements on the 50th and 60th anniversaries.

Abe has hinted that his statement may be released as his " personal opinion," instead of making it a more official one adopted by the cabinet meeting. However, it is more possible that the statement will be released as Cabinet decision finally, according to Kyodo News.

Abe has repeatedly stated that he would uphold the general stance on history of successive prime ministers, including the Murayama Statement and Koizumi Statement, but will not repeat the same words. Endi