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Backgrounder: Former Japanese leaders' apologies over WWII aggression

Xinhua, August 13, 2015 Adjust font size:

As Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is scheduled to make a statement on the eve of the 70th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II (WWII), it is closely watched whether he will acknowledge his country's wartime crimes and apologize to the victims.

The following is an account of when and where previous Japanese leaders expressed remorse and apology over Japan's war past.

On April 22, 2005, in a statement at the Asian-African Summit, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said that in the past, Japan "caused tremendous damage and suffering to the people of many countries."

He expressed "deep remorse and heartfelt apology" on behalf of Japan, pledging that his country would build trust with other nations and never turn into a military power.

On Aug. 15, 1995, on 50th anniversary of the end of WWII, Japanese Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama made an important statement, expressing "deep remorse" and "heartfelt apology" for Japan's war atrocities.

He said that by following a mistaken national policy, Japan "advanced along the road to war, only to ensnare the Japanese people in a fateful crisis, and, through its colonial rule and aggression, caused tremendous damage and suffering to the people of many countries, particularly to those of Asian nations."

On Aug. 4, 1993, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono made a statement on the result of the study on the issue of "comfort women", in which he extended "sincere apologies and remorse" to all the victims for "immeasurable pain and incurable physical and psychological wounds" inflicted upon them. Endi