Right wing party of Japan seek to portray Japan as victim

(MENAFN) Eight decades after Japan’s unconditional surrender in World War II, what should be a moment of deep reflection on the devastation caused by Japanese militarism, especially across Asia, is instead highlighting how unresolved the nation’s historical reckoning remains.

Right-wing factions are working to obscure responsibility, portray Japan as a victim, and even glorify wartime actions, while simultaneously steering the country toward renewed military ambitions. What should be a solemn remembrance risks turning into yet another effort to rewrite history.


In 1995, on the 50th anniversary of Japan’s surrender, then-Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama issued the notable “Murayama Statement,” which recognized that Japan’s colonial rule and wartime aggression had inflicted “tremendous damage and suffering” on other nations and offered “deep remorse and heartfelt apology.”

While later leaders echoed similar sentiments during the 60th and 70th anniversaries, the language became increasingly diluted over time. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi’s 2005 message still referred to “colonial rule and aggression,” “remorse,” and “apology,” but dropped the direct reference to “erroneous national policy.”

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