Japan has marked the 75th anniversary of its surrender in the second world war with Emperor Naruhito expressing “deep remorse” over his country’s wartime actions at a sombre annual ceremony curtailed by the coronavirus pandemic. Naruhito pledged to reflect on the war’s events and expressed hope that the tragedy would never be repeated. There was no word of apology from the prime minister, Shinzo Abe, who gave thanks for the sacrifices of the Japanese war dead.“Reflecting on our past and bearing in mind the feelings of deep remorse, I earnestly hope that the ravages of war will never be repeated,” Naruhito said in a short speech at the event in Tokyo marking the 75th anniversary of Japan’s surrender on 15 August 1945. Amid virus fears and worries about the fading memories of the fast-ageing war generation, about 500 participants, reduced from 6,200 last year, mourned the dead with a minute of silence. Masks were required and there was no singing of the Kimigayo national anthem. Naruhito has promised to follow in the footsteps of his father, who devoted his 30-year career to making amends for a war fought in the name of Hirohito, the current emperor’s grandfather. Abe has increasingly sought to whitewash Japan’s brutal past since taking office in December 2012. He has not acknowledged Japan’s wartime hostilities during 15 August speeches, which had previously been a nearly 20-year tradition that began with the 1995 apology of the Socialist party prime minister Tomiichi Murayama. Abe said the peace that Japan enjoys today was built on the sacrifices of those who died in the war. He pledged that Japan would reflect on lessons from history and will not repeat the war devastation. He listed damage inflicted on Japan and its people, including the US atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, firebombings of Tokyo and the fierce battle of Okinawa. He pledged to play a greater role in tackling global problems.

All data is taken from the source: https://www.theguardian.com/
Article Link:https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/15/deep-remorse-japanese-emperor-marks-75th-anniversary-of-surrender

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