Japan marks 75th anniversary of war end with no Abe apology

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By MARI YAMAGUCHI

TOKYO (AP) — Japan on Saturday marked the 75th anniversary of its surrender in World War II, with Emperor Naruhito expressing “deep remorse” over his country’s wartime actions at a somber 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 Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who gave thanks for the sacrifices of the Japanese war dead but had nothing to say about the suffering of Japan’s neighbors.

“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 Aug. 15, 1945.

Amid virus fears and worries about the fading memories of the fast-aging 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.



Worshippers queue to pay respects to the war dead at Yasukuni Shrine Saturday, Aug. 15, 2020, in Tokyo. Japan marked the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)


Read more: https://apnews.com/ab11f24848d38915f348f8c79c953591

[yaesu]

1. So, 75 years ago we liberated Japan from fascism, I hope we can do the same for ourselves on Nov 3rd

[dalton99a]

2. FWIW Japan and Russia are still technically at war

As it is often the case with Moscow, there’s some disputed land involved. Japan and Russia have both made claims on a chain of four islands in the Pacific Ocean located between Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula and Japan’s most northern main island, Hokkaido.

On Aug. 9, 1945, the Soviet Union decided to invade Manchukuo, a Japanese puppet state in what today constitutes northeastern China. The invasion came three days after the United States had dropped an atomic bomb over Japan’s Hiroshima.

After Japan’s defeat, the Soviet Union claimed the four islands in Japan’s north, arguing that Japan stole them from Russia in the first place when it annexed them in the 19th century. But the Japanese refused to acknowledge Russia’s claims and only signed a declaration that ended the state of war in 1956, while still refusing to sign an actual peace treaty.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2018/09/12/russia-is-seeking-peace-with-japan-wait-theyre-still-war/

[Massacure]

4. The Soviet Union didn't decide on August 9th to invade Manchukuo

At the Tehran Conference in November 1943, the Soviet Union agreed to declare war on Japan no later than three months following Germany's defeat. Germany fell on May 8th and the Soviet Union held up their end of the bargain by sending a declaration of war at 3:00pm GMT on Aug 8 and invading Manchukuo at 4:01pm. This corresponded to the invasion being Aug 9 at 12:01am local time.

The Washington Post got a bit lazy with their reporting in this article.

[Roy Rolling]

3. Article Focus

What’s the purpose of sharing what Abe didn’t do, except to editorialize what the news writer thinks is significant?

It’s like celebrating your un-birthday.

Is such a thing meaningful?

[soryang]

5. leaders of the LDP such as Abe and Asa

...are the direct descendants of war criminals. They are revisionists who deny Japan committed any war crimes during WWII. That's the signficance of it.

[efhmc]

6. Sshinzo Abe for those of us dumb Americans who do not know who this is:

Shinzō Abe is a Japanese politician who has served as Prime Minister of Japan and President of the Liberal Democratic Party since 2012. He previously served as Chief Cabinet Secretary. Kind of embarrassing.