Monday, August 15th

Japan marks WWII's end, Kishida doesn't mention aggression

By MARI YAMAGUCHI Associated Press

Visitors in old Japanese Imperial army uniforms enter Yasukuni Shrine, which honors Japan's war dead, Monday, Aug. 15, 2022, in Tokyo. Japan marked the 77th anniversary of its World War II defeat Monday. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks during a memorial service marking the 77th anniversary of Japan's World War II defeat, at the Nippon Budokan hall in Tokyo, Monday, Aug. 15, 2022. (Yuichi Yamazaki/Pool Photo via AP)

TOKYO (AP) - Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida renewed Japan's no-war pledge at a somber ceremony Monday as his country marked the 77th anniversary of its World War II defeat, but he did not mention Japanese wartime aggression.

In his first address as prime minister since taking office in October, Kishida said Japan will "stick to our resolve to never repeat the tragedy of the war."

Kishida did not mention Japanese aggression across Asia in the first half of the 20th century or the victims in the region. The omission was a precedent set by the assassinated former leader Shinzo Abe, who had pushed to whitewash Japan's wartime brutality.

Kishida largely focused on the damages Japan suffered on its turf - the U.S. atomic bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, massive firebombings across Japan and the bloody ground battle on Okinawa. He said the peace and prosperity that the country enjoys today is built on the suffering and sacrifices of those who died in the war.

Beginning in 2013, Abe stopped acknowledging Japan's wartime hostilities or apologizing in his Aug. 15 speeches, scrapping the tradition that began in 1995.

Emperor Naruhito repeated his "deep remorse" over Japan's wartime actions in a nuanced phrase in his speech, like his father, Emperor Emeritus Akihito, who devoted his career to making amends for a war fought in the name of the wartime emperor, Hirohito, the current emperor's grandfather.

Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako bow as they attend a memorial service marking the 77th anniversary of Japan's World War II defeat, at the Nippon Budokan hall in Tokyo, Monday, Aug. 15, 2022. (Yuichi Yamazaki/Pool Photo via AP)

Some 900 participants observed a minute of silence at noon during the ceremony held at the Budokan arena. The crowd was reduced from about 5,000 before the pandemic, participants were asked to wear masks, and there was no singing of the national anthem.

While Kishida on Monday stayed away from praying at the Yasukuni Shrine and sent a religious ornament instead, three of his Cabinet members visited - Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi and Disaster Reconstruction Minister Kenya Akiba earlier Monday and Trade and Industry Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura on Saturday.

"I paid respects to the spirits of those who sacrificed their lives for the national policy," Takaichi told reporters, adding that she also prayed so that there will be no more war dead in Ukraine.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno defended their Yasukuni visits by saying that "In any country, it is natural to pay respects to those who sacrificed their lives to their nation," but that they decided to pray as "private citizens."

"There is no change to Japan's policy of strengtheing its ties with its neighbors China and South Korea," Matsuno said.

Victims of Japanese actions during the first half of the 20th century, especially China and the Koreas, see the shrine as a symbol of Japanese militarism because it honors convicted war criminals among about 2.5 million war dead.

People pay respects to the war dead at Yasukuni Shrine Monday, Aug. 15, 2022, in Tokyo. Japan marked the 77th anniversary of its World War II defeat Monday. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

The visits sparked criticisms from China and South Korea.

South Korea's Foreign Ministry expressed "deep disappointment and regret" over the Yasukuni visits which it said beautifies Japan's past invasions. The ministry urged Japanese officials to "look squarely" at history and demonstrate their "sincere" remorse with action.

China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin, on Sunday after Nishimura's visit, criticized it as "Japanese government's erroneous attitude toward historical issues." Wang also urged Japan to "deeply reflect" on its wartime aggression and act responsibly to gain trust of its Asian neighbors and the larger international community.

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AP writer Kim Tong-hyung in Seoul, South Korea, contributed to this report.

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, from left, bows as Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attend a memorial service marking the 77th anniversary of Japan's World War II defeat, at the Nippon Budokan hall in Tokyo, Monday, Aug. 15, 2022. (Yuichi Yamazaki/Pool Photo via AP)

People hold Japanese flags as they walk in Yasukuni Shrine Monday, Aug. 15, 2022, in Tokyo. Japan marked the 77th anniversary of its World War II defeat Monday. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Visitors observe a minute of silence for paying respects to the war dead at Yasukuni Shrine Monday, Aug. 15, 2022, in Tokyo. Japan marked the 77th anniversary of its World War II defeat Monday. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

People pay respects to the war dead at Yasukuni Shrine Monday, Aug. 15, 2022, in Tokyo. Japan marked the 77th anniversary of its World War II defeat Monday. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Visitors carry Japanese flags and a rising sun flag at Yasukuni Shrine Monday, Aug. 15, 2022, in Tokyo. Japan marked the 77th anniversary of its World War II defeat Monday. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako bow as they attend a memorial service marking the 77th anniversary of Japan's World War II defeat, at the Nippon Budokan hall in Tokyo, Monday, Aug. 15, 2022. (Yuichi Yamazaki/Pool Photo via AP)

Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, back left, attend a memorial service marking the 77th anniversary of Japan's World War II defeat, at the Nippon Budokan hall in Tokyo, Monday, Aug. 15, 2022. (Yuichi Yamazaki/Pool Photo via AP)

Visitors observe a minute of silence for paying respects to the war dead at Yasukuni Shrine Monday, Aug. 15, 2022, in Tokyo. Japan marked the 77th anniversary of its World War II defeat Monday. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, from left, bows to Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako during a memorial service marking the 77th anniversary of Japan's World War II defeat, at the Nippon Budokan hall in Tokyo, Monday, Aug. 15, 2022. (Yuichi Yamazaki/Pool Photo via AP)

Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attend a memorial service marking the 77th anniversary of Japan's World War II defeat, at the Nippon Budokan hall in Tokyo, Monday, Aug. 15, 2022. (Yuichi Yamazaki/Pool Photo via AP)

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida lays a flower during a memorial service marking the 77th anniversary of Japan's World War II defeat, at the Nippon Budokan hall in Tokyo, Monday, Aug. 15, 2022. (Yuichi Yamazaki/Pool Photo via AP)

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida attends a memorial service marking the 77th anniversary of Japan's World War II defeat, at the Nippon Budokan hall in Tokyo, Monday, Aug. 15, 2022. (Yuichi Yamazaki/Pool Photo via AP)

Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako bow as they attend a memorial service marking the 77th anniversary of Japan's World War II defeat, at the Nippon Budokan hall in Tokyo, Monday, Aug. 15, 2022. (Yuichi Yamazaki/Pool Photo via AP)

Japan's Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi meets the media after visiting Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, Monday, Aug. 15, 2022. The shrine is seen as a symbol of Japanese militarism because it honors convicted war criminals among about 2.5 million war dead. (Kyodo News via AP)

People queue to pay respects to the war dead at Yasukuni Shrine Monday, Aug. 15, 2022, in Tokyo. Japan marked the 77th anniversary of its World War II defeat Monday. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

People queue to pay respects to the war dead at Yasukuni Shrine Monday, Aug. 15, 2022, in Tokyo. Japan marked the 77th anniversary of its World War II defeat Monday. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

People queue to pay respects to the war dead at Yasukuni Shrine Monday, Aug. 15, 2022, in Tokyo. Japan marked the 77th anniversary of its World War II defeat Monday. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

People queue to pay respects to the war dead at Yasukuni Shrine Monday, Aug. 15, 2022, in Tokyo. Japan marked the 77th anniversary of its World War II defeat Monday. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Visitors in old Japanese Imperial army uniforms enter Yasukuni Shrine, which honors Japan's war dead Monday, Aug. 15, 2022, in Tokyo. Japan marked the 77th anniversary of its World War II defeat Monday. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Visitors observe a minute of silence for paying respects to the war dead at Yasukuni Shrine Monday, Aug. 15, 2022, in Tokyo. Japan marked the 77th anniversary of its World War II defeat Monday. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visits the Chidorigafuchi National Cemetery in Tokyo, Monday, Aug. 15, 2022. Kishida later spoke at a ceremony at the Budokan arena and renewed Japan's no-war pledge as his country marked the 77th anniversary of its World War II defeat, but did not mention Japanese wartime aggression. (Kyodo News via AP)