Abe's Stand

From the USA Today:
"Japanese prime minister stands by apologies for Japan's WWII abuses"

In the first address to a joint session of Congress by a Japanese leader, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Wednesday stood by previous leaders' apologies for his nation's World War II abuses. He also expressed "eternal condolences" for the American lives lost fighting Japan in the war, contrite statements that set to rest a pre-speech flap over whether he would avoid acknowledging Japan's wartime atrocities, as he had appeared to do previously. "On behalf of Japan and the Japanese people, I offer with profound respect my eternal condolences to the souls of all American people that were lost during World War II," he said. Abe received repeated standing ovations by members of Congress. Watching from the gallery was Caroline Kennedy, the U.S. ambassador to Japan. "Our actions brought suffering to the peoples in Asian countries," Abe said, speaking in English. "We must not avert our eyes from that. I will uphold the views expressed by the previous prime ministers in this regard." The Japanese leader, however, did not personally apologize for Japan's atrocities toward its Asian neighbors. "History is harsh. What's done cannot be undone," Abe said in recalling his visit to the National World War II Memorial before arriving on Capitol Hill. "With deep repentance in my heart, I stood there in silent prayers for some time." Abe's past comments have appeared to gloss over Japan's wartime atrocities and cast doubt on his commitment to official apologies issued by previous prime ministers for war crimes.

 

 

^ It's a good thing that the Japanese Prime Minister said what he said to Congress and the American people. It may have been based on trying to get a new trade deal between the two countries signed, but nevertheless it is a big step forward. It has been 70 years since World War 2 ended, but that doesn't mean the effects of the war aren't still felt especially when a country tends to zig-zag around their role in the war and its crimes during it. Hopefully, the rest of this year's ceremonies will follow this speech. ^

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2015/04/29/japan-shinzo-abe-joint-session-of-congress-speech/26566135/