Deep Remorse of Emperor

Newspapers reported a statement of Japanese Emperor in the memorial ceremony for war victims in Tokyo on Saturday as a message to neighbor nations in Asia. That was because His Majesty touched on “deep remorse” to devastation of the war, the expression which former Prime Ministers used in their statements, but Shinzo Abe refused to include with direct narration in his statement the day before. This kind of difference between Emperor and Prime Minister is highly unusual.

The government of Japan has been holding national memorial ceremony on 15^th of August, the day Showa Emperor, Hirohito, made radio address to announce the acceptance of unconditional surrender required by Potsdam Declaration in 1045. The Emperor has attended the ceremony every year and delivered short speech to the war victims and the people of Japan.

This year, the Emperor, Akihito, made deliberated address to the people. “Reflecting on our past and bearing in mind the feelings of deep remorse over the last war, I earnestly hope that the ravages of war will never be repeated,” told Akihito. Different from Abe Statement, the subject of “deep remorse” was the speaker himself. That was the first time for the Emperor to mention “deep remorse” over the war in the speech in the memorial ceremony.

“Together with all of our people,” he added, “I now pay my heartfelt tribute to all those who lost their lives in the war, both on the battlefields and elsewhere, and pray for world peace and for the continuing development of our country.” Instead of referring to “heartfelt apology” in Murayama Statement 1995, which Abe has strictly been refusing to use in his statement, Akihito represented his sincere reflection with an adjective of “heartfelt.”

In the new year speech this year, Akihito stressed the importance of correct interpretation of history. “I think that it is extremely important now to learn history of this country starting Manchu Incident and consider Japan’s way of existence from now,” told Akihito. It was regarded as a concern on historical interpretation of current Prime Minister. In April, he visited one of the most devastative battlefields, Palau, and prayed for the victims. Asahi Shimbun quoted a comment of staff around Akihito that his comment was a reflection of his concern on eventual oblivion of memories of war.

Newspapers avoided relating Akihito’s speech to Abe’s reluctance on apology or remorse. However, the positive report on Akihito can be based on the notion that the Emperor has been to some extent unsatisfied with the behavior of Abe as historical revisionist.