Dropping an Option of August 15 Statement

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is thinking about how to deliver a message at the 80th anniversary from the end of the World War II. While he considered issuing his personal statement without Cabinet Decision on August 15th, it would invite a firm opposition from the conservative lawmakers in the Liberal Democratic Party. Ishiba still deliberates to release his message later this year.

It has been usual for a prime minister to issue memorial statement every decade. Former Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama delivered a statement at the 50th anniversary in 1995, which touched on Japan’s “colonial rule and aggression” following mistaken national policy, and expressed “feeling of deep remorse” and “heartfelt apology” to neighboring countries. Jun-ichiro Koizumi mostly followed Murayama Statement at the 60th anniversary in 2005.

 

Shinzo Abe tried to change the course at the 70th anniversary in 2015. It described “deep remorse and heartfelt apology” as what Japan had expressed in the past. “We must not let our children, grandchildren, and even further generations to come, who have nothing to do with that war, be predestined to apologize,” says Abe’s 70th anniversary statement. Abe wanted to finish apologizing about what Japan had done in the war.

 

Ishiba has insisted on delivering a message on August 15th to review why Japan advanced to the war, regarding the 80thanniversary as the last chance for the people who know the war to remember it. He sometimes referred to the words of his political mentor, former prime minister Kakuei Tanaka who achieved diplomatic normalization with China in 1972, that Japan would be all right as long as it is led by leaders who know the war. Thus, Tanaka warned a leadership without knowledge about the war.

 

In March, Ishiba made up his mind not to issue the 80th anniversary statement without Cabinet Decision. Anti-Ishiba conservative groups with loyalty to Abe have been opposing the 80th anniversary statement, because they believed that Abe statement had put a period on Japan’s apology to neighbor countries. They were frustrated with new statement to overwrite Abe statement.

 

Ishiba has since been seeking a personal statement on August 15th. Although he hoped to convene a team of experts on history to discuss the substance of his personal statement, Ishiba could not afford to make a progress, being caught in serious defeat in Upper House election and political struggle in the Liberal Democratic Party. There also was a judgment that pushing for the 80th anniversary statement may give his opponents an opportunity to criticize Ishiba’s handling of politics.

 

Ishiba still looking for another timing for his statement. If he is successful in settling political struggle in the LDP by the end of August, September 2nd, the day when Japan signed the document of surrender to the United Nations in 1945, can be another option. The statement is on a delicate balance of political powers.

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