Reflection on 80th Anniversary of War End

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba delivered on October 10th a “reflection” on the 80th anniversary of the end of the World War II. In the reflection, Ishiba deliberates some reasons why imperial Japan could not avoid entering the war and presented his idea on what was the lesson of it. Although the reflection is categorized as a personal speech of the prime minister with no cabinet decision, there is an argument that it would serve as an official document of prime minister. 

Since Tomiichi Murayama issued a statement on 50th anniversary in 1995, Jun-ichiro Koizumi and Shizo Abe published official statements with cabinet decisions on August 15th in 2005 and 2015. As those statements caused controversy over Japan’s apology to its neighbor countries, which had suffered from Japan’s aggression, the conservative members in the LDP opposed Ishiba’s delivery of 80th anniversary statement. Ishiba refrained from issuing an official statement on August 15th, 2025.

 

However, Ishiba insisted on delivering a message as the prime minister at 80th anniversary. He decided to send a personal message as a reflection without cabinet decision. In the reflection, Ishiba succeeded former prime ministers’ recognition on Japan’s responsibility on what the Imperial Japan did to its neighbor countries in the war. Instead, he focused in his reflection on why the Imperial Japan could not avoid entering the war.

 

Firstly, Ishiba raised problems with the Constitution of the Empire of Japan. “Pre-war Japan lacked a mechanism to properly integrated politics and military,” said Ishiba, arguing that civilian control did not work as the supreme command of Army and Navy was considered independent. He found that the pre-war political system did not grant a prime minister the command authority to lead the cabinet.

 

Secondly, parliament failed in exercising control over the military. Ishiba quoted anti-military speech by a Representative Takao Saito on February 2nd, 1940, which sharply accused the imperial military of Japan heading to the war. “Hiding behind the name of holy war, the politicians must not miss an opportunity of once in a thousand times and jeopardize the nation’s long-term plans for the next hundred years, leaving sacrifices of the nationals behind and presenting obscure concepts such as international justice, ethical diplomacy, co-existence and co-prosperity, or world peace.” Ishiba regretted the House’s expulsion of Saito, as well as assassinations of numerous statesmen, including three prime ministers in pre-war era.

 

Lastly, Ishiba warned Japanese media not to encourage government going to war with commercial reasons. “We must not fall into excessive commercialism, or tolerate narrow-minded nationalism, discrimination and xenophobia,” said Ishiba. He also urged politicians to “maintain their pride and a sense of responsibility, refusing to yield to irresponsible populism or be swayed by the prevailing tide.”

 

Before issuing the reflection, Ishiba had a meeting with the President of Liberal Democratic Party, Sanae Takaichi, who had been opposing Ishiba to deliver a statement on the 80th anniversary, to notify her about sending the message. It reflected Ishiba’s weak position to be careful about back lash from the conservative powers in the party.

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