Politics PM Ishiba's WWII speech centred on 'remorse'

The right wing of the LDP must have fumed.

On Friday, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba pledged that Japan would continue to pursue peace while remaining mindful of the nation's "remorse" over the Second World War, marking the first time in more than ten years that a premier has used the word at the annual memorial for the war dead, held on the anniversary of Japan's surrender. His remarks were interpreted as a sign of his determination to ensure the war's lessons are not forgotten, and to hand down what he described as the "sorrowful" memories to younger generations as the number of surviving witnesses steadily declines.



Unlike some of his predecessors, however, Ishiba has decided not to issue a Cabinet-endorsed statement to coincide with the 15 August anniversary of the war's end. Previous prime ministers had done so on the 50th, 60th, and 70th anniversaries, but such declarations tend to draw close attention from neighbouring Asian countries that endured Japan's wartime aggression. Ishiba's choice, therefore, marks a clear shift in approach.

The last time a Japanese premier mentioned "remorse" at the memorial event was in 2012. The word was not used by Shinzo Abe, a conservative politician who led for approximately eight years from December 2012 and issued the 70th anniversary statement, a practice followed by his successors. Ishiba's grip on power has been significantly weakened due to his party's poor election results. He has faced calls from hawkish members of his party not to override the Abe statement that acknowledged Japan was a "challenger" to the global order but offered no new apology over the war. In this year's address, Ishiba did not directly mention Japan's wartime aggression and the suffering it caused across Asia, following the precedent set by his recent predecessors. A moment of silence was observed at noon, the same time 80 years ago when Emperor Hirohito declared his country's surrender in a radio broadcast.

Click to expand...

Ishiba recalled he was at a loss for words when Lee asked him if he knew what Japan did when it occupied Singapore during the war. Lee reminded Ishiba that even though the Japanese may forget what took place, the people of Singapore will never forget. Ishiba wrote that he took home from that experience the fact that even though the aggressor in war may forget as time passes, the victims will never forget. Because of his long interest in national security issues, Ishiba has sought to gain better insights into Japan's push to wage war all those decades ago.

Click to expand...

To better understand the LDP's political battles over historical interpretation, I recommend Tobias Harris' excellent articles:

It seems that outgoing PM Ishiba plans to issue a statement in October to mark 80 years since the end of World War II, focusing on the causes of Japan's entry into the conflict. As he's outgoing, he no longer has to mince his words to please rightwing party factions. The timing is expected to fall between the Oct. 4 presidential election of the ruling LDP, still headed by Ishiba, and his formal resignation later in the month, as he seeks to avoid influencing the leadership race.

Since becoming prime minister in October 2024, Ishiba has repeatedly stressed the need to "learn humbly from history," highlighting military prewar excesses and questioning how civilian control should be exercised in policymaking. Even after the ruling coalition's major setback in July's House of Councillors election, Ishiba showed strong interest in delivering a statement. He deliberately refrained from doing anything on Aug. 15, the anniversary of Japan's defeat, and Sept. 2, when the surrender document was signed. Within the LDP, conservative members argue that a decisive end to "apology diplomacy" came in 2015 with then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's 70th anniversary statement, and they have urged Ishiba to not even issue a personal declaration on wartime history. By contrast, Tetsuo Saito, leader of the LDP's junior coalition partner Komeito, voiced support for Ishiba's intention to issue a message.

Click to expand...