Somber Japan marks defeat in World War II

For the first time, a leader of the nation uses word ‘remorse’ about the conflict.

- By Mari YAMAGUCHI

LAWMAKERS follow a priest during a visit to Yasukuni Shrine 80 years after Japan's surrender in WWII.

Japan paid tribute Friday to more than 3 million war dead as the country marked its surrender that ended World War II 80 years ago, as concern grows about the rapidly fading memories of the tragedy of war and the bitter lessons from the era of Japanese militarism.

On Friday, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba expressed “remorse” over the war — the first time a Japanese leader has used the word in an address — since former premier Shinzo Abe shunned it in 2013.

Ishiba called the war a mistake, but did not mention Japan’s aggression across Asia or apologize.

Moment of silence for war dead

“We will never repeat the tragedy of the war. We will never go the wrong way,” Ishiba said. “Once again, we must deeply keep to our hearts the remorse and lesson from that war.”

He vowed to pass his peace pledge to next generations.

In a national ceremony Friday at Tokyo’s Budokan hall, about 4,500 officials and bereaved families and their descendants from around the country observed a moment of silence at noon, the time when Emperor Hirohito’s surrender speech began on Aug. 15, 1945.

Participants later offered chrysanthemum flowers for the war dead.

Just a block away at the Yasukuni Shrine, dozens of Japanese right-wing politicians and their supporters gathered to pray.

The shrine honors Japan’s 2.5 million war dead, including convicted war criminals. Victims of Japanese aggression, especially China and the Koreas, see visits to the shrine as a lack of remorse about Japan's wartime past.

Ishiba stayed away from Yasukuni and sent a religious ornament as a personal gesture instead of praying at the controversial shrine.