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The Politics of War Apology: From Murayama to Abe



Author(s)

Arthur Stockwin

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DOI:10.17265/2328-2134/2016.02.001

The issue of war apology remains important and controversial within Japan today, and between Japan and her neighbors. Since the 50th anniversary of the Japanese defeat on 15th August 1945, it has become customary for the Prime Minister to make a considered statement, normally including an apology for Japanese wartime atrocities and related issues. On 15th August 1995 the Socialist Prime Minister Murayama made a fulsome and unambiguous apology, which has been seen as the “gold standard” by countries at which it was directed, notably China and South Korea. The conservative Koizumi made a similar apology 10 years later. On 15th August 2015 the radical right wing Prime Minister Abe made a lengthy statement, interleaving apologies with explanations and justifications of Japan’s past actions. This article analyses the texts of these and other relevant statements, and concludes that current war apology exercises are seriously undermined by the radical statements and policies of the Abe Government.

Japanese politics, war apology, Abe Shiro, Murayama Tomiichi, Koizumi Junichiro

Stockwin, A. (2016). The Politics of War Apology: From Murayama to Abe. International Relations and Diplomacy, 4(2), 71-84.