Japanese Emperor Akihito Saturday expressed “deep remorse” for his country’s role in World War II, 70 years to the day following Japan’s surrender to the Allies. Akihito makes a highly ritualized comment on this anniversary day every year, but this this is first year featuring such a statement.
Akihito was born in 1933, and has reigned since 1989. He is the son of Hirohito, who was the reigning emperor during the war. Though the emperor’s formal powers were degraded in the settlement with the Allied Powers, Hirohito was allowed to retain his throne in a largely ceremonial fashion, and famously never apologized.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/1432802/Hirohito-wanted-to-admit-his-war-shame.html
In 2003, a report surfaced that Hirohito actually heavily considered doing so, but opted against. Even still, the evidence points to the conclusion that such an apology would have been largely only to the Japanese people, not to the peoples of nations who suffered under Japanese imperialism in this period, and focused more on the personal “shame” he felt, as opposed to remorse.
Akihito has expressed “sorrow” over the war before, as early as 1992 in a visit to China, a country Japan engaged in a brutal struggle with and occupied during the war, but he has notably evaded a loud public declaration to the Japanese people. Today it seems his son has finally relented, in a highly public forum, attempting to further close a dark chapter in his country and the world’s history.
