Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks onstage during a memorial service ceremony marking the 81st anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II, at Budokan Hall in Tokyo, Japan, Aug. 15. Reuters-Yonhap
TOKYO — Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stayed away from Tokyo's controversial Yasukuni Shrine , apparently to prioritize diplomatic relations with China and South Korea, but did not mention her country’s wartime past in Asia or remorse over it in an address Saturday as Japan marked the 81st anniversary of its surrender in World War II.
Takaichi mourned the victims of major devastation in Hiroshima, Nagasaki and Okinawa, as well as those who perished in overseas battlefronts, and thanked them for their sacrifice as the “foundation of Japan's peace and prosperity today.” She did not mention Japanese atrocities in Asia or apologize.
“Japan, since the end of the war, has consistently contributed to global peace and prosperity. We will never let the tragedy of the war be repeated," she said, adding that Japan can play a key role in addressing global challenges as “a dependable nation" in the region.
Visits by Japanese politicians to the Yasukuni Shrine, which also commemorates World War II war criminals, have been criticized by China and South Korea. They see it as showing a lack of remorse over Japan’s wartime atrocities.
