Overview
- At Tokyo’s Nippon Budokan, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba used the word “remordimiento,” becoming the first LDP leader since 2013 to express remorse for Japan’s wartime actions.
- Emperor Naruhito voiced deep sorrow over lives lost in World War II and urged that its lessons be passed to younger generations.
- Several ruling-party figures, including Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, visited Yasukuni Shrine, prompting sharp criticism from China and South Korea.
- China plans a large Victory Day parade on September 3 featuring missiles, tanks and combat aircraft with Russian President Vladimir Putin expected to attend.
- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi accused Japan of whitewashing its wartime aggression and urged Tokyo to confront its historical record.