(Japan, 12th) Outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has released his views on the '80th anniversary of the postwar era' in the form of a 'personal opinion.' While expressing his intention to maintain the historical understanding and positions expressed in previous 'postwar statements' by successive governments, he also gave his views regarding the reasons for Japan's road to war.
Public opinion believes that this statement to some extent reflects Ishiba's personal characteristics and has certain progressive significance. However, some key statements are missing or insufficient, reflecting Japan's lack of deep reflection and understanding of its own history.
Ishiba's statement is about 6,000 words in the original Japanese and analyzes five aspects: the prewar constitution, government, parliament, media, and information gathering and analysis, asserting that all of these bear responsibility for leading Japan to war. In combination with current Japanese society, Ishiba states that politics should not pander to public opinion or damage national interests to please the people. He warns against narrow nationalism and xenophobic sentiments, and emphasizes that emotion must not override reason, urging society to face history with courage.
According to Japanese media, compared with the previous 'Murayama Statement', 'Koizumi Statement', and 'Abe Statement' issued on the 50th, 60th, and 70th postwar anniversaries respectively, Ishiba's views showcase a new perspective and several aspects colored by his unique approach. However, this statement was not passed by a Cabinet resolution as a 'Prime Minister’s Statement,' but rather published as a 'personal opinion,' and in key expressions did not explicitly mention 'responsibility for aggression' toward Asian neighbors, nor use words such as 'reflection' or 'apology.' Ishiba only said, when answering reporters’ questions, that he would uphold the established historical stance of successive governments with a 'sense of reflection and apology.'
Ishiba is seen as a moderate conservative within the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). Compared to hardline conservatives in the party, his historical understanding is seen as relatively progressive. Japanese media generally believe that this statement reflects a balancing act under pressure from within the party. Since taking office as prime minister last year, Ishiba had intended, as per tradition, to release a 'Prime Minister's Statement' passed by the Cabinet for the '80th anniversary of the postwar era,' but faced fierce opposition from hardline conservatives in the LDP. These hardliners maintain that the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had, in his 2015 'Abe Statement,' already made clear the position that 'future generations should not have to continue bearing the burden of apology,' and worried that Ishiba would overturn this stance. The newly elected LDP President, Sanae Takaichi, also publicly stated that there was no need to release another statement for the '80th postwar anniversary.'
Professor Akira Yamada from Meiji University stated that the reflection in this statement is mainly limited to domestic Japanese political issues and lacks a perspective directed at Japan's Asian neighbors. Although Ishiba used the word 'reflection,' the content of the statement is almost limited to the failure of party politics to check the power of the military.
Professor Mie Ooba of Kanagawa University believes the statement offers a commonsense explanation of the domestic situation in prewar Japan. 'The fact that the Prime Minister has to explain these facts, which should have long been widely shared in education, itself reflects Japan's serious inadequacies in coming to terms with its history.'
Public opinion believes that this statement to some extent reflects Ishiba's personal characteristics and has certain progressive significance. However, some key statements are missing or insufficient, reflecting Japan's lack of deep reflection and understanding of its own history.
Ishiba's statement is about 6,000 words in the original Japanese and analyzes five aspects: the prewar constitution, government, parliament, media, and information gathering and analysis, asserting that all of these bear responsibility for leading Japan to war. In combination with current Japanese society, Ishiba states that politics should not pander to public opinion or damage national interests to please the people. He warns against narrow nationalism and xenophobic sentiments, and emphasizes that emotion must not override reason, urging society to face history with courage.
According to Japanese media, compared with the previous 'Murayama Statement', 'Koizumi Statement', and 'Abe Statement' issued on the 50th, 60th, and 70th postwar anniversaries respectively, Ishiba's views showcase a new perspective and several aspects colored by his unique approach. However, this statement was not passed by a Cabinet resolution as a 'Prime Minister’s Statement,' but rather published as a 'personal opinion,' and in key expressions did not explicitly mention 'responsibility for aggression' toward Asian neighbors, nor use words such as 'reflection' or 'apology.' Ishiba only said, when answering reporters’ questions, that he would uphold the established historical stance of successive governments with a 'sense of reflection and apology.'
Ishiba is seen as a moderate conservative within the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). Compared to hardline conservatives in the party, his historical understanding is seen as relatively progressive. Japanese media generally believe that this statement reflects a balancing act under pressure from within the party. Since taking office as prime minister last year, Ishiba had intended, as per tradition, to release a 'Prime Minister's Statement' passed by the Cabinet for the '80th anniversary of the postwar era,' but faced fierce opposition from hardline conservatives in the LDP. These hardliners maintain that the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had, in his 2015 'Abe Statement,' already made clear the position that 'future generations should not have to continue bearing the burden of apology,' and worried that Ishiba would overturn this stance. The newly elected LDP President, Sanae Takaichi, also publicly stated that there was no need to release another statement for the '80th postwar anniversary.'
Professor Akira Yamada from Meiji University stated that the reflection in this statement is mainly limited to domestic Japanese political issues and lacks a perspective directed at Japan's Asian neighbors. Although Ishiba used the word 'reflection,' the content of the statement is almost limited to the failure of party politics to check the power of the military.
Professor Mie Ooba of Kanagawa University believes the statement offers a commonsense explanation of the domestic situation in prewar Japan. 'The fact that the Prime Minister has to explain these facts, which should have long been widely shared in education, itself reflects Japan's serious inadequacies in coming to terms with its history.'