Photo/Illutration Prime Minister Shinzo Abe meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Vladivostok, Russia, in September. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

Moscow will host a ceremony on May 9 to mark the 75th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany, and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is eager to attend.

But Abe must weigh his attendance with the utmost care. Should he decide to attend for any half-baked reason, he will send the wrong message both at home and abroad.

In 2005, then-Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi attended the 60th anniversary ceremony, as did other world leaders including U.S. President George W. Bush, French President Jacques Chirac and U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

They were there to show their shared respect of the historical significance of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.

But all Group of Seven leaders, including Abe, sat out the 70th anniversary ceremony in 2015 in protest against Russia’s arbitrary annexation of the Crimean Peninsula in Ukraine the previous year.

The postwar world order was premised on all nations honoring borders of neighboring countries and resolving disputes through dialogue. Russia’s annexation of Crimea was in flagrant violation of that principle, and nothing has been done to date to rectify that.

On top of that, a military parade held at the Red Square on the anniversary has in recent years served to boost Russia’s national prestige by flaunting its nuclear missiles and military might to both domestic and overseas observers.

Attending such a function may well be perceived as tantamount to condoning Russia's actions.

Five years ago, German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited Moscow one day after the anniversary ceremony. With Russian President Vladimir Putin, she laid flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

That was a tough decision Merkel had to make to absent herself from the military parade and yet live up to her responsibility as the leader of the nation that triggered the war.

Abe, on the other hand, has given no indication of trying to face up to his own country’s history in earnest.

Japan’s relationship with the Soviet Union over World War II is much more complex than that between Germany and the Soviet Union.

Japan caused tremendous damage to its neighboring countries as an Axis ally of Germany. The Soviet Union declared war on Japan, violating its neutrality agreement in the final phase of the war, and occupied Japanese territory, including the Northern Territories.

Japan has consistently accused the Soviet Union of breaking international law, but Russia in recent years has played hardball with Japan, pressuring it to accept the consequences of its defeat in World War II.

Abe’s presence at the anniversary ceremony in May could be interpreted to mean that Japan has come around to accepting Russia’s view of history.

Abe told the Diet, “Regarding the matter of my attending the ceremony, one of the factors I will take into consideration is whether I will be able to secure sufficient time for a summit (with Putin).”

We do not question the importance of a summit. But given what his presence in Moscow on that particular day signifies, we must say his attitude is ill-advised.

Putin is inviting many foreign leaders to the ceremony, and Abe’s attendance will be welcomed for certain.

But for all his efforts to ingratiate himself to Putin to conclude a peace treaty with Russia, the negotiations Abe is pursuing have been deadlocked.

Japan's loss will not be small if short-term gain is all Abe is looking at now.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Feb. 24