Photo/Illutration Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba listens to an explanation while visiting Iwoto island in March. (Pool)

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s use of the word “remorse” in his speech marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II was notable for two key reasons.

It revived a tone that was dropped 13 years ago in statements issued each Aug. 15 by his predecessors and reflected his abiding interest in war-related issues.

Ishiba, who is 68 and a former defense minister, often told close associates that this anniversary will almost certainly be the last major milestone year before the war generation fades into history.

In visits overseas as well as domestically, Ishiba has made it a point to visit sites closely linked with the war.

For example, he took a two-hour drive on April 30 to the suburbs of Manila to visit a monument to Japanese who died in the Philippines during the fighting. He was the first prime minister to visit the site.

Touching upon the fact the monument is in an isolated location, Ishiba told his associates, “Consideration likely had to be made for anti-Japanese sentiment” in light of the 1.11 million local residents who perished in the fighting.

Japan occupied the Philippines during the war.

While Japan now enjoys friendly ties with the Philippines, Ishiba has said, “We must not only view the history that is convenient for us.”

Domestically, Ishiba visited Iwoto island in March. Formerly known as Iwojima, it was the site of fierce fighting during the war.

In June, Ishiba visited the Himeyuri Peace Museum in Okinawa Prefecture, where one-quarter of the civilian population perished in the battle that raged there in 1945.

Ishiba at one time, according to government sources, wanted to become the first prime minister to visit the island of Peleliu in Palau where about 10,000 Imperial Japanese Army soldiers died. But that trip never got off the ground.

He has written that the catalyst for his stance to squarely face history was a meeting he had with Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s first prime minister.

Ishiba recalled he was at a loss for words when Lee asked him if he knew what Japan did when it occupied Singapore during the war.

Lee reminded Ishiba that even though Japanese may forget what took place, the people of Singapore will never forget.

Ishiba wrote that he took home from that experience the fact that even though the aggressor in war may forget as time passes, the victims will never forget.

Because of his long interest in national security issues, Ishiba has sought to gain better insights on Japan’s push to wage war all those decades ago.

Prior to Japan’s Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor, younger elite bureaucrats, military officers and businessmen took part in a simulation exercise to gauge possible outcomes if Japan declared war against the United States.

The conclusion was that defeat was inevitable, but that did not stop the top brass from blindly forging ahead.

Ishiba told his associates, “Such a tragedy will arise if civilian control over the military is insufficient.”

Despite his strong interest in war issues, Ishiba did not issue a personal message on Aug. 15 that reflected his own thoughts.

With the calls from within the Liberal Democratic Party for Ishiba to step down to take responsibility for the disastrous showing in the July Upper House election, he likely did not want to antagonize conservative elements in the party.

Instead, Ishiba chose to include for the first time in 13 years the word remorse in his speech at the Aug. 15 ceremony.

He confided to associates that he had many things he wanted to talk about but realized the speech would go on far too long if he raised the issue of historical understanding.

Related News