Japan Renews Pledge for Peace on 80th War-End Anniversary
Tokyo, Aug. 15 (Jiji Press)--Tokyo, Aug. 15 (Jiji Press)--Japan on Friday marked the 80th anniversary of its surrender in World War II, remembering some 3.1 million victims and renewing the nation's pledge for permanent peace.
At a government-sponsored memorial ceremony held at the Nippon Budokan hall in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward, participants, including Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and bereaved relatives, offered silent prayers at noon for the war dead. The number of participants totaled 4,523.
The Emperor expressed his sincere hope to continue passing down the memories of hardships that the country faced during and after the war and pursuing peace and the people's happiness. Today's peace and prosperity in the country have been built on people's ceaseless efforts over the 80 years since the end of the war, he added.
Like in his past addresses delivered on the war-end anniversary, Emperor Naruhito used the phrase "deep remorse" over the war and said he earnestly hopes that the ravages of war will never be repeated.
Ishiba said in his address that people who did not experience the war now account for the vast majority of Japan's population. Japan must never take the wrong path and must firmly retain remorse and lessons from the war, he said. No matter how many years pass, Japan will pass down its decisive commitment not to wage war again to future generations and continue working to realize lasting peace, Ishiba stated.
The prime minister did not mention Japan's responsibility for the suffering of its Asian neighbors during the war.
Hajime Eda, 82, who lost his father during his return from the war, delivered an address representing bereaved relatives.
"Japan needs to demonstrate the importance of peace to the world," Eda, from the city of Kawagoe, Saitama Prefecture, north of Tokyo, said, pointing out that many people in the world are losing their lives due to conflicts such as invasions.
"We, bereaved families, are resolved to pass on the preciousness of peace and the misery of war (to future generations)," he said.
According to the welfare ministry, 3,358 bereaved relatives attended Friday's ceremony. The oldest attendee is aged 98 while the youngest participant is 3 years old, from the great-great-grandchild generation.
The parents of those who died in the war did not attend the annual ceremony for the 15th consecutive year, while spouses did not participate for the first time, except when the event was held on a reduced scale amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
A total of some 2.3 million Japanese troops and others who worked for the former Japanese military, as well as about 800,000 civilians, were killed in hostilities from the start of the Japan-China war in 1937.
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