Emperor Naruhito of Japan has expressed “deep remorse” over the actions of the Japanese during World War Two. The Emperor made the remarks on the 76th anniversary of the Japanese surrender at an annual memorial service.
His Imperial Majesty said: “Looking back on the long period of post-war peace, reflecting on our past and bearing in mind the feelings of deep remorse, I earnestly hope that the ravages of war will never again be repeated.”
Embed from Getty ImagesThe memorial ceremony was held in a scaled-back form in Nippon Budokan due to the pandemic. Only 185 people attended the event, including the Emperor, Empress Masako and Prime Minister Suga.
The Prime Minister vowed: “We will commit to our pledge to never repeat the tragedy of the war.” However, he stopped short of apologising for the actions of the Japanese during the war.
Naruhito’s grandfather, Emperor Hirohito, was on the throne at the time. His involvement in the attacks on Hawaii’s Pearl Harbor has long been debated.
Emperor Naruhito also touched on the global health situation with his remarks. He shared his hope that people would join together to end the pandemic.
Naruhito’s remarks are similar to the statements he has made since ascending the throne in 2019. He followed in the footsteps of his father, Emperor Akihito (now Emperor Emeritus), who dedicated decades to making amends for the wartime aggression of Japan under his father’s rule.
