China, South Korea criticize Japanese PM Abe

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe acknowledged that Japan inflicted “immeasurable damage and suffering” on innocent people in World War II, but stopped short of offering his own apology, drawing criticism from China and South Korea. In a widely anticipated statement 70 years after his country’s surrender, he said Friday that Japan’s repeated past “heartfelt apologies” would remain unshakeable, but that future Japanese generations should not have to keep apologizing.

“On the 70th anniversary of the end of the war, I bow my head deeply before the souls of all those who perished both at home and abroad,” Abe said in a 25-minute live address on national television. “I express my feelings of profound grief and my eternal, sincere condolences.”

South Korea’s president said the statement “left a lot to be desired,” and China called it evasive. “Japan should have made an explicit statement on the nature of the war of militarism and aggression and its responsibility on the wars, made (a) sincere apology to the people of victim countries, and made a clean break with the past of militarist aggression, rather than being evasive on this major issue of principle,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in a statement.

South Korean President Park Geun-hye said Abe’s statement came up short compared to past Japanese apologies, but she also sounded a positive note, crediting Abe for making it clear that the views of previous Japanese governments will be firmly maintained.