Opposition leader urges Abe be cautious on war anniversary statement

TOKYO - Katsuya Okada, leader of the Japanese largest opposition party, the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), on Monday urged Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to be careful about his statement to be released in the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.

When talked about the wartime past, "Abe should be very, very careful to ensure that he does not give an impression that the Japanese understanding of the past has not moved backward," the DPJ leader told a press conference at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan.

Many political heavyweights here have urged Abe include apology for Japan's past aggression wars so as to seek reconciliation with its neighboring countries, but Abe, known as a hawkish historical revisionist, said that he will not completely follow the words such as "aggression" and "colonial rule" in the world-recognized 1995 Murayama Statement.

Abe said his statement will focus on Japan's future contribution to the world peace, but many, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, argued that those who are blind to their past could not clear see their future.

"Prime Minister Abe would talk about the future in his statement and the fundamental topic is about his 'proactive pacifism' or 'proactive contribution to peace,'" Okada said, adding it needs to pay attention to the contents of the two concepts.

"Abe believes that Japan should change from its postwar policy of defense that bans the country from using forces overseas, and, in his definition, he wants to include the possibility of use of force abroad," the opposition leader pointed out.

Japan has not engaged in use of force overseas for 70 years and now many countries highly regarded Japan on the issue, therefore, Abe should pay attention to his efforts trying to change the country's defense policy, Okada said.