Japan marks 70th year of WWII surrender
TOKYO – Emperor Akihito expressed rare “deep remorse” over his country’s wartime actions in an address Saturday marking the 70th anniversary of Japan’s World War II surrender, a day after the prime minister fell short of apologizing to the victims of Japanese aggression.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, meanwhile, stayed away from a contentious Yasukuni shrine that honors war criminals among other war dead. He instead laid flowers at a nearby national cemetery for unnamed fallen soldiers ahead of the annual ceremony at Tokyo’s Budokan hall.
Emperor Hirohito, Akihito’s father, announced Japan’s surrender Aug. 15, 1945.
Associated Press
