Prime Minister Ishiba’s Ambition: The “80th Anniversary of the End of the War” Statement Could Backfire… ICU Professor Explains Why It Might Be Seen as Political Theater by the World.

It has been reported that Prime Minister Ishiba of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which suffered a crushing defeat in the House of Councillors election, is eager to issue a statement on the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. However, Professor Stephen R. Nagy, of the Department of Politics and International Relations at International Christian University (ICU), says, “The repeated apology statements Japan has regularly issued until now are internationally evaluated as increasingly political performances, veering away from their original purpose.”

Will Prime Minister Ishiba’s “80th Anniversary Statement” Become Political Theater?

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, and attention is focused, as usual, on the Prime Minister’s statement. In March, Ishiba said, “At the milestones of 60 and 70 years after the war, we have sent messages imbued with hopes for peace in various ways. I want to issue a message that reflects on the past while looking toward the future.”

However, looking back at previous statements, doubts remain whether they have truly contributed to reconciliation or regional stability. The international evaluation tends to see these regularly repeated apology statements as political performances, separated from their original intent.

To properly recognize the substantial contributions Japan has made toward world peace and international cooperation since the war and to build a forward-looking foreign policy, a fundamental review of the traditional “statement diplomacy” is necessary.

Important Issues Raised by the 2015 Abe Statement

The 2015 Abe statement offered a significant perspective on war responsibility. While acknowledging Japan’s aggression and colonial rule, it questioned whether postwar generations should continue to carry the burden of the past. This perspective does not deny history but rather raises the issue of “apologies” being used as diplomatic tools.

Indeed, Japan annexed the Korean Peninsula and there was the issue of “comfort women.” Japan also established Manchukuo and invaded mainland China, resulting in many casualties. These historical facts cannot be denied. At the same time, it is historically important to consider that these actions occurred in the context of an era when imperialism was taken for granted.

Significance and Limits of the Murayama and Kono Statements

The Kono Statement (1993) and Murayama Statement (1995) were important formal positions at the 50th anniversary of the war’s end and were significant. However, the issue is that similar apology statements have been demanded regularly since then, turning them into diplomatic “rituals.” Sincere reflection and apology should be a one-time honest act, but repetition has ironically led to doubts about their sincerity.

Japan’s Postwar Achievements Should Be More Positively Evaluated

Japan’s true “statement” about its wartime past is reflected less in words than in its actions over the past 80 years. Since 1945, Japan has never used military force against another country. This is a rare peace record among major world powers.

Specifically, Japan ranks second globally for financial contributions to United Nations peacekeeping operations and has provided over 45 trillion yen (approx. $340 billion) in official development assistance (ODA). The Self-Defense Forces engage only in humanitarian aid and disaster relief, consistently defending international law and democratic values.

Japan’s Unique Challenges Compared to Germany

Germany annually renews its commitment to peace with former enemies in France and incorporates Holocaust responsibility in education programs. While these efforts are commendable, Japan and Germany face fundamentally different geopolitical environments.

Germany’s reconciliation partners are democratic countries with which it can build future-oriented, equal relationships. Japan’s challenges are more complex, especially with authoritarian regimes like China, where apologies tend to be used as political tools.

The Political Use of History by China and Its Problems

Japan’s “apology diplomacy” towards China is not simply about settling the past, but unfortunately functions as a weapon supporting the Chinese Communist Party regime. Understanding this is essential for Japan’s diplomatic strategy toward China.

Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the CCP has intentionally rewritten the history of the War of Resistance Against Japan. In reality, the main battles were fought by the Nationalist forces, with limited participation by the Communist forces, yet current official history portrays the CCP as the “heroes” of the war. This falsification is a deliberate strategy to legitimize CCP authority.

According to an internal CCP report known as “Document No. 9” from 2013, the Party has defined three domains as “historical nihilism,” justifying strict censorship of inconvenient facts and critical analyses, including:

1. Critical examination of the Party’s history, including the Great Leap Forward famine, the Cultural Revolution’s social destruction, and the Tiananmen incident.
2. Objective analysis of the war, including the real performance of the Nationalist army and the limited role of the Communists.
3. Historical criticism of contemporary policies, including treatment of Uyghurs, Tibet, and changes to Hong Kong’s “one country, two systems.”

Interestingly, Chinese textbooks give more space to the 19th-century Opium Wars than to the 20th-century Cultural Revolution, and exhibits at the Shanghai History Museum deliberately omit the 1949–1978 period, erasing inconvenient truths about early CCP rule.

In this system, Japanese apologies serve the opposite of reconciliation’s original aim. Every apology by Japanese leaders is immediately incorporated into CCP propaganda, used as “proof” of a “perpetual Japanese threat” narrative justifying military expansion and domestic control.

Recognizing Japan’s Domestic Challenges

While criticizing China’s political use of history, Japan must also recognize domestic issues. Some politicians and commentators downplay or deny historical facts, damaging Japan’s international credibility and giving China grounds to criticize Japanese “historical revisionism.”

Japan should frankly acknowledge historical facts while proudly appealing to the international community to recognize its 80-year peace record. There is no need to feel “guilty” over history, but denying or downplaying facts must absolutely be avoided.

Maintaining a position of “arguing based on objective facts” when criticizing China’s use of history is crucial. This requires strengthening domestic history education and urging politicians to speak cautiously.

Improving Relations with South Korea: A Strategic Approach Using Generational Transition

Relations with South Korea have fundamentally different possibilities compared to China. As a democracy, genuine grassroots exchange is possible, especially as generational changes create new opportunities for relationship-building.

Surveys show that South Koreans under 40 have markedly different perceptions of Japan compared to older generations, increasingly valuing contemporary shared culture through K-POP, anime, and games over historical issues.

To support this change, the following specific programs are proposed:

1. Establishment of a Japan-Korea Future Leaders Fund

• Budget: 15 billion yen (~$100 million) annually
• Target: Professionals, researchers, and entrepreneurs under 40
• Focus areas: AI, robotics, renewable energy, biotechnology, creative industries
• Outcome indicators: 1,000 exchanges, 50 joint research projects, 20 joint ventures annually

Collaboration on shared modern challenges is more effective than dialogue on history. Dedicated bilateral working groups should be established in:

2. Supply Chain Resilience Initiative

• Cooperation on strategic materials such as semiconductors, batteries, and rare earths
• Joint assessment of third-country dependencies and alternatives
• Emergency mutual supply mechanisms

3. Joint Research on Demographic Challenges

• Sharing best practices on low birth rates and aging populations
• Joint development of care robots and remote medical tech
• Mutual references on foreign labor acceptance systems

4. Practical Coordination on North Korea

• Strengthening humanitarian aid cooperation
• Joint planning of infrastructure development after reunification
• Collaborating on support programs for North Korean defectors

Implementing these proposals requires overcoming several political challenges but is considered feasible, particularly by positioning it as investment in “cooperation” rather than “defense,” building widespread domestic support.

A New Vision for Japan on the 80th Anniversary

Japan should present a forward-looking vision on the 80th anniversary, not ignoring history but continuing international contributions leveraging lessons learned. The focus must shift from ritualistic apologies to concrete contributions to regional and global stability.

Acknowledging past wrongs while refusing to be perpetually constrained politically demonstrates Japan’s maturity. Japan’s peace record over the past eight decades speaks louder than words and should be the basis for a more confident diplomacy.

Building a future based on shared prosperity and peace is paramount. History judges nations by consistent actions, not just words, and by this standard, Japan has fulfilled its responsibilities.

The 80th anniversary offers an opportunity to shift from “statement diplomacy” to “action diplomacy,” showing the world a constructive vision for the future instead of dwelling on past regrets.

Stephen R. Nagy
Professor of Politics and International Relations, International Christian University
Also visiting fellow at Hungary Institute of International Affairs (HIIA) and Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA)

President Online / August 2, 2025, 10:15 AM https://president.jp/articles/-/99273