Tens of thousands of people braved blazing heat to pay their respects at a controversial Japanese shrine yesterday, as Japanese Emperor Naruhito spoke of his “deep remorse” on the 80th anniversary of the nation’s World War II surrender.
Naruhito said he felt “a deep and renewed sense of sorrow” in a somber speech alongside Japanese Empress Masako at the Nippon Budokan in the center of Tokyo where the national flag flew at half-mast outside.
“My thoughts are with the numerous people who lost their precious lives in the last war and their bereaved families,” he said.
Photo: AP
“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,” he added.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba also addressed the ceremony, pledging “to uphold the painful memories of war... passing them down across generations, and pursue actions toward lasting peace.”
Ishiba, a political moderate, sent a customary offering to the Yasukuni Shrine.
REFLECTION
With temperatures above 30°C in the picturesque grounds around the shrine, there was a sea of umbrellas as people tried to shelter from the sun. At least two people became unwell in the heat and were forced to seek help.
Takashi Eguchi, a 53-year-old graphic designer from Tokyo, said that the shrine served as an accessible place in the heart of the city for ordinary people to reflect on the nation’s history.
“We live in a moment when wars have broken out or are likely to break out in various places,” he said. “So I came here to look back at what Japan has done, including its failures.”
Another visitor, who identified himself only by his surname, Harada, came dressed in a Japanese imperial army uniform to honor the sacrifice of the war dead.
“I know the time will come when war veterans will no longer be with us. I wanted to do my part to continue their legacy,” said the 39-year-old from the central prefecture of Nagano.
Naruhito, Masako and their daughter Princess Aiko are due to visit Nagasaki next month to meet survivors of the atomic bomb and honor the war dead in what is reportedly the emperor’s first trip there since he acceded to the throne in 2019.
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