August 18, 2009

Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Ichida Tadayoshi on August 17 said constructing a secular national memorial for the war dead will be acceptable.

Ichida made the remark in answer to a question at a news conference regarding the controversial subject, saying, “The prime minister and other cabinet ministers must stop visiting the shrine that praises the past Japanese war of aggression as a just war. This is the first thing the government must do.”

“And then, based on deep remorse for the war of aggression and on a national consensus, we can agree to the construction of a secular national facility at which many people regardless of religion can pay tribute to the war dead,” Ichida said.
- Akahata, August 18, 2009