April 23, 2011
A resolution on the 150th anniversary of Japan-Germany exchanges was approved by a majority of the Democratic, Liberal Democratic, and Komei parties in the House of Representatives plenary session on April 22. The Japanese Communist Party opposed it because of its lack of awareness of the history of the war of aggression.
In the preceding Diet Steering Committee, JCP lawmaker Sasaki Kensho stated that the phrase Japan’s “war of aggression” has been deleted from the draft resolution text, and therefore it is “unacceptable.”
Sasaki pointed out that the statement by Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama in1995 clearly says, “Japan, following a mistaken national policy, advanced along the road to war, only to ensnare the Japanese people in a fateful crisis, and, through its colonial rule and aggression, caused tremendous damage and suffering to many countries, particularly to those of Asian nations.”
Sasaki said, “A resolution at the least should be based on the Murayama Statement. It is unallowable for the Diet to adopt a resolution which lacks a clear recognition of the brutal nature of Japan’s war of aggression.”
In contrast, a resolution on the anniversary adopted by the German Bundestag adopts a stance of self-reflection on the war of aggression, stating that Germany and Japan, along with Italy, waged a war of aggression and conquest, causing catastrophic results on peoples of neighboring countries.
In the preceding Diet Steering Committee, JCP lawmaker Sasaki Kensho stated that the phrase Japan’s “war of aggression” has been deleted from the draft resolution text, and therefore it is “unacceptable.”
Sasaki pointed out that the statement by Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama in1995 clearly says, “Japan, following a mistaken national policy, advanced along the road to war, only to ensnare the Japanese people in a fateful crisis, and, through its colonial rule and aggression, caused tremendous damage and suffering to many countries, particularly to those of Asian nations.”
Sasaki said, “A resolution at the least should be based on the Murayama Statement. It is unallowable for the Diet to adopt a resolution which lacks a clear recognition of the brutal nature of Japan’s war of aggression.”
In contrast, a resolution on the anniversary adopted by the German Bundestag adopts a stance of self-reflection on the war of aggression, stating that Germany and Japan, along with Italy, waged a war of aggression and conquest, causing catastrophic results on peoples of neighboring countries.
