Japan Press Weekly

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2013 January 9 - 15 [HISTORY]

Abe should clearly admit Japan’s war guilt: US professor

An American professor known as a “Japan expert” has argued that the Japanese government should not slight its responsibility for the crimes the Japanese military committed during World War II.

George Washington University professor Dr. Mike Mochizuki gave a speech at a symposium held in the Diet building on January 10. Referring to commentaries in the New York Times and the Economist on the inauguration of the Abe Cabinet, the professor said that the international community is wary of Abe’s intention to revise the “Kono Statement” apologizing for the “comfort women” problem and the “Murayama Statement” admitting Japan’s responsibility for the war of aggression.

Mochizuki pointed out that Japan can open the way to a bright future for East Asia through sincerely reflecting on the tragedies it triggered in the region. He stressed that the Japanese government, by holding fast to the two statements, will serve the interests of both Japan and the United States.

Concerning a plan of the U.S. and Japanese governments to transfer the U.S. Futenma base in Okinawa to the Henoko district within the prefecture, the professor stated that the plan has a low degree of feasibility. He argued that the U.S. should withdraw its Marine Corps from Okinawa to the U.S. mainland because it is nonsense to waste a lot of time and money on such an unrealizable project.


Related past article
> Abe’s intent to deny Japan’s past war of aggression invites isolation from international community [January 5, 2013]