From the August 16, 2020, Chicago Tribune by Mari Yamaguchi.
On Saturday, Japan marked the 75th anniversary of its surrender in World War II, with emperor Naruhito expressing "deep remorse" over his country's wartime actions at a somber annual ceremony curtailed greatly by the coronavirus pandemic.
Naruhito pledged to reflect on the war's events and expressed hope the tragedy would never be repeated. However, there was no apology from Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who gave thanks for the sacrifices of Japan's war dead but had nothing to say about the suffering of Japan's neighbors.
Japan's surrender came on August 15, 1945, but the formal proclamation was not signed until September 2, 1945.
Abe said the peace Japan enjoys today is built on the sacrifices of those who died in the war. He pledged that Japan will reflect on lessons from history and will not repeat the war devastation. He listed damage inflicted on Japan and its people, including the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, massive firebombings of Tokyo and the fierce battle of Okinawa.
Of course, Japan is facing the great loss of the World War II generation due to age like with the United States and the rest of the world.
I would like to see more of an effort to recover the bodies of Japan's war dead and still MIA, like what the United States is doing.
--GreGen
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