Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is likely to skip issuing a personal written message on August 15 (Japan’s WWII surrender day) or September 2 (the day Japan signed the surrender documents), which mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the war. He had considered releasing a message reflecting on history, but is now backing off due to growing pressure within his party to step down after a major defeat in the recent upper house election.
Conservative members of the ruling LDP oppose any new war-related statements beyond the 2015 Abe Statement. Ishiba originally planned to avoid a formal government statement, but was considering a personal message based on historical review by a private advisory group. In March, he expressed interest in sending a message of peace and reflection, as past prime ministers have done on milestone anniversaries.
However, due to political instability and strong calls for his resignation within the party, the advisory panel has not progressed, and Ishiba now sees releasing such a message as too politically risky. Aides say he feels it’s not the right time to touch on sensitive historical issues.
Still, he hasn’t ruled it out completely. He has told those around him that he wants to reflect on the meaning of being prime minister during such a significant anniversary and may revisit the idea depending on how things develop in the fall.
by MagazineKey4532