Former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama to attend Beijing commemorations marking 80 years of victory against Japan, including a military parade

China announced Thursday that former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama will attend commemorations in Beijing on Sept. 3 marking the 80th anniversary of Japan’s defeat in the Second Sino-Japanese War, including a military parade.

During the 70th-anniversary event in 2015, former Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama was invited but spent the day resting in his hotel due to health issues and did not take part in the ceremonies.