On August 15, 1945, Japan announced its unconditional surrender.
However, 81 years have passed, and Japan has not only failed to reflect on its war crimes, but has even escalated its aggressive behavior. It has tried to glorify its history of aggression, accelerated its military expansion, and distorted historical textbooks to erase the brutal atrocities of the War of Aggression against China. In terms of territorial issues, Japan continues to provoke China.
In addition, Japanese government officials have continuously visited the Yasukuni Shrine during important moments, where Class-A war criminals are enshrined. This act challenges international justice and human conscience, and continues to hurt the feelings of people in Asian countries, including China.
Although Japan’s Prime Minister Koike Yuriko had stated earlier that she would not visit the Yasukuni Shrine this year, according to a report by the Kyodo News, she still presented ‘offering materials’ at the Yasukuni Shrine on August 5.
On the same day, Japan's Defense Minister Shinzo Abe paid his respects at the Yasukuni Shrine. This was his sixth visit to the shrine. Previously, Shinzo Abe had visited the shrine as a Liberal Democratic Party member, as well as as Environment Minister and Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Minister.
August 15th, Koizumi Jinjiro paid a visit to the Yasukuni Shrine.
In addition, Suzuki Shunichi, Secretary-General of the Japanese Liberal Democratic Party, Arimura Yoshiko, President of the General Affairs Committee, and Nishimura Yasunori, Head of the Election Policy Committee, also paid their respects at the Yasukuni Shrine. This was the first time that senior members of the Japanese Liberal Democratic Party had paid their respects to the shrine collectively.
Japan's various actions have repeatedly hurt the feelings of people in Asian countries, including China. On August 15th, the China Anti-Japanese War History Maintenance Association (hereinafter referred to as China Shi Wei Hui) issued a statement calling on Japan to apologize to China. Guan Jianqiang, the secretary-general of China Shi Wei Hui, told Observer Network that the Japanese government must face up to its own aggressive history, show due sincerity and responsibility, formally apologize to the Chinese people who suffered under Japanese aggression, and use practical actions to heal the emotional wounds of the affected countries, thereby taking the correct path towards peaceful development.
This statement has been submitted by the Chinese Shiwei Association through the Japanese Senate, entrusting senators to deliver it to the Japanese government.
Prior to this, the Chinese Historical Society has repeatedly protested against historical issues with the Japanese government. On March 26th of this year, the Chinese Historical Society organized 20 Chinese civilians to travel to Tokyo, Japan. They had direct talks with five representatives sent by the Japanese government at the Senate Building and officially raised eight points of concern to the Japanese government, demanding a comprehensive and substantive written response.
Guan Jianqiang told the Observer Network that the purpose of doing this is not only to comfort the martyrs and compatriots who died in the war, but also to show Japan's government China's firm stance on maintaining historical truth. It is a call for Japan to completely cut ties with militarism and face history with honesty.
Attached is the statement issued on August 15 by the China War of Resistance Against Japan Historical Facts Protection Association (Chinese version and Japanese version):
Chinese Version:
Today is August 15th, a day that neither China-Japan relations nor the entire Asia cannot avoid. It was exactly 81 years ago today that Japanese Emperor Showa declared unconditional surrender through radio broadcast. The Chinese people, after 14 years of arduous and unyielding struggle, paid a heavy price with the loss of 35 million lives. Ultimately, they won the final victory in the anti-fascist war.
This day should have been a day to remember history, reflect on wars, and safeguard peace. However, looking at reality, the Japanese government has yet to express any formal and profound apology to the Chinese government for its aggressive actions during World War II.
On March 26 this year, the Chinese Association for Maintaining Historical Facts of the Anti-Japanese War (hereinafter referred to as “China History Maintenance Association”) organized 20 Chinese civilians to travel to Tokyo, Japan. They had direct talks with 5 representatives sent by the Japanese government at the Senate Building.
Our delegation includes members of the Chinese Historical Society, as well as survivors of the bombing in Chongqing, investigators who conducted research on the victims, and experts who study Japanese military atrocities. In the local area, we formally raised eight issues with the Japanese government regarding reparations for war crimes and atrocities, territorial conquest, return of cultural relics, and compensation for Hong Kong military notes. We demanded a comprehensive and concrete written response from the Japanese government.
Regarding the issue that Japan has not made a formal apology to the Chinese people, on April 11, the Japanese government replied in writing: "Regarding the actions during the past war, successive cabinets have always held the intention of sincere reflection and heartfelt apologies."
In the speech of the Prime Minister of the Cabinet on August 14, 2015 (the so-called Abe Speech), it was also clearly stated that Japan would continue to uphold the principles of reflection and apology demonstrated by previous cabinets.
However, the Japanese response does not conform to historical facts. For this reason, the Chinese History Society has criticized the Japanese response severely. As a result, on July 29th of this year, the Japanese government once again provided a written reply to the Chinese History Society. However, this reply avoided our questions and merely repeated the consistent positions of the Japanese government. Its attitude can be said to be extremely insincere.
In fact, looking at Abe’s speech on August 14, 2015, it is obvious that Abe himself never admitted that Japan had carried out an aggressive war. Instead, he shifted the blame to objective factors.
Not only that, Abe’s statement even justified the civilian deaths caused by Japanese military atrocities: “In battlefields such as China, Southeast Asia, and Pacific islands, many innocent people suffered and died not only due to fighting but also because of food shortages.” This kind of rhetoric is essentially a defense and denial of aggressive atrocities and inhumane acts.
Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, regarding the actions during past wars, successive cabinets have always held deep regrets and sincere apologies. However, in fact, since the normalization of Sino-Japanese relations in 1972, out of 28 cabinets, only four prime ministers have recognized that war as an “aggressive war”.
The response of the Kashi government ignores historical facts, which is shocking.
According to the principle of state responsibility in international law, if a country seriously violates international law, the victim country has the right to demand that the offending country take formal responsibility for its actions. Strictly speaking, if the entity representing state sovereignty personally takes responsibility for the victim country and fulfills its obligations, then Japanese prime ministers throughout history do not need to repeatedly apologize for their actions. However, in cases where there is a lack of a sovereign representative, the newly appointed Japanese prime minister is obliged to reiterate his intention to reflect on the issues related to war. This obligation does not disappear with each generation.
After the war, the Japanese prime ministers have changed several times. There is a lack of consistency in the actions and statements of these prime ministers, which indicates that their commitments lack continuity and practical enforceability. Since Japan does not have a clear system of national representatives who can assume responsibilities, every new prime minister has the obligation, based on the commitments of the Sino-Japanese Joint Statement, to directly and explicitly explain Japan's stance on war issues to China.
The reason is that the words and actions of the Prime Minister and cabinet ministers represent only the position of the current government, and they do not have permanent authority. This stems from the design of Japan's political system itself. Take the statements made by Murayama as an example; the most influential statement after the war was made by the then Social Democratic Party leader Murayama, who publicly admitted that Japan had waged aggressive wars and expressed a desire for apology. However, the Koizumi administration avoided acknowledging Prime Minister Murayama's position in its response. It is evident that the intentions of successive Cabinet Chiefs cannot have authority unless they are codified into law.
Importantly, only sincere apologies can earn the forgiveness of the people in the Asian victim countries.
China's Anti-Japanese War Historical Truth Preservation Association
August 15, 2026
Please provide me with the Chinese text you would like me to translate. I will then return only the English translation and leave out any additional context.
Today is August 15th, a day that can't be avoided, for both China and Japan, as well as the entire Asia. Just like eighty-one years ago today, Emperor Hirohito of Japan announced the surrender through radio broadcast, declaring the end of World War II (actually unconditional surrender). The Chinese people fought through 14 years of arduous hardships without giving up, eventually achieving victory in the final battle against fascism after paying a heavy price with the death and injury of 35 million compatriots.
This day is supposed to commemorate history, reflect on the war, and be a day for preserving peace. However, looking at reality, Japan's government has never shown official remorse for its aggression during World War II in a stance towards China.
This year on March 26th, the China Anti-Japanese War Historical Truth Preservation Association (hereinafter referred to as "China History Preservation") sent a group of 20 Chinese civilians from China to Tokyo, Japan, to engage in direct dialogue with 5 representatives dispatched by the Japanese government at the House of Representatives Building.
Our delegation includes members with expertise on war history, particularly those who witnessed the aggression of World War II. There were family members of victims from the atomic bombings, research specialists in investigations into wartime atrocities committed by the Japanese military, and representatives from various fields such as historical research. On the ground, we presented formal inquiries to the Japanese government regarding a series of issues concerning the war: apology for the aggression during the occupation; compensation for war reparations; restitution for seized land and cultural heritage; and compensation for the Hong Kong military tax. We demanded a comprehensive and definitive written response in response.
Japan has not formally apologized to the Chinese people for its actions during World War II, according to a response submitted by the Japanese government on April 11th. "With sincere regret and a deep reflection upon our past wartime conduct, this expression of apology has been maintained throughout each postwar administration."
On August 14, 2015, in the Prime Minister's address (commonly referred to as Abe speech), we clearly stated that we would carry forward the heartfelt apology and remorse expressed by past governments.
However, Japan's response does not match historical facts.
Therefore, the China Review Society criticized Japan's response. As a result, on July 29th this year, the Japanese government provided a written response to the China Review Society again. However, their response evaded our questions and simply repeated their previous claims. Their attitude appears to be lacking in seriousness.
In reality, as evidenced by Abe's August 14th, 2015 speech, Abe himself has never consistently acknowledged Japan's involvement in a military invasion. Rather, he seems to be transferring responsibility onto objective factors.
Despite that, Abe's remarks attempt to justify civilian deaths caused by the Japanese military aggression. In regions where combat and other hardships such as food shortages became rampant, countless innocent people suffered and lost their lives. Such rhetoric essentially serves as a defense and denial of aggression and inhumane brutality committed by Japan.
On that point, I repeat: this is the heartfelt apology for what we did during the war. As such, this stance has been held by every postwar cabinet in Japan's history. However, as for this "invasion" war claim, only a few dozen prime ministers across 28 cabinets have ever dared to acknowledge it as such since the normalization of China-Japan relations in 1972.
Their response is that it ignores historical facts and is truly shocking.
Under the principle of state responsibility in international law, if a country seriously violates international law, the affected country has the right to request an apology from the violating country. Strictly speaking, if the representative of national sovereignty steps forward and expresses sincere apologies to the affected country for taking responsibility, then subsequent Japanese prime ministers need not repeat the apology. However, given that there is a lack of representation of sovereign power, newly appointed Japanese prime ministers are obligated to express their remorse regarding the issue of war anew each time they take office. This obligation does not disappear with changes in generations.
After the war, Japan's prime ministers have been changed multiple times. The lack of consistency and actual constraint in their utterances and actions stems from this: the absence of sustainability and real commitment to these declarations. As there is no clear representative of Japanese national sovereignty who can address the related responsibilities, every new Prime Minister has a duty to directly and honestly explain Japan's position on its war history based on the "Japan-China Joint Statement" when assuming office.
The reason for that is, the words and actions of the Prime Minister and Cabinet Ministers represent only the position of the ruling party at the time, not an enduring source of authority. This stems from the design of Japan's political system itself. For example, in referencing the discussion by former Prime Minister Murayama Takeo, after World War II, his statements regarding Japan’s imperialistic wars and expressions of apology had the most impact. However, the cabinet, led by Prime Minister Takahara, avoids acknowledging this stance. This also suggests that, even with regard to actions taken by past Prime Ministers, their influence is limited as long as it is not incorporated into law.
The key is that sincere apologies are necessary in order for us to gain forgiveness from the people of the affected Asian countries.
China Anti-Japanese War Historical Truth Preservation Association
August 15, 2026
