Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel (L) and Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attend their joint news conference after their talks at Abe's official residence in Tokyo March 9, 2015. [Photo/Agencies]

The latest "revision" made by Japan's Ministry of Education in early 2014 gives Tokyo more freedom and maneuvering room to censor textbooks. In particular, the newly added terms not only confound Japan's modern history, but also highlight the authority of official explanations in writing (or rewriting) history textbooks. It is thus expected that Japanese middle school students will be indoctrinated in beautified Japanese history that denies the country's war crimes.

But the legacies of Miyazawa and Murayama are not the only ones that Abe has challenged. He has also announced that he would issue a "statement" on Aug 15 that many fear could overturn many, if not all, peace-loving promises made by his predecessors. After hinting that his statement may deviate from former Japanese chief cabinet secretary Yohei Kono's apology over "comfort women" (women and girls forced into sexual slavery by the Imperial Japanese Army before and during WWII), Abe was widely criticized by peace lovers at home and abroad. But that did not stop him from summoning a host of Japanese scholars in February to outline his August speech and go his own way.

Yet the war anniversary is an opportunity for Abe to befriend the neighbors and the world. As much as he hates to, Abe is expected to confess that Japan did inflict immense sufferings on neighboring countries in Asia such as China and the ROK by invading and colonizing them, because the entire world would be closely watching his statement and moves.

Moreover, the Abe statement should highlight the lessons Japan has learnt in the past century and evaluate the country's postwar pacifism, economic development and global contribution. It should also review Japan's reconciliation with Europe, the United States, Australia and especially the Asian neighbors that it invaded and occupied in the early part of the last century. Besides, it should mention Japan's plans for global development.

Shinichi Kitaoka, former Japanese ambassador to the United Nations and a key adviser to Abe, said on March 9 that he hopes the prime minister to admit Japan's aggression in his speech, just like the vast majority of Japanese historians do. Therefore, as a reassessment of Japan's postwar performance, the Abe statement will reveal not only Abe's real attitude toward history, but also the direction in which he will lead Japan.

The author is a researcher in Japan studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

(China Daily 03/14/2015 page8)