Speeches by the leaders of Japan and South Korea on Japan's ”Victory over Japan Day” and South Korea's ”Liberation Day”

At the National Memorial Ceremony for the War Dead held by the Japanese government on the 15th of this month, marking the anniversary of the end of the war, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's use of the word "remorse" in his speech drew attention in South Korea.
It was the first time in 13 years since 2012 that the prime minister used the word "reflection." According to South Korean news agency Yonhap, a presidential office official said, "Japan's responsible leaders have faced up to the painful history of the past."
"We believe that demonstrating a willingness to make efforts to avoid damaging trust between nations is in line with a better future and our common interests," he said.
Ishiba said, "Today's peace and prosperity in our country are the result of the precious lives and hardships of those who died in the war.
"We will never forget, even for a moment, that this was built on history. Once again, we offer our heartfelt respect and gratitude," he said.
"The majority of the population is made up of a generation that has no experience of war. We must never repeat the horrors of war. We must never again err on the path we take. We must now deeply etch the lessons and reflections of that war into our hearts."
The word "reflection" has been used in Prime Ministers' speeches at the ceremony for 19 consecutive years, from 1994, when Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama first used it, until 2012.
The Prime Minister said, "The last war caused great damage and suffering to the people of many countries, particularly Asian countries. I deeply regret this and would like to express my heartfelt condolences to the victims and their families."
However, the following year, in 2013, then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe dropped the word "repentance," and no prime minister has used the word since. In the same year, Prime Minister Abe spoke of the people of Asian countries who suffered during the last war.
He also made no mention of the damage and suffering caused to the victims. South Korean media reported that Ishiba used the word "remorse" in his speech. Yonhap News reported, "(Prime Minister Ishiba's) mention of remorse is unacceptable."
The South Korean presidential office also reported a comment saying, "We are keeping a close eye on him." The South Korean newspaper Hankyoreh also introduced Ishiba's stance, saying, "With Japanese society and the LDP leaning rightward recently, Ishiba's
"As we mark 80 years since the end of the war, the Minister firmly believes that we can only talk about the future if we reflect on the past, which caused the war," he explained.
On the evening of the 15th, Ishiba told reporters that he had used the word "reflection" in his speech.
"My remarks do not change the government's views and beliefs up to now, but I made them to the effect that we must once again take to heart the reflections and lessons learned from that war so that such a war will never be waged again."
Meanwhile, according to NHK, a Japanese government official explained that the remarks were a sign of Japan's determination to never again wage war, and were not intended to emphasize its apologies to Asian countries.
On the 15th, South Korea celebrated Gwangbokjeol, the anniversary of its liberation from Japanese colonial rule. President Lee Jae-myung attended a ceremony in Seoul to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the liberation.
In his speech, Lee spoke about Japan-Korea relations. He mentioned that this year marks the 80th anniversary of liberation and the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and Korea, and said, "While we must squarely face the past, we must also demonstrate the wisdom to move towards the future."
"It is time," Lee said. "There are still people around us who are troubled by historical issues, and there are conflicts over differing positions," he added, but added, "Japan is a country that shares our garden with us.
"We are a neighboring country and an important partner that cannot be separated in terms of economic development," he said. The Korean newspaper Hankyoreh reported on his remarks, saying, "This is in line with the pragmatic approach that President Lee has taken since taking office."
The Hankyoreh added that compared to previous presidential speeches given during the Liberation Day ceremony under the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, to which Lee belongs, this speech was more nuanced than the previous one.
At the 2017 ceremony, then-President Moon Jae-in strongly called for an apology from Japan for historical issues.
According to the Hankyoreh, civic groups working on historical issues have expressed disappointment, citing Lee as saying, "It's unfortunate that there is no clear indication of a slowdown in relations with Japan."
There has also been criticism of his speech.