Japan apologizes anew over World War II atrocities

TACLOBAN City, Oct. 20 (PNA) – A Japanese official has again apologized to Filipinos for the atrocities committed by their soldiers during the World War II.

Minister Atsushi Ueno, deputy chief of mission and consul of the Japanese Embassy in the Philippines ensured that Japan will never repeat the horrors of World War II during the 72nd Leyte Gulf Landings anniversary on Thursday.

In his solidarity message, Ueno said that Japan has repeatedly expressed feeling of “deep remorse and heartfelt apology” for their actions during the World War II.

“In order to manifest such feelings to concrete actions, we have engraved in our hearts the histories of sufferings of the Asian people and in the Philippines. We have consistently devoted ourselves towards peace for development of Pacific Asia," he said.

"We must never again repeat the devastation of war. Japan, whose deep repentance for war, has creating a free and democratic country abided by the rule of law," Ueno said.

The official assured that Japan has walked along a path as “a nation that values peace and has not waged war for more than seven decades.”

"Japan being true to its commitments shall uphold basic values such as freedom and democracy," Ueno added.

Japanese Imperial Army has massed its greatest defenses along the coasts of Leyte in October 1944 and was defeated by the Allied forces leading to the liberation of the Philippines from the Japanese forces during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. (PNA)
SQM/Dara Pearl P. Dacuyan/egr