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99-668: It synthesized the position of the Japanese government on historical recognition and reconciliation with Asia and other nations subjected to Japanese colonialism , primarily involving China , Korea , Singapore as well as the rest of Southeast Asia . It recognized the judgements of war tribunals prescribed in Article 11 of the San Francisco Peace Treaty . In this way, the Murayama Statement played

198-617: A Japanese satellite to further their security and national interests. In January 1876, Japan employed gunboat diplomacy to pressure Korea , under the Joseon dynasty , to sign the Japan–Korea Treaty of 1876 , which granted extraterritorial rights to Japanese citizens and opened three Korean ports to Japanese trade. The rights granted to Japan under this unequal treaty , were similar to those granted to western powers in Japan following

297-452: A quorum and deliberations are in public unless at least two-thirds of those present agree otherwise. Each house elects its own presiding officer who casts the deciding vote in the event of a tie. The Diet has parliamentary immunity . Members of each house have certain protections against arrest while the Diet is in session and arrested members must be released during the term of the session if

396-457: A "History Issues Q&A" section on its website. The section was based on statements by Tomiichi Murayama and Junichiro Koizumi, but the section had been slightly altered when it was reinstated on the website on September 18. The new version of the Q&;A is also criticized for playing down Abe's revisionist position on war related issues in order to facilitate the passage of the upcoming changes in

495-642: A bill must be first passed by both houses of the Diet and then promulgated by the Emperor . This role of the Emperor is similar to the Royal Assent in some other nations; however, the Emperor cannot refuse to promulgate a law and therefore his legislative role is merely a formality. The House of Representatives is the more powerful chamber of the Diet. While the House of Representatives cannot usually overrule

594-526: A devastated land after defeat in the war. That achievement is something of which we are proud, and let me herein express my heartfelt admiration for the wisdom and untiring effort of each and every one of our citizens. Let me also express once again my profound gratitude for the indispensable support and assistance extended to Japan by the countries of the world, beginning with the United States of America. I am also delighted that we have been able to build

693-406: A different method; the main difference between the houses is in the sizes of the two groups and how they are elected. Voters are also asked to cast two votes: one for an individual candidate in a constituency, and one for a party list. Any national of Japan at least 18 years of age may vote in these elections, reduced from age 20 in 2016. Japan's parallel voting system ( mixed-member majoritarian )

792-534: A formal, comprehensive apology was raised in January 1995, when the long-dominant Liberal Democratic Party of Japan (LDP) was forced to share power with the Japan Socialist Party (JSP). JSP President Murayama was given the prime ministership in the power-sharing agreement. The Lower House Speaker Takako Doi of JSP emphasized the necessity of trying to resolve Asian distrust in Japan. However, this

891-466: A panel commission created to reconsider “the history of the 20th century and Japan’s role and the world order in the 21st century.” The fundamental purposes of the panel and Abe statement were to design the view of 21st century, in the context of Japan’s aim of reconciliation and international contributions in the 70 years since World War II. China's state media criticized Abe's remarks as refraining from offering his own apology, this being agreed on by both

990-463: A relatively short period of time". Japan was "decisive in altering both the nature of the Korean state and the relationship of this state to various social classes." How the Japanese centralized bureaucratic style of government was transferred to Korea; how they developed Korean human capital by a considerable expansion of education; how the Japanese invested heavily in infrastructure. Kohli's conclusion

1089-489: A result of these early conflicts, public opinion of politicians was not favorable. The Imperial Diet consisted of a House of Representatives and a House of Peers ( 貴族院 , Kizoku-in ) . The House of Representatives was directly elected, if on a limited franchise; universal adult male suffrage was introduced in 1925 when the Universal Manhood Suffrage Law was passed, but excluded women, and

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1188-405: A secret ballot. It also insists that the electoral law must not discriminate in terms of "race, creed, sex, social status, family origin, education, property or income". Generally, the election of Diet members is controlled by statutes passed by the Diet. This is a source of contention concerning re-apportionment of prefectures' seats in response to changes of population distribution. For example,

1287-579: A significant role in both the reconciliation of war issues as well as the shift in both domestic and international perception of Japan. The Murayama statement apologizes for Japanese war crimes and atrocities committed during the period of Japanese imperialism , especially during the Second Sino-Japanese War , World War II , and the annexation of Korea . The war crimes mainly involved the Imperial Japanese Army and

1386-493: A worsening of relations with Japan's neighbours. Yasukuni Shrine honors 2.5 million Japanese war dead from the period between 1868 and 1954, including fourteen convicted Class A war criminals. Visits to the Shrine by serving members of the Japanese government, even in a private capacity, have attracted significant criticism from both China and South Korea. In the summer of 2015, PM Shinzo Abe signaled his government’s position that

1485-420: Is not to be confused with the mixed-member proportional systems used in many other nations. The Constitution of Japan does not specify the number of members of each house of the Diet, the voting system, or the necessary qualifications of those who may vote or be returned in parliamentary elections , thus allowing all of these things to be determined by law. However it does guarantee universal adult suffrage and

1584-571: Is that "the highly cohesive and disciplining state that the Japanese helped to construct in colonial Korea turned out to be an efficacious economic actor. The state utilized its bureaucratic capacities to undertake numerous economic tasks: collecting more taxes, building infrastructure, and undertaking production directly. More important, this highly purposive state made increasing production one of its priorities and incorporated property-owning classes into production-oriented alliances". This sprawling bureaucratic state continued post- World War II and after

1683-567: Is the national legislature of Japan . It is composed of a lower house, called the House of Representatives ( 衆議院 , Shūgiin ), and an upper house, the House of Councillors ( 参議院 , Sangiin ). Both houses are directly elected under a parallel voting system . In addition to passing laws, the Diet is formally responsible for nominating the Prime Minister . The Diet was first established as

1782-698: The Cabinet Legislation Bureau of the government, as well as to the ruling party. Japan's first modern legislature was the Imperial Diet ( 帝国議会 , Teikoku-gikai ) established by the Meiji Constitution in force from 1889 to 1947. The Meiji Constitution was adopted on February 11, 1889, and the Imperial Diet first met on November 29, 1890, when the document entered into force. The first Imperial Diet of 1890

1881-597: The Constitution describes the National Diet as "the highest organ of State power" and "the sole law-making organ of the State". This statement is in forceful contrast to the Meiji Constitution , which described the Emperor as the one who exercised legislative power with the consent of the Diet. The Diet's responsibilities include not only the making of laws but also the approval of the annual national budget that

1980-925: The German Empire and quickly seized the possessions of the German colonial empire in the Pacific Ocean (the Northern Mariana Islands , the Caroline Islands and the Marshall Islands ) with virtually no resistance. After the end of the war the Treaty of Versailles formally recognized the Japanese occupation of former German colonies in Micronesia north of the equator . A League of Nations mandate put them under

2079-555: The Imperial Japanese Navy , responsible for the deaths of millions. Actions include a wide range including torture of prisoners of war , forced labor, biological warfare , looting , rape , and the use of comfort women . In addition, Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs states the country acknowledges its role in the damage caused by Japan during World War II. Japanese governments have issued several official apologies for their war crimes and other actions during

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2178-541: The Japanese Empire at its apex was one of the largest empires in history . The total amount of land under Japanese sovereignty reached 8,510,000 km (3,300,000 sq mi) in 1942. By 1943, it accounted for more than 20% of the world's population at the time with 463 million people in its occupied regions and territories. After Japan was defeated by the Allies in 1945, colonial control from Tokyo over

2277-568: The Korean War . Japan's early colonial industrialisation of Korea also made it easier to rebuild after the Korean War, because there was no need to begin industrialisation ab initio . Examining Korea's policies and achievements in the 1960s and 1970s, Kohli states that during this period the country was firmly heading towards "cohesive-capitalist development, mainly by re-creating an efficacious but brutal state that intervened extensively in

2376-554: The Kuril Islands under the Treaty of Saint Petersburg . After achieving victory in the Russo-Japanese War , Japan was ceded southern Sakhalin under the terms of the Treaty of Portsmouth . Japan established its colonial government in 1907, whereupon South Sakhalin was renamed Karafuto Prefecture . Japanese and Korean migrants to the colony developed the fishing, forestry and mining industries. Taking advantage of

2475-611: The Kurokawa decision of 1976, invalidating an election in which one district in Hyōgo Prefecture received five times the representation of another district in Osaka Prefecture . In recent elections the malapportionment ratio amounted to 4.8 in the House of Councillors (census 2005: Ōsaka/Tottori; election 2007: Kanagawa/Tottori ) and 2.3 in the House of Representatives (election 2009: Chiba 4/Kōchi 3). Candidates for

2574-602: The Liberal Democratic Party had controlled Japan for most of its post-war history, and it gained much of its support from rural areas. During the post-war era, large numbers of people were relocating to the urban centers in the seeking of wealth; though some re-apportionments have been made to the number of each prefecture's assigned seats in the Diet, rural areas generally have more representation than do urban areas. The Supreme Court of Japan began exercising judicial review of apportionment laws following

2673-477: The Russian Civil War , the Imperial Japanese Army occupied northern Sakhalin between 1920 and 1925 ; afterwards Japan retained favorable coal and oil concessions therein until 1944. In 1943, Karafuto was elevated to naichi status. The Soviet Union invaded and annexed Karafuto at the end of World War II . Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the Japanese Empire declared war on

2772-588: The Socialists feeling that ambiguity in the statement would greatly detract from its significance. Sakutaro Tanino, a member of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was among those who contributed to the drafting process of the Statement. Tanino was responsible for changing the ambiguous wordings through the implementation of the word "aggression" in the statement. When formulating the statement, Murayama chose

2871-606: The South Manchuria Railway . In 1931, Japan invaded Manchuria , resulting in the establishment of the puppet state of Manchukuo the following year; thereafter, Japan adopted a policy of founding and supporting puppet states in conquered regions. These conquered territories became the basis for the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere in 1940. Including Mainland Japan , colonies, occupied territories, and puppet states,

2970-696: The Soviet Union in 1922. Manchuria came under the control of the Chinese warlord Zhang Zuolin during the warlord period in China. He initially had Japanese backing, but the Kwantung Army found him too independent; he was assassinated in 1928. The Japanese invasion of Manchuria took place in 1931 following the Mukden Incident , a staged event engineered by Japanese military personnel from

3069-541: The Taiwan independence movement . In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, various Western countries competed for influence, trade, and territory in East Asia , and Japan sought to join these modern colonial powers. The newly modernized Meiji government of Japan turned to Korea, then in the sphere of influence of China's Qing dynasty . The Japanese government initially sought to separate Korea from Qing and make Korea

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3168-421: The Treaty of Shimonoseki . The short-lived Republic of Formosa resistance movement was quickly suppressed by the Japanese military. The fall of Tainan ended organized resistance to Japanese occupation and inaugurated five decades of Japanese rule. Since Taiwan was Japan's first overseas colony, the central and colonial governments turned their efforts into making the island a "model colony". These resulted in

3267-532: The advice of the Cabinet . In an emergency the Cabinet can convoke the Diet for an extraordinary session, and an extraordinary session may be requested by one-quarter of the members of either house. At the beginning of each parliamentary session, the Emperor reads a special speech from his throne in the chamber of the House of Councillors. The presence of one-third of the membership of either house constitutes

3366-598: The surrender of Japan in the Pacific War . The 1905 and 1910 treaties were officially declared "null and void" by both Japan and South Korea in 1965. During the 19th century, Russia and Japan vied for control of Sakhalin Island . Following the Meiji Restoration in 1868, Japanese settlers were sent to southern Sakhalin to exploit its resources. Japan ceded southern Sakhalin to Russia in 1875 in exchange for

3465-435: The 1930s the Japanese colonized Manchukuo. With Japanese investment and rich natural resources, the economy of Manchukuo experienced rapid economic growth. Manchukuo's industrial system became one of the most advanced, making it one of the industrial powerhouses in the region. Manchukuo's steel production exceeded Japan's in the late 1930s. The Japanese Army initially sponsored a policy of forced industrialization modeled after

3564-471: The 50th anniversary of the end of the war, Japan must eliminate self-righteous nationalism, promote international coordination as a responsible member of the international community and, thereby, advance the principles of peace and democracy. At the same time, as the only country to have experienced the devastation of atomic bombing, Japan, with a view to the ultimate elimination of nuclear weapons, must actively strive to further global disarmament in areas such as

3663-532: The Diet and the Emperor. This meant that while the Emperor could no longer legislate by decree he still had a veto over the Diet. The Emperor also had complete freedom in choosing the Prime Minister and the Cabinet, and so, under the Meiji Constitution, Prime Ministers often were not chosen from and did not enjoy the confidence of the Diet. The Imperial Diet was also limited in its control over

3762-429: The Diet if the House of Representatives passes a motion of no confidence introduced by fifty members of the House of Representatives. Government officials, including the Prime Minister and Cabinet members , are required to appear before Diet investigative committees and answer inquiries. The Diet also has the power to impeach judges convicted of criminal or irregular conduct. In most circumstances, in order to become law

3861-701: The Five Year Plan in the Soviet Union but subsequently private capital was used in a very strongly state-directed economy. There was progress in the area's social systems and many Manchurian cities were modernized. Manchukuo issued banknotes and postal stamps, and several independent banks were founded. The Chinese Eastern Railway was bought from the Soviet Union in 1935. Traditional lands were taken and redistributed to Japanese farmers with local farmers relocated and forced into collective farming units over smaller areas of land. During this period Manchukuo

3960-418: The House demands. They are immune outside the house for words spoken and votes cast in the House. Each house of the Diet determines its own standing orders and has responsibility for disciplining its own members. A member may be expelled, but only by a two-thirds majority vote. Every member of the Cabinet has the right to appear in either house of the Diet for the purpose of speaking on bills, and each house has

4059-492: The House of Councillors on a bill, the House of Councillors can only delay the adoption of a budget or a treaty that has been approved by the House of Representatives, and the House of Councillors has almost no power at all to prevent the lower house from selecting any Prime Minister it wishes. Furthermore, once appointed it is the confidence of the House of Representatives alone that the Prime Minister must enjoy in order to continue in office. The House of Representatives can overrule

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4158-577: The Imperial Diet in 1890 under the Meiji Constitution , and took its current form in 1947 upon the adoption of the post-war constitution . Both houses meet in the National Diet Building ( 国会議事堂 , Kokkai-gijidō ) in Nagatachō , Chiyoda , Tokyo . The houses of the National Diet are both elected under parallel voting systems. This means that the seats to be filled in any given election are divided into two groups, each elected by

4257-551: The Imperial era. The apology that most immediately preceded the Murayama Statement was the Kono Statement announced by LDP Chief Cabinet Secretary Yōhei Kōno on August 4, 1993. With this statement, Japan acknowledged for the first time that their military was directly or indirectly involved in the military-run brothels and used coercion to make the comfort women provide sex to the Japanese soldiers. The idea of developing

4356-684: The Japanese administration known as the Nan'yō Agency or South Seas Agency ( 南洋廳 , Nan'yō Chō ) and the post of Governor of the South Seas Mandate was created. The main significance of the South Seas Mandate to Japan was its strategic location, which dominated the sea lanes across the Pacific Ocean and provided convenient provisioning locations for ships. During the 1930s, the Imperial Japanese Navy began construction of airfields, fortifications, ports, and other military projects on

4455-590: The Japanese government to declare, hence, acknowledging that there was a forced annexation in 1910. The Japanese did not comply to this demand. Therefore, South Koreans perceive inconsistency with the Japanese government. After the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and South Korea in 1965, Korean victims could legally not make individual claims against the Japanese government nor Japanese companies. Visits to Yasukuni Shrine by Junichiro Koizumi during his time in office (April 26, 2001 - September 26, 2006) and retracting statements by PM Shinzo Abe have continued

4554-501: The Japanese population was greatly supportive of Murayama's statement. Although some were concerned over indiscretions such as by Yoshinobu Shimamura, and feared that Murayama's apology may not necessarily hold if more conservative prime ministers followed to lead Japan. However, many were encouraged when Emperor Akihito spoke in a ritual said that marked the anniversary to reinforce Murayama's apology and expressed deep remorse for Japan's actions as well as mourning for those who suffered in

4653-474: The Kwantung Army as a pretext for invasion. The region was subsequently separated from Chinese control and the Japanese-aligned puppet state of Manchukuo was created. The last Emperor of China, Puyi , was installed as head of state in 1932, and two years later he was declared Emperor of Manchukuo. The city of Changchun was renamed Xinjing and became the capital of Manchukuo. An imperial palace

4752-471: The Murayama Statement had significant meaning, thus any new statement must be capable of sending a similar message. Abe delivered his statement on August 14, 2015, on the 70th anniversary of Japan's defeat in World War II, causing much controversy especially in China and South Korea. The Abe Statement is based on previous statements such as the Murayama Statement. However, it also consulted the report of

4851-562: The Murayama statement and rewording it to create a more abstract version of the statement. While Abe used words such as "aggression" in his statement, he did not mention about the specific behaviors of Japan during the war, nor did he address whom his statement was for. He stood by the statement and urged Abe to do the same. The concern over the statement's wording was combined with the Japanese Foreign Ministry deleting

4950-580: The Murayama statement. However, in contrast to China and South Korea, Japan seems to have achieved a fair level of reconciliation with Taiwan and other Southeast Asian nations through the statement, that seem to have developed a "Forgive, but never forget" attitude. Former PM Junichiro Koizumi issued an additional statement on August 5, 2005, regarding Japan's 20th century militarism during his time in office from 2001 to 2006. Nations such as China and South Korea repeatedly warned that attempts to avoid explicit apologies that would jeopardize diplomatic ties. In

5049-568: The South Koreans grew suspicious about the credibility of the statement as the means of reconciliation were not ensured in concrete measures, neither did they feel that it was met. The Asian Women’s Fund , which was created in spirit of the statement, was later rejected by South Korean comfort women and the South Korean government. They argued for direct compensation from the Japanese government. The Korean elites, additionally, required

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5148-405: The South Seas Mandate islands, viewing them as " unsinkable aircraft carriers " with a critical role to play in the defense of the Japanese home islands against potential invasion by the United States. The islands became important staging grounds for Japanese air and naval offensives during the Pacific War but were lost to American military action between 1943 and 1945. The League of Nations mandate

5247-528: The agreement at the Yalta Conference and invaded Manchukuo from Russian Manchuria and Mongolia. This was called Manchurian Strategic Offensive Operation . The Army of Manchukuo was defeated and the Emperor was captured by Soviet forces. Most of the 1.5  million Japanese who had been left in Manchukuo at the end of World War II were sent back to their homeland in 1946–1948 by U.S. Navy ships in

5346-424: The battlefield. Although the statement was met with general approval from the Japanese public who said they believed expressions of remorse were long overdue, some were cautious of Murayama's words. Some believed that there was no need for an apology, due to what they perceived as insufficient evidence for Japan's actions during World War II. There were occasional beliefs that politicians were apologizing purely for

5445-451: The budget. However, the Diet could veto the annual budget. If no budget was approved, the budget of the previous year continued in force. This changed with the new constitution after World War II. The proportional representation system for the House of Councillors, introduced in 1982, was the first major electoral reform under the post-war constitution. Instead of choosing national constituency candidates as individuals, as had previously been

5544-407: The case, voters cast ballots for parties. Individual councillors, listed officially by the parties before the election, are selected on the basis of the parties' proportions of the total national constituency vote. The system was introduced to reduce the excessive money spent by candidates for the national constituencies. Critics charged, however, that this new system benefited the two largest parties,

5643-756: The controversial security legislation. Japanese colonialism The territorial conquests of the Japanese Empire in the Western Pacific Ocean and East Asia began in 1895 with its victory over Qing China in the First Sino-Japanese War . Subsequent victories over the Russian Empire ( Russo-Japanese War ) and the German Empire ( World War I ) expanded Japanese rule to Taiwan , Korea , Micronesia , Southern Sakhalin , several concessions in China , and

5742-725: The economy". South Korean economic development was not market-driven—rather the "state intervened heavily to promote exports, using both market and non-market tools to achieve its goals". National Diet Opposition (92) Unaffiliated (9) Vacant (8) Opposition (242) Unaffiliated (2) Naruhito [REDACTED] Fumihito [REDACTED] Shigeru Ishiba ( LDP ) Second Ishiba Cabinet ( LDP – Komeito coalition ) [REDACTED] [REDACTED] Fukushiro Nukaga Kōichirō Genba [REDACTED] Masakazu Sekiguchi Hiroyuki Nagahama Saburo Tokura Kazuo Ueda The National Diet ( Japanese : 国会 , Hepburn : Kokkai )

5841-579: The end of World War II. In a statement released by People's Daily , Murayama emphasized the two nations' linguistic and cultural similarities, insisting that China and Japan develop a strong bond. Although some Western nations such as Australia showed warmth and welcome towards the first explicit apology for Japan's imperialist and war time actions, other Asian countries such as Singapore and Malaysia expressed similar reactions to China and South Korea. Reactions were generally subdued compared to Western states, and not all Asian states issued official responses to

5940-620: The far-flung territories ended. The extent of Japanese governance was restricted to the naichi (excepting Karafuto Prefecture , which was annexed by the Soviet Union ); the Nanpō and Ryūkyū Islands were returned to Japan by the US in 1968 and 1972 respectively. The territorial expansion of the Japanese colonial empire was marked by aggression towards other nations, with the Japanese committing numerous atrocities and war crimes , killing millions. The first overseas territories that Japan acquired were

6039-494: The friendly relations which we enjoy today with the neighboring countries of the Asia-Pacific region, the United States and the countries of Europe. Now that Japan has come to enjoy peace and abundance, we tend to overlook the pricelessness and blessings of peace. Our task is to convey to younger generations the horrors of war, so that we never repeat the errors in our history. I believe that, as we join hands, especially with

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6138-460: The government submits and the ratification of treaties. It can also initiate draft constitutional amendments, which, if approved, must be presented to the people in a referendum. The Diet may conduct "investigations in relation to government" (Article 62). The Prime Minister must be designated by Diet resolution, establishing the principle of legislative supremacy over executive government agencies (Article 67). The government can also be dissolved by

6237-430: The government’s plans for the future, including measures to improve regional and global prosperity. The Murayama Statement said the country had caused “tremendous damage and suffering” to the people of Asia and other countries through its colonial rule and aggression. Abe seemed reluctant about using the same wording that appeared in the Murayama statement, saying he wanted to avoid “bits and pieces of argument over whether

6336-467: The islands of its surrounding seas. During the early Meiji era , Japan established control over the Nanpō, Ryukyu , and Kuril Islands ; it also strengthened control of the naichi . However, this effort was less an initial step toward colonial expansion than it was a reassertion of national authority over territories traditionally within the Japanese cultural sphere. At the start of the twentieth century

6435-467: The lower house must be 25 years old or older and 30 years or older for the upper house. All candidates must be Japanese nationals. Under Article 49 of Japan's Constitution, Diet members are paid about ¥1.3 million a month in salary. Each lawmaker is entitled to employ three secretaries with taxpayer funds, free Shinkansen tickets, and four round-trip airplane tickets a month to enable them to travel back and forth to their home districts. Article 41 of

6534-406: The modern era between Japan and the neighboring countries of Asia and elsewhere; and rapid expansion of exchanges with those countries. Furthermore, I will continue in all sincerity to do my utmost in efforts being made on the issues arisen from the war, in order to further strengthen the relations of trust between Japan and those countries. Now, upon this historic occasion of the 50th anniversary of

6633-721: The modernization of the island's economy, infrastructure, industry, public works, and forced assimilation . In 1945, after the defeat of the Japanese Empire in World War II , Taiwan placed under the control of the Republic of China with the signing of the Japanese Instrument of Surrender . The experience of Japanese rule, Kuomintang rule , and the February 28 Incident of 1947 continues to affect issues such as Retrocession Day , national and ethnic identity, and

6732-550: The negative sentiments among the South Korean public. A survey conducted by the Asian Institute for Policy Studies in 2012 shows that the South Korean public are unaware of the Murayama Statement and misunderstood it to be related to the Dokdo-Takeshima Island dispute. The study concluded that the island dispute is considered as “the biggest obstacle in mending South Korean-Japan relations”. Murayama

6831-417: The official broadcaster CCTV and Xinhua News Agency. South Korea criticized it as "disappointing", followed by comments from other Asian states as well, for example Taiwan calling on the Japanese government to examine its wartime aggression and learn the lessons of history. Former PM Tomiichi Murayama had responded to Abe's statement, two hours after it had been announced. He had accused Abe of using words from

6930-411: The operation now known as the Japanese repatriation from Huludao . Disclaimer: Not all areas were considered part of the Empire of Japan, but within its sphere of influence, included separately for demographic purposes. Sources: POPULSTAT Asia Oceania Other islands occupied by Japan during World War II: A shortage of Japanese administrators led to the establishment of colonial puppet states and

7029-454: The people of many countries, particularly to those of Asian nations. In the hope that no such mistake be made in the future, I regard, in a spirit of humility, these irrefutable facts of history, and express here once again my feelings of deep remorse and state my heartfelt apology. Allow me also to express my feelings of profound mourning for all victims, both at home and abroad, of that history. Building from our deep remorse on this occasion of

7128-540: The peoples of neighboring countries, to ensure true peace in the Asia-Pacific region—indeed, in the entire world—it is necessary, more than anything else, that we foster relations with all countries based on deep understanding and trust. Guided by this conviction, the Government has launched the Peace, Friendship and Exchange Initiative, which consists of two parts promoting: support for historical research into relations in

7227-535: The previous wording was used or new wording was added”. His comments on the issue drew criticism from many opposition leaders. Katsuya Okada , leader of the opposition Democratic Party of Japan , severely criticized Abe’s approach, saying that the prime minister’s remarks calling colonial rule and aggression ‘bits and pieces’ could not be tolerated, and that the original statement had already received strong international recognition. Kenji Eda , leader of Ishin no To (Japanese Innovation Party), warned Abe against altering

7326-458: The promotion of indigenous elites in the territories which came under Japanese control in the 1940s. According to Atul Kohli, the David K.E. Bruce Professor of International Affairs and Professor of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton , "the Japanese made extensive use of state power for their own economic development and then used the same state power to pry open and transform Korea in

7425-469: The rate of population increase in Japan was seen as a potential problem for the Japanese government, and colonial expansion into Korea and Manchuria was seen as a possible solution. Between 1895 and 1945, Taiwan , including the Penghu Islands, was a colony of the Japanese Empire ; following the defeat of Qing China in the First Sino-Japanese War , it ceded Taiwan to Japan under the terms of

7524-522: The right to compel the appearance of Cabinet members. The vast majority of bills are submitted to the Diet by the Cabinet. Bills are usually drafted by the relevant ministry, sometimes with the advice of an external committee if the issue is sufficiently important or neutrality is necessary. Such advisory committees may include university professors, trade union representatives, industry representatives, and local governors and mayors, and invariably include retired officials. Such draft bills would be sent to

7623-506: The route of "cabinet decision", a comparatively more politically binding procedure than "cabinet understanding". Murayama expressed his wish for his statement to be interpreted as the will of the cabinet , in order to bind future cabinets. Although his statement was criticized on August 22 by the new LDP Secretary General Hiroshi Mitsuzuka as exceeding the content of the Diet solution, the incoming LDP President (and soon to be prime minister) Ryutaro Hashimoto stated his own interpretation of

7722-440: The sake of maintaining and improving diplomatic relations without making investigations. The Education Minister at the time, Yoshinobu Shimamura , told reporters he was unsure whether repeated apologies were useful and that Japan had not necessarily been the aggressor in the war. However, he quickly apologized and retracted his comments after meeting protests from the public population and other Asian countries. The perceptions of

7821-555: The southern part of the Liaodong Peninsula under the terms of the Treaty of Shimonoseki . Diplomatic pressure from Russia, Germany, and France forced Japan to quickly relinquish the territory, which allowed Russia to lease it from China in 1898. In 1905, Russia was defeated in the Russo-Japanese War ; under the terms of the Treaty of Portsmouth , Russia returned the Liaodong Peninsula to Japan, whereupon it

7920-401: The statement he says: “[I]n the past, Japan, through its colonial rule and aggression, caused tremendous damage and suffering to the people of many countries, particularly to those of Asian nations. Sincerely facing these facts of history, I once again express my feelings of deep remorse and heartfelt apology, and also express the feelings of mourning for all victims, both at home and abroad, in

8019-420: The strengthening of the nuclear non-proliferation regime. It is my conviction that in this way alone can Japan atone for its past and lay to rest the spirits of those who perished. It is said that one can rely on good faith. And so, at this time of remembrance, I declare to the people of Japan and abroad my intention to make good faith the foundation of our Government policy, and this is my vow." The majority of

8118-476: The upper house in the following circumstances: Under the Constitution, at least one session of the Diet must be convened each year. Technically, only the House of Representatives is dissolved before an election. But, while the lower house is in dissolution, the House of Councillors is usually "closed". The Emperor both convokes the Diet and dissolves the House of Representatives but in doing so must act on

8217-468: The visit of Commodore Perry . Japanese involvement in Korea increased during the 1890s, a period of political upheaval. Korea was occupied and declared a Japanese protectorate following the Japan–Korea Treaty of 1905 ; it was annexed in 1910 through the annexation treaty . Korea was renamed Chōsen and remained a part of the Japanese Empire for 35 years; from August 22, 1910, until August 15, 1945, upon

8316-413: The war was in accordance with Murayama's statement. The English translation of the Statement is as follows: "The world has seen fifty years elapse since the war came to an end. Now, when I remember the many people both at home and abroad who fell victim to war, my heart is overwhelmed by a flood of emotions. The peace and prosperity of today were built as Japan overcame great difficulty to arise from

8415-491: The war's end, we should bear in mind that we must look into the past to learn from the lessons of history, and ensure that we do not stray from the path to the peace and prosperity of human society in the future. During a certain period in the not too distant past, Japan, following a mistaken national policy, advanced along the road to war, only to ensnare the Japanese people in a fateful crisis, and, through its colonial rule and aggression, caused tremendous damage and suffering to

8514-429: The war. I am determined not to allow the lessons of that horrible war to erode, and to contribute to the peace and prosperity of the world without ever again waging a war...” Like the Murayama Statement, Koizumi explicitly employed terms such as "colonial rule", "aggression" and "deep remorse". In the context of reconciliation within the region though, Koizumi's repeated visits to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine led to

8613-404: The wording of the Murayama Statement could be altered. Doing so would require a Cabinet decision. Abe said that he planned to uphold the general content of statements made by previous Japanese cabinets. He said the upcoming statement will include three main points: an expression of remorse for Japan’s wartime aggression, comments on the democratic path taken by the country over the last 70 years, and

8712-461: The wording of the Murayama statement, saying doing so would “send a different message to neighboring countries”. Japanese Communist Party chairman Kazuo Shii also urged Abe to retain key aspects of the Murayama Statement and take appropriate action. In addition to this, Natsuo Yamaguchi , the leader of the junior Komeito party in Abe’s LDP-led coalition, said that the form of expression used in

8811-461: The younger leaders of the LDP, including Junichiro Koizumi , former minister of posts and telecommunications and a future prime minister. The leaders reportedly promised Murayama a resolution containing clear expressions of regret. The drafting of the document was a process involving much conflict over wording and expressions, for example with the LDP's rejection of unilateral incrimination of Japan against

8910-489: Was a common name for an assembly in medieval European polities like the Holy Roman Empire . The Meiji Constitution was largely based on the form of constitutional monarchy found in nineteenth century Prussia that placed the king not as a servant of the state but rather the sole holder of power and sovereignty over his kingdom, which the Japanese view of their emperor and his role at the time favoured. The new Diet

9009-464: Was first met by strong opposition within the government, with many believing that Japan had already apologized sufficiently for the war, or that the renouncement of war could suggest Japan was abrogating its right to self defense . To overcome opposition to an apology and reach a resolution, Murayama met with the secretary general of each of the three governing parties on May 25 and asked for negotiations to reach an agreement. He targeted his campaign at

9108-593: Was formally revoked by the United Nations on July 18, 1947, according to Security Council Resolution 21 , making the United States responsible for administration of the islands under the terms of a United Nations trusteeship agreement which established the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands . After emerging victorious against Qing China in the First Sino-Japanese War , Japan was ceded

9207-418: Was known as the first Japanese prime minister to apologize to China, and also the first to formally address Japan's actions during its colonial rule. According to Chinese media, As the "good friend (好朋友, hao peng you )" of Chinese people, Murayama's actions were praised by Asian countries, including China. Even after his resignation, Murayama has been invited to ceremonies in China to mark the 70th anniversary of

9306-494: Was limited to men 25 years or older. The House of Peers, much like the British House of Lords , consisted of high-ranking nobles chosen by the Emperor. The first election by universal suffrage without distinction of sex was held in 1946, but it was not until 1947, when the constitution for post-war Japan came into effect, that universal suffrage was established In Japan. The word diet derives from Latin and

9405-598: Was modeled partly on the German Reichstag and partly on the British Westminster system . Unlike the post-war constitution, the Meiji constitution granted a real political role to the Emperor, although in practice the Emperor's powers were largely directed by a group of oligarchs called the genrō or elder statesmen. To become law or bill, a constitutional amendment had to have the assent of both

9504-560: Was plagued by controversy and political tensions. The Prime Minister of Japan at that time was General Count Yamagata Aritomo , who entered into a confrontation with the legislative body over military funding. During this time, there were many critics of the army who derided the Meiji slogan of "rich country, strong military" as in effect producing a poor country (albeit with a strong military). They advocated for infrastructure projects and lower taxes instead and felt their interests were not being served by high levels of military spending. As

9603-609: Was renamed the Kwantung Leased Territory . A governor and an Imperial Japanese Army garrison were established, the latter becoming the Kwantung Army in 1919. As a result of Russia's defeat, it also lost influence in Manchuria , which allowed Japan to take its place. In 1906, Japan laid the South Manchuria Railway to Ryojun . Japan temporarily occupied Russian Manchuria in 1918, but returned it to

9702-479: Was specially built for the emperor. He was, however, nothing more than a figurehead and real authority rested in the hands of the Japanese military officials. The Manchu ministers all served as front-men for their Japanese vice-ministers, who made all decisions. Anti-Japanese Volunteer Armies were organized by the Chinese in Manchuria and the pacification of Manchukuo required a war lasting several years. During

9801-649: Was used as a base from which to invade China. In the summer of 1939, a border dispute between Manchukuo and the Mongolian People's Republic resulted in the Battle of Khalkhin Gol . During this battle, a combined Soviet Army and Mongolian force defeated the Japanese Kwantung Army ( Kantōgun ) supported by limited Manchukuoan forces. The Soviet Union declared war on Japan on 8 August 1945 under

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