Full text of PM Ishiba’s speech at the National Memorial Ceremony for the War Dead — the speech stressed that the tragedies of war should never be repeated and that Japan must take to heart “remorse and lessons” from the war that happened 80 years ago.

kantei.go.jp/jp/103/stateme… The word “remorse” was used in a prime minister speech at the National Memorial Ceremony for the first time since then-PM Noda Yoshihiko (DPJ) referred to it in 2012.

nikkei.com/article/DGXZQO…

Japan relevant excerpts from ROK President Lee Jae-myung’s national address on August 15: “Fellow Koreans, this year marks the 80th anniversary of liberation and the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan.”

koreaherald.com/article/105547… “It is time to squarely face the past while also wisely stepping forward into the future. Given our countries’ long, fraught history, redefining Korea-Japan relations is a crucial task. Some among us are still suffering from unresolved historical issues.”

Japan's first National Security Advisor Yachi Shotaro told Nikkei that Japanese people must change their mindset and move on from the asymmetric Japan-U.S. alliance toward a more autonomous state in which Japan can make its own decisions.

nikkei.com/article/DGXZQO… Yachi explained that the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty was symmetrical enough at the time but that it led to the constant question years later as to whether it was a truly equal relationship. He said that there is an element of the U.S. looking down on Japan.