60% of Japanese military deaths during WWII were from illness or starvation: PM Ishiba
When asked about historical revisionism on a TBS Radio program, Ishiba replied, "I don't really know what it means to revise history." He went on to say, "Sixty percent of Japanese soldiers who died did not die in combat. We must consider that they died of illness or starvation. I believe that we must not forget to face the past squarely."
The prime minister has shown enthusiasm for issuing his views on the 80th anniversary of the end of the war, and his aforementioned comments appeared to reflect the historical awareness that will form the basis of his opinion.
In a Mainichi Shimbun interview on July 2, Ishiba said, "I want to consider, in my own way, why the last war unfolded as it did and the nature of civilian control."
Ishiba was also asked about the massacre of Koreans during the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake, to which he replied, "We must always reflect on and examine why accurate information was not conveyed, and continue to seek answers."
(Mainichi)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Japan Today
an hour ago
- Japan Today
Japan presses Lutnick to implement agreed cut to U.S. auto tariffs
Japan's chief tariff negotiator Ryosei Akazawa on Wednesday held talks with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, urging him to implement as early as possible an agreed cut to tariffs on Japanese car and auto part imports, according to the Japanese government. During a meeting in Washington that lasted about 90 minutes, Akazawa and Lutnick confirmed the importance of a recent bilateral trade deal and efforts to steadily carry out initiatives that will be in the "interests of both countries," the government said. It said Akazawa also asked Lutnick to make sure the United States puts the terms of the deal into practice as agreed by both sides. Akazawa's visit for his ninth round of talks with U.S. cabinet members comes two weeks after he and U.S. President Donald Trump struck the deal, under which his administration committed to lowering the so-called reciprocal tariff rate on Japanese goods, due to take effect on Thursday, to 15 percent from the threatened 25 percent. At that time, Trump also agreed to cut auto tariffs to 15 percent for Japan in exchange for a promise to invest massively in the United States. However, unlike the country-specific tariff rate, it remains unclear when the Trump administration plans to implement the lowered auto tariffs. Akazawa, Japan's minister for economic revitalization, is scheduled to stay in the U.S. capital through Friday and may also hold talks with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. © KYODO
Japan Today
an hour ago
- Japan Today
Japanese population down by record 900,000; 16th straight year of decline
The population of Japanese nationals in 2024 fell by around 908,000 from a year earlier to 120,653,227, declining for the 16th straight year and the largest drop since the current survey began in 1968, government data showed Wednesday. The latest figures come as policymakers continue to struggle to reverse falling birthrates and regional depopulation, and while anxiety over record foreign resident numbers spurs some voters to turn to opposition parties touting slogans such as "Japanese First." As of Jan. 1, 2025, the population including foreign residents was 124,330,690, a decrease of about 554,000, a demographics survey by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications showed. While Japanese numbers fell, foreign resident totals continue to rise, reaching a record 3,677,463 people since their inclusion from the 2013 survey. Their number was up 354,089, or 10.65 percent. By prefecture, northernmost main island Hokkaido saw the largest rise in foreign residents at 19.57 percent. Some 85.77 percent of foreign residents are of working age, with many filling labor shortages left by the declining native population. But amid rising living costs and concerns that some foreign residents abuse the system, parties pledging to limit their intake such as the Sanseito party gained greater support in July's House of Councillors election. Among Japanese people, births in 2024 were a record low 687,689 and eclipsed by the 1.59 million deaths logged, another record high. Akita and Aomori prefectures in northeastern Japan saw the greatest native population decreases at 1.91 percent and 1.72 percent, respectively, followed by western Japan's Kochi Prefecture at 1.71 percent. The total national decline was 0.75 percent. Tokyo was the only area to see a rise in the native Japanese population, up 0.13 percent due to a high influx of people to the capital. When including foreign residents, the overall population rose only in Tokyo and neighboring Chiba Prefecture. By age, people aged 65 and over accounted for 29.58 percent of the Japanese population, while those aged from 15 to 64 made up about 59.04 percent, both minor increases from the previous year. © KYODO
Japan Today
an hour ago
- Japan Today
Hiroshima A-bomb ceremony 'enlightening' for foreign visitors
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba offers flowers at the Hiroshima Memorial Cenotaph during the ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of the bombing at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima on Wednesday. Foreign visitors attending the 80th anniversary ceremony of the atomic bombing in Hiroshima said Wednesday's event serves as a powerful reminder of the devastating consequences of nuclear war. Craig Whitehead, an Australian on his third visit to Hiroshima, attended the ceremony for the first time. He said the experience was "enlightening." While the 51-year-old remembers learning about the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in school, the focus was on the Australian and American side. "It is nice to get a wider perspective of the history around what happened, but also a reminder about how close we are to it happening again," said Whitehead. "Even that word 'hibakusha,' I just learned that today." The ceremony was attended by around 55,000 people, including officials from a record 120 nations and regions, according to the city. Some visitors came by chance but found the experience equally meaningful. Luca Milan, a 24-year-old student from Italy, said he only realized the ceremony was taking place when he tried to book a visit to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum for Wednesday morning and found it was closed. Milan said he learned of the bombings from his grandfather, who fought in World War II, during which Italy was for a time allied with Japan and Germany as part of the Axis powers. While he watched the ceremony on a large screen from outside the official seating area, he praised its succinctness and said it was "beautiful." Meanwhile, Raj Mody, a Canadian who attended the ceremony as part of a group organized by the Heiwa Peace and Reconciliation Foundation of New York Ltd., said he felt the museum was more "illuminating" than the ceremony itself. Still, the 63-year-old Canadian acknowledged the value of the event, saying schools all over the world should view a live telecast of the ceremony every year because "the young are the future." While all noted that the current geopolitical environment makes the abolition of nuclear arms an unrealistic goal, they voiced hopes that the annual memorial ceremony would make leaders think seriously about using weapons of mass destruction. Even when all survivors are gone, "indefinitely, we should continue (this ceremony) until people realize how nasty nuclear weapons can be," Mody said. "Keep going," Whitehead agreed. "Keep going for as long as they have to, because it keeps that memory in their mind about what the devastation is like, not just on that particular day, but in the long term." © KYODO
