80 years after the Pacific War: Japan's reckoning with history
This month marks 80 years since Japan surrendered in World War II, ending the Pacific War. In this episode of Japan Today Spotlight, we look at how the country is commemorating the anniversary — and what unresolved questions remain.
From memorials in Hiroshima and Nagasaki to continued demands for wartime apologies, Japan's war legacy remains a source of both reflection and controversy. The emperor's visits to former battle sites, renewed debate over the pacifist Constitution, and political pressure from South Korea and China all raise the question: how should Japan remember its wartime past? And what does the future hold?
Watch the full episode here:
How should Japan approach its wartime history 80 years later? And what responsibility — if any — does the U.S. still bear for the atomic bombings?
Chapters
0:00 Intro
0:56 Hiroshima and Nagasaki ceremonies
1:58 Has the world learned anything?
4:39 The question of apologies
6:00 The emperor's role
7:22 The sex slave issue
9:32 Yasukuni Shrine
10:37 The firebombing of Tokyo
11:37 Peace prize winners speak out
12:50 Outro
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