Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is considering a visit to Pearl Harbor in spring as part of activities to mark the 70th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II. It would be the first visit to Pearl

Absolutely!

I think it is a very good idea if the truth is told in history classes. I doubt that will happen though.

Well, if he goes, the Japanese government will be in a good position to request a visit by a sitting U.S. president to Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which they have been seeking for years.

Yes, of course it is a good idea.

Yes!

As long as the true story of the aggression is told, i.e. the Japanese attack on the US and subsequent declaration of war, and not rewritten to be a focus on the poor victims of Hiroshima, Nagasaki and the Tokyo fire-bombing, as so often happens in events in Japan with a focus on WW2.

If they make him wait in the 5 hour long line, sure. Great idea.

Yes, but only if he does not try to "put it in perspective" or mention anything about Japanese suffering or how peace loving Japan has been since 1945. That would be a disaster. Just lay a wreath, bow, and move on. This ceremony is not about Japan, and he needs to be humble enough to understand that.

He should go simply for the opportunity to ask, "So what's all this about, then? Something happen here?"

With Jerseyboy on this - simply & honorably.

If it does eventuate and he uses it as another gallivanting photo-op to esp score domestic browny points(sorry brownies), then the media should out him.

For Abe to go, no! He will probably bring up re-writing textbooks to make Japan look better. I can just imagine how this will play out in the Japanese media.

Do it !!

He should go but he shouldn't make any speeches. No point risking foot in mouth disease.

Visiting the Koreans or Chinese would probably be a more useful gesture.

I believe the battlefields of wars gone by hold many trapped spirits of those who died and are unable to leave the physical plane because they are still caught up in the final moments of their traumatic deaths. It would be liberating for them and for their surviving relations if Remembrance ceremonies were held that were attended by the relations of those on all sides of the former conflict. At such ceremonies the spirits of the dead could be made to understand that the war is over and the world is at peace. Our prayers can then help them connect with their soulmates who have been trying to reach them from the other side to take them to the Light. If Prime Minister Abe and President Obama participate together in such healing ceremonies at WW2 death sites, that would initiate a transformative change for peace and reconciliation the world over, in both the physical and spiritual planes of existence. Let it be so!

What is the Prime Minister's purpose on the 70th anniversary of Japan's surrender?

Japan engaged in an attack without provocation but intent on destroying American capacity in the Pacific theater. In accord with the Tripartite Pact, with Germany and Italy, Japan's motives weren't to please the racist Hitler, but consolidate advances in Asia without American interference.

Since the history is well understood and Japan's motives would aid in defeating British and Dutch interests in the Pacific, there is little America needs from this visit. If some atonement is needed let it be said from Tokyo. At this point no purpose is suggested for the visit so it is without value and no one is asking for it.

"He should go but he shouldn't make any speeches. No point risking foot in mouth disease."

I doubt he would make a speech, but even if he doesn't answer any questions he has to release some kind of statement. That could be interesting because every word will be analyzed by both Japan and the US.

An elderly Japanese friend visited the Arizona memorial and as he looked into the water a large globule of oil came to the surface. He said he felt guilty, as if it was saying something to him.

Yes, as long as he tells them when he is coming and doesn't arrive by airplane........

Reckless, I think you mean tactical succes but strategic failure (as it brough the US into the war).

Sure, it is no problem. Just don't expect a return visit to Hiroshima or Nagasaki: Japan doesn't need more pretending to be the victim.

@Brainiac

This isn't a rebuttle or anything, just mentioning something interesting.

There are reports (I cant verify them other than to say it was given by the head of a Japanese think-tank) that Obama suggested visiting Hiroshima during his visit back when the DPJ were in power, and that the Gaimusho declined/rejected that proposal.

If this report is true, I don't know why, but it would imply that the Japanese government in fact doesn't want that. Or maybe it was just the Gaimusho under DPJ leadership? What do you think might be at play if we were to assume this report was true?

Iam sure that Germany has/does not teach german children about the war in history lessons, do they teach Japanese children in school all about the war2? if not, and mr Shinso Abe visits the Arizona and its on the TV this will bring it to the attention of all of the people that are blind to WW2.

Depends what he does when he gets there. When I visited the Arizona Memorial, a couple of Japanese ojisans were laughing.

Judging by Abe's historical inclinations he could easily express regret for a "sea and air incident". Or just as likely, he thinks that if he visits Pearl Harbour the US will ignore his next visit to Yasukuni

This has all the ingredients to politically backfire, Abe sans quips are legendary, his visit to Yasukuni was 'quipped' as an anti-war gesture. You can feel some incorrigible right winger is going dribble the totally inappropriate.

Part of me wants him to go & watch him blow it, but the potential damage the guy could do says to me he should stay away!

If he goes he will likely say something stupid and offensive.

Picking and choosing are we? So on one hand the Japanese government is trying to apply the camel clutch to American publishers regarding the "lie" (please note the "") that is the comfort women issue, while on the other hand Abe is thinking about popping over to Hawaii and delivering the usual platitudes about "world peace", "the former imperial Japanese" .... Call me a cynic?

By and large I reckon the US has got over the "day of infamy" when Japan "sneakily" attacked America on a weekend. Then again, Japan still hasn't got over the payback which involved the annihilation of its cities by both atomic and conventional weapons.

Rather than pandering to the United States (or preaching to the converted). Tokyo should be trying to mend fences in Asia. As long as it tries to bury the past, the Chinese and Koreans (among others) will keep on digging it up (despite their own rather dodgy histories).

I would say no as it will be a no win scenario regardless. We should all learn from the past by living in the present to advance knowledge learn into the future. There is this saying that we all are entitled to our own opinions but not our own truths. I say this with every war, there are no winners. Yes some countries may claim victory but the poeople on both sides are the victims. there were no innocent country during WW2 and yes some were more evil than others.

Good to go but he should go to Nanjing as well. ( An the U.S. president should visit Hiroshima/Nagasaki.) Abe should also go to Okinawa and apologize for the way the island was sacrificed during the war, and continues to be used as a U.S. pawn today. Actually, the list of places--where the IJA caused great harm and suffering--that he should visit and bow his head is quite long. It would keep him so busy there would be no time to promote his "smoke and mirrors" Abenomics.

Yes ! Only wonder why it took them (Japanese PMs) this long ?

Judging by Abe's historical inclinations he could easily express regret for a "sea and air incident". Or just as likely, he thinks that if he visits Pearl Harbour the US will ignore his next visit to Yasukuni

It seems everyone here is missing the more likely reason that Abe is considering going to Pearl Harbor to commemorate the SURRENDER of Japan (not the start of hostilities)... Since 1999, the ship the surrender was signed on (the U.S.S. Missouri) is now a floating museum permanently tied-up on "Battleship Row" and facing the Arizona Memorial. In one small section of Pearl Harbor, you have naval symbols of Japan's entry AND its exit from WWII.

https://ussmissouri.org/