Japan’s Abe expresses ‘remorse’ over WWII, stops short of apology

JAKARTA – Agence France-Presse

REUTERS Photo

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressed “deep remorse” on April 22 for Japan’s World War II aggression at a summit attended by Asian leaders, but stopped short of repeating previous apologies in a move that drew anger from South Korea.

However there were signs of a thaw with China, with Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping shaking hands as the summit in Indonesia got under way and a Tokyo official saying that the ground was being laid for the pair to meet on the sidelines.

A new meeting would be a significant step towards easing long-running tensions over Tokyo’s wartime past and current territorial disputes.  

The leaders have only met once before, at a summit in November last year in China where they shared an awkward handshake, but have never had a formal sit-down.