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JAKARTA: Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi issued Japan's clearest and most public apology in a decade for the suffering it caused Asian nations during World War II, raising hopes that tensions with China could be defused.
"In the past, Japan, through its colonial rule and aggression, caused tremendous damage and suffering to the people of many countries, particularly to those of Asian nations," Koizumi told the Asia-Africa summit with Chinese President Hu Jintao looking on.
"Japan squarely faces these facts of history in a spirit of humility. And with feelings of deep remorse and heartfelt apology always engraved in mind, Japan has resolutely maintained, consistently since the end of World War II, never turning into a military power but an economic power," he said.
Japan has apologised on several occasions in the past for its wartime conduct. In a trip to Beijing in 2001, Koizumi offered Japan's heartfelt apology for the suffering it had caused the Chinese people in the past.
However, this apology comes amid violent protests in China sparked by Tokyo's approval of a nationalist textbook that downplays Japan's atrocities during World War II.
China has refused Tokyo's demands for an apology for the demonstrations, instead saying that Japan's refusal to admit its dark past has placed Sino-Japanese relations at their lowest ebb for 30 years.
Although Koizumi made no reference to China in his speech, it will be seen as the latest in a series of moves by the Japanese government to patch up relations with Beijing.
In his address to the forum, Hu pledged his country's commitment to peace, but gave no mention of Japan.
The two leaders ignored each other earlier during the summit, which marks the 50th anniversary of the first Asia-Africa conference, but officials have said there was a possibility they would meet some time over the weekend.
Beijing has also shown signs of wanting to reduce friction. State media reported Thursday that China's Public Security Ministry had warned that any unapproved demonstrations would be considered illegal.
Former diplomats have been sent to universities around the country to halt further anti-Japanese protests and it has shut down several anti-Japanese websites to prevent people from organizing rallies through the Internet.
Koizumi has enraged China with his annual visits to Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine, which venerates 2.5 million war dead, including 14 Class-A war criminals who were responsible for the war of aggression.
Japanese lawmakers made a pilgrimage to the shrine Friday, risking new friction with China, even though the customary spring visit was low-key with no members of the cabinet attending.
Since taking office in April 2001, the prime minister has never missed the annual pilgrimage to the shrine, which draws some five million visitors a year.
Last week Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said in India that Japan must face up to its World War II history and win the trust of the people of Asia if it wants to win a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.
Japan's post-war constitution, written by the United States, not only renounces war but forbids Tokyo from maintaining a military or even threatening the use of force.
Japan, which joined the United Nations in 1956 and is the second biggest donor for the global body after the United States, has launched a joint bid with Brazil, Germany and India to win permanent seats with veto power.
China supports Brazil, Germany and India over the posts, but argues Japan should not be eligible until it further atones for its World War II atrocities.
Koizumi is scheduled to meet UN Secretary General Kofi Annan later in the day to discuss Japan's bid for the permanent seat as well as wide-ranging UN reform.
Although the recent protests in China were triggered by Japan's approval of a new history textbook, demonstrators also focused their anger on Tokyo's bid for a Security Council seat.
The summit, gathering almost 50 Asian and African leaders, marks the golden jubilee of the first meeting held in the Indonesian city of Bandung in 1955, which gave birth to the Non-Aligned Movement.
- AFP /ct
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