Japan marks the 80th anniversary of its capitulation in World War II

• Japan honors the memory of those who died during World War II.
• There is a growing concern regarding the transmission of the history of the war to the new generation.
• China continues to raise the issue of Japanese aggression in Asia.

Tokyo — On August 15, 2025, Japan will commemorate the 80th anniversary of its capitulation, which marked the end of World War II. At a national ceremony at the Budokan Hall in Tokyo, nearly 4,500 officials and relatives of the deceased will pay tribute to the fallen with a moment of silence at 12:00, the time when in 1945 the announcement of the then Emperor Hirohito was broadcast.

The Hirohito proclamation, recorded in advance, became a symbolic moment for a country that experienced the horrors of war, including the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. However, the question of Japan's accountability for the war remains contentious, and society continues to grapple with the issue of forgetting the lessons of the past.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida did not deliver a religious message at Yasukuni, which is often criticized by neighboring countries, but his colleagues, including the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Tetsuro Nomura, paid their respects at the shrine. Yasukuni honors the fallen soldiers, including those convicted of war crimes.

Recently, in Japan, there has been a growing concern about how to convey the history of the war to the new generation. With a decreasing number of witnesses to wartime events, there is a need for open discussion about Japan's past, including its aggression in Asia. However, since 2013, Japanese premiers have ceased to refer to the victims of the aggression.

Meanwhile, in China, efforts continue to remind about the atrocities of the Japanese occupation, including new films that highlight events, such as the Nanjing Massacre. These films contribute to the collective memory of the war and its consequences, emphasizing the importance of recognizing historical injustices.

Tags: Politics