Emperor Akihito Defends Father During Ascension Anniversary

As Emperor Akihito marked his 20 years on the Chrysanthemum Throne, he voiced his concern that Japan’s younger generations were forgetting its wartime past.

REUTERS/Kiyoshi Ota/Pool

In a press conference before the Emperor began his ascension celebrations, he said it is important for the Japanese to learn from its mistakes before and during World War II. Akihito also insisted his father, Emperor Hirohito, knew the meaning of peace.

“He had taken to heart the importance of maintaining peace,” Akihito said. “It is my perception that the events that led to war must have been contrary to what he would have wished.”

“The reign of my father began at a very difficult time,” he said, pointing out that Japan invaded Manchuria in northeastern China six years after Hirohito became Emperor . “There are many lessons that we can learn from the 60-some years of his reign.”

Many East Asian countries are still bitter over Japan’s atrocities in World War II. What keeps the bitterness is that it is believed Japan has not written about those actions in its history books.

What Emperor Akihito and his wife, Empress Michiko, have done during the past two decades was tour the countries, such as China, where their nation once committed horrendous acts of violence. However, they have yet to visit South Korea since memories of the atrocities are still strong.