Abe's words uttered with deep ambiguity

After flying his kite for months, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe issued a statement about Japanese aggression in World War II with phrases that had rarely appeared in his narratives of his country's war history.

Among some 4,000 words, he included "deep repentance", "heartfelt apology", "colonial rule" and "aggression" in his statement, which is three times longer than the one issued by his predecessor Tomiichi Murayama.

Obviously he wants to use his statement as an attempt to have the controversies of Japan's war history closed.

Abe, who said Japan remembers the suffering brought to its Asian neighbors, expressed deep remorse and an apology he said was heartfelt.

I hope he will stick to his words.

It is not difficult to find the difference between the statements of Abe and Murayama.

On Aug 15, 1995, Murayama said: "Japan, through its colonial rule and aggression, caused tremendous damage and suffering to the people of many countries, particularly those of Asia. In the hope that no such mistake will be made in the future, I regard ... these irrefutable facts of history, and express here once again my feelings of deep remorse and state my heartfelt apology."

Abe refused to speak in the first-person when referring to "remorse" and "apology".

Following Abe's remarks, Murayama said he didn't understand what it was that his junior was apologizing for.

With Friday's statement, Abe wants to settle his country's history issue once and for all. But things are not that easy.

His Liberal Democratic Party will make his words ambiguous. The LDP's policy chief, Tomomi Inada, is set to initiate reviews within the party to the Tokyo Trials and the occupation policies of the Allied powers following the delivery of Abe's statement.

At a news conference on July 30, Inada, Abe's political ally, said doubts have been raised about the retroactive application of punitive clauses that were not in effect at the time of the crimes.

Inada and lawmakers close to her have decided to carry out the review because they have long had doubts about the appropriateness of the way war crimes were proved at the Tokyo Trials. Such doubts have been raised repeatedly within the LDP in the past, but no action has been taken out of concern for Japan-US relations, among other worries.

Inada and those of like mind have even raised worries among some LDP members, who said the review could invite accusations of historical revisionism.

If Abe wants to set down the historical baggage, actions speak louder than words.

Contact the writer at caihong@chinadaily.com.cn