This page includes statements made by both previous and current Japanese prime ministers and the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Japanese Prime Ministers
Yukio Hatoyama
- Address by H.E. Dr. Yukio Hatoyama, Prime Minister of Japan at the Sixty-Fourth Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations (24 September 2009)
- Address by H.E. Dr. Yukio Hatoyama, Prime Minister of Japan’s New Commitment to Asia – Towards the Realization of an East Asian Community (15 November 2009)
Naoto Kan
- Address by Prime Minister Naoto Kan at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony (6 August 2010)
- Address by Prime Minister Naoto Kan at the Nagasaki Peace Ceremony (9 August 2010)
- Statement by Prime Minister Naoto Kan (10 August 2010)
- Policy Speech by Prime Minister Naoto Kan at the 176th Extraordinary Session of the Diet (1 October 2010)
- Policy Speech by Prime Minister Naoto Kan at the 177th Session of the Diet (24 January 2011)
- Lecture Presentation on Foreign Policy by Prime Minister Naoto Kan -“Japanese Diplomacy at a Historic Watershed” (20 January 2011)
- Address by Prime Minister Naoto Kan at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony (6 August 2011)
- Address by Prime Minister Naoto Kan at the Nagasaki Peace Ceremony (9 August 2011)
Yoshihiko Noda
- Policy Speech by Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda to the 178th Session of the Diet (13 September 2011)
Shinzo Abe
- Statement by Prime Minister Abe – “Pledge for Everlasting Peace” (26 December 2013)
- Statement by Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan – “Japan is Back ” at Center for Strategic International Studies (22 February 2013)
- Remarks by Prime Minister Abe during the Upper House Budget Session (14 May 2014)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
2010 February – Joint Press Conference Following the Japan-Republic of Korea Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
2010 March – Release of the 2nd Term Report by the Japan-ROK Joint History Research Committee
2010 August – Japan Apologizes to South Korea on Colonization
2012 August – Press Conference by Minister for Foreign Affairs Koichiro
2012 August – Japan-ROK Foreign Ministers’ Telephone Talks
2012 September – Statements made by H.E. Mr. Kazuo Kodama, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Deputy Permanent Representative of Japan to the UN in exercise of the right of reply, following the statement made by H.E. Mr. Yang Jiechi, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China at the General Debate of the 67th Session of the UN General Assembly
2012 September – Japan-ROK Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
2014 April – Joint Press Conference with President Obama and Prime Minister Abe of Japan
Chronology of previous statements:
2007
“Second Phase of the Japan-ROK Joint History Research Committee” First Meeting of Chairpersons (04.27.07)
Press Conference on Wen Jiabao’s Visit to Japan (04.10.07)
Press Conference (Questions concerning the comfort women issue) (03.09.07)
2006
Japan-China Comprehensive Policy Dialogue (02.06.06)
2005
Address by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi at the 60th Memorial Ceremony for the War Dead (08.15.05)
Statement by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on 60th Anniversary of the End of the War (08.15.05)
Resolution of Japan’s pledge to contribute further to the building of International peace on the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations, the end of World War II, and the atomic bombing (08.04.05)
Statement by Ambassador Kenzo Oshima, Permanent Representative of Japan, at the Special Meeting of the General Assembly on Commemoration of the Sixtieth Anniversary of the End of the Second World War (05.09.05)
Speech by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, Prime Minister of Japan, at the Africa-Asian Summit 2005 (04.22.05)
Japan-ROK Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (Summary) (04.07.05)
2004
Address by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi at the 59th Memorial Ceremony for the War Dead (08.15.04)
Recent Policy of the Government of Japan on the Issue Known as “Wartime Comfort Women” (May 2004)
Japan’s Position Regarding the Issue of Takeshima Island (March 2004)
Prime Minister Attends 2004 National Rally to Demand the Return of the Northern Territories (02.07.04)
2003
Address by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi at the 58th Memorial Ceremony for the War Dead (08.15.03)
Recent Policy of the Government of Japan on the Issues Known as “Wartime Comfort Women (01.03)
2002
Statement by President Tomiichi Murayama regarding the Asian Women’s Fund atonement projects (10.02)
Address by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi at the 57th Memorial Ceremony for the War Dead (08.15.02)
Observation by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on the Visit to Yasukuni Shrine (04.21.02)
2001
Letter from Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to the former comfort women (2001)
Recent Policy of the Government of Japan on the Issue Known as “Wartime Comfort Women” (11.01)
Ceremony to Commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Signing of the San Francisco Peace Treaty (09.08.01)
Address by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi (at the 56th Memorial Ceremony for the War Dead) (08.15.01)
Statement of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on the Visit to Yasukuni Shrine (08.13.01)
On the Completion of the Atonement Project of the Asian Women’s Fund (AWF) in the Netherlands (07.13.01)
2000
Press Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Hidenao Nakagawa on the Asian Women’s Fund (09.01.00)
“Letter written in response to the article ‘Miffed Chinese Sue Japan Companies’ in New York Times on 7 August 2000” (08.30.00)
Statement by Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori regarding Shinto (05.26.00)
“Statement by Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto on World War II prisoners of war” (01.13.98)
1997
War apology by Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto during his speech, “Seeking a New Foreign Policy Toward China” (08.28.97)
1996
War apology by Emperor Heisei during his speech at dinner with President Kim Dae Jung of the Republic of Korea (in Japanese) (10.08.96)
1995
Statement by Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama “On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the war’s end” (08.15.95)
An Appeal for Donations for the Asian Women’s Fund (07.18.95)
Statement by the Chief Cabinet Secretary regarding “Asian Peace and Friendship Foundation for Women” (06.14.95)
1994
Statement by Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama on the “Peace, Friendship, and Exchange Initiative” (08.31.94)
Outline of the” Peace, Friendship, and Exchange Initiative”
1993
War Apology by Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa (08.23.93)
1992
“Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Koichi Kato on the Issue of the so-called “Wartime Comfort Women” from the Korean Peninsula” (07.06.92)
1990
War apology by Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu during the summit meeting with President Roh Tae Woo (in Japanese) (05.25.90)
1986
1984
War apology by Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone (09.07.84):
“There was a period in this century when Japan brought to bear great sufferings upon your country and its people. I would like to state here that the government and people of Japan feel a deep regret for this error.” (Source: The Economist, September 15, 1984)
1982
Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Kiichi Miyazawa on History Textbooks (08.26.82)
War apology by Prime Minister Zenko Suzuki during the Press Conference on Textbook issue (08.24.82)
“I am painfully aware for Japan’s responsibility for inflicting serious damages [on Asian nations] during the past war.” “We need to be aware that there are criticisms that condemn [Japan’s occupation] as invasion.” (Source: Press Conference on Textbook Issue, qtd. in Tahara, Soichiro ( 田原総一郎). Nihon no senso (日本の戦争). Shogakkan, 2000: Tokyo, Japan. p. 161.)
1972