Prime Minister Shinzo Abe asked an advisory panel on Wednesday to discuss five topics in preparation for a planned statement to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, including what Japan has learned from its experiences in the previous century and what contributions Japan should make to Asia and the world.
The panel, consisting of 16 members drawn from academia and the business world, held its first meeting on the same day. Taizo Nishimuro, former Toshiba Corp. president and current president and CEO of Japan Post Holdings Co., was chosen as chairman and Shinichi Kitaoka, president of International University of Japan, was named deputy chief.
During the meeting, Abe presented to the members the five topics to discuss by summer. The other three topics are: how Japan's path after the end of the war should be viewed; how Japan has reconciled with the United States, European countries and Australia, as well as Asian countries including China and South Korea; and what specific measures Japan should take this year to mark the 70th anniversary of the war's end.