In a surprise announcement Monday night, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he would make a historic visit to Pearl Harbor with U.S. President Barack Obama — the first by a sitting Japanese leader to visit the place with the U.S. leader — on Dec. 26 and 27 during a trip for his final summit with him.

The stunning declaration came just two days ahead of the 75th anniversary of the attack that propelled the U.S. into World War II.

Abe said he was making the visit to Hawaii "to pay tribute" to military personnel from both sides of the Pacific who died in the war.