Numerous organizations representing a range of perspectives from nationalist to pacifist held events Thursday in Tokyo to mark the 57th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II.
As many as 3,000 people took part in a gathering held at Yasukuni Shrine to pay tribute to the nation's war dead.
Speeches by organizers focused on a proposal by a government panel to create a new war memorial in a bid to put an end to the political and diplomatic controversy surrounding visits to Yasukuni by government leaders.