Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Friday expressed "deep remorse" and "heartfelt apology" for Japan's wartime wrongdoings.
The gesture, while repeating the gist of what Japan said a decade ago, was apparently aimed at mending ties with Japan's Asian neighbors.
Separately, Koizumi told reporters Friday that he is arranging to meet Chinese President Hu Jintao on Saturday in Jakarta -- a closely watched summit that could help mend strained bilateral ties.
In a speech delivered during a meeting of Asian and African leaders in the Indonesian capital, Koizumi also made a pitch for U.N. Security Council reform and underscored Tokyo's qualifications as a potential permanent member of the U.N. decision-making body.