Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Friday he will deliver a statement on the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II this summer that will show the future direction of Japan.
Speaking to Japanese reporters in Los Angeles, the fourth and last destination on his weeklong tour of the United States, Abe reiterated that his statement will be based on the positions taken by his predecessors, which he has not elaborated on.
"I will compile one using a great amount of our wisdom that can show the rest of the world what kind of a country Japan will aim to be toward the 80th, 90th and 100th anniversaries," Abe said. "I will stick to the position adopted by successive Cabinets on perceptions of (wartime) history in its entirety. I'll compile a statement based on it."