In a move to maintain consistency in Japan's official interpretation of wartime history rather than sticking to his personal views, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe retained all key phrases used in a 1995 landmark apology in a statement he issued Friday to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.

Some analysts speculate Abe may have opted to avert controversy over the choice of specific words, a development that could hamper his efforts to highlight Japan's postwar path as a peace-loving nation and his pledge to proactively contribute to global peace and prosperity — the main message Abe wants to convey in his "future-oriented" statement.

Others argue a sharp fall in public support rates for the Abe Cabinet, due to unpopular national security bills currently undergoing deliberations by the Diet, may have prompted Abe to be cautious about employing an aggressive diplomatic stance that could spark a backlash at home and abroad, especially in China and South Korea.