Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba did not release an official message commemorating the end of World War II on Tuesday, the day on which Japan signed the Instrument of Surrender, officially ending the war 80 years ago.
The prime minister had already opted not to release a message on Aug. 15, the 80th anniversary of Japan's surrender in the war.
Ishiba is still believed to be eager to express his view on the matter and will continue to seek the best timing while monitoring developments within his ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). Ishiba remains on unstable footing, with some LDP members calling for his resignation following a major setback in the July 20 election for the House of Councilors.
"Nothing has been decided at this point regarding a message for the 80th anniversary of the end of the war," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told a news conference Tuesday. "We will make an appropriate decision based on the statements (made by past prime ministers)."
Because Wednesday marks the anniversary of China's victory over Japan in the war, Ishiba was cautious from the outset about releasing a message on Tuesday out of concern that it might send the wrong signal, according to a source close to the prime minister.
The prime minister has said it is important to keep the memory of the war alive and to ensure that such a war is never repeated. He remains committed to sharing his views on history.
Still, some conservative LDP members oppose Ishiba's plan to release his view on the end of the war, given that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stated in a 2015 message marking the 70th anniversary of the war's end that Japan must not let future generations be predestined to apologize.
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