Two years ago, Japan marked the anniversary of the end of World War II under politically noisy circumstances as Mr. Junichiro Koizumi, in his official capacity as prime minister, visited Yasukuni Shrine, Japan's war shrine. Last year, then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe refrained from visiting the shrine. But while he was in power, some politicians, in response to North Korea's nuclear ambitions, called for discussions of the merits of Japan "going nuclear" and developing the capability to strike a foreign missile base if there is an imminent threat of an attack on Japan.
Mr. Abe did not caution these politicians in a firm way, even though they made light of Japan's long-standing, Constitution-based "defense only" policy and showed a lack of knowledge and imagination of what war is like.
This year, under the administration of Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, Japan marks the 63rd anniversary of the war's end under rather quiet circumstances. Many people pray for the souls of their relatives and friends who died in the war. But the anniversary day also should serve as the day for all Japanese to renew their understanding of what Japan's militarism did.