The Historical Role and Future Implications of the Murayama Statement: A View from Japan

Abstract

The Murayama Statement of 1995 was the pinnacle of Japan’s apology for its wrongdoing before and during World War II. The position it put forward has been inherited by all subsequent Japanese cabinets. This chapter analyzes the holistic and unconditional character of the Murayama Statement, in which Japan as a nation was held responsible for its past colonial rule and aggression. It then clarifies this position by comparing the statement with West German president Richard von Weizsäcker’s 1985 speech on the occasion of the fortieth anniversary of the end of World War II. It subsequently deepens the analysis by looking at the work of Karl Jaspers and Daisetsu Suzuki in relation to the statements by von Weizsäcker and Tomiichi Murayama, respectively. Finally, the severe criticism of the statement by elite diplomat Ryohei Murata and others on the right, as well as by left liberals, is explained. The chapter concludes with concrete policy suggestions for strengthening Japan’s position on reconciliation with Asian and other countries.