DATE=8/15/95

INTRO: JAPAN, THE NATION WHOSE SURRENDER 50 YEARS AGO (TUESDAY) ENDED WORLD WAR TWO, MARKED THE ANNIVERSARY WITH A SOLEMN CEREMONY AND AN APOLOGY FROM ITS PRIME MINISTER. V-O-A TOKYO CORRESPONDENT JERRY MCKINNEY REPORTS JAPAN'S EMPEROR USED THE OCCASION TO PRAY FOR WORLD PEACE.

TEXT: EVERY YEAR, THE ANNIVERSARY OF JAPAN'S SURRENDER IS MARKED BY MOURNING CEREMONIES AT TOKYO'S NIPPON BUDOKAN, A PUBLIC HALL NEAR THE IMPERIAL PALACE. THE CEREMONIES ARE ATTENDED BY THE EMPEROR AND EMPRESS, PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND RELATIVES OF THOSE INJURED OR KILLED DURING THE WAR.

THIS YEAR EIGHT-THOUSAND PEOPLE ATTENDED. THAT WAS A RECORD FOR THE CEREMONIES BUT FAR FEWER THAN THOSE WHO WERE AT CEREMONIES IN HIROSHIMA AND NAGASAKI MARKING THE ATOM BOMBING OF THOSE CITIES.

JAPANESE EMPEROR AKIHITO MADE A BRIEF STATEMENT OF MOURNING FOR THE WAR DEAD AND SAID HE PRAYS THAT THE RAVAGES OF WAR WILL NEVER BE REPEATED. HE ALSO OFFERED HIS CONDOLENCES TO ALL VICTIMS OF THE WAR.

PRIME MINISTER TOMIICHI MURAYAMA TOLD THOSE ATTENDING THAT THE WAR, AS HE PUT IT, "CAUSED TREMENDOUS PAIN AND SORROW TO PEOPLE IN MANY COUNTRIES". HE WENT ON TO OFFER WHAT HE CALLED HIS "HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES" TO THOSE PEOPLE.

HE ALSO SPOKE OF THE MORE THAN THREE MILLION JAPANESE WHO DIED INTHE WAR AND OFFERED CONDOLENCES TO THEIR SURVIVORS.

EARLIER, MR. MURAYAMA HAS ISSUED AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT CONTAINING A CLEAR APOLOGY FOR JAPAN'S ACTIONS BEFORE AND DURING THE WAR.

HE SAID JAPAN HAD FOLLOWED A MISTAKEN NATIONAL POLICY OF COLONIAL RULE AND AGGRESSION THAT CAUSED TREMENDOUS DAMAGE AND SUFFERING TO THE PEOPLE OF MANY COUNTRIES, IN PARTICULAR THOSE IN ASIA. HE THEN SAID, IN HIS WORDS, "IN THE HOPE THAT NO SUCH MISTAKE BE MADE IN THE FUTURE, I REGARD, IN A SPIRIT OF HUMANITY, THESE IRREFUTABLE FACTS OF HISTORY, AND EXPRESS HERE ONCE AGAIN MY FEELINGS OF DEEP REMORSE AND STATE MY HEARTFELT APOLOGY."

MR. MURAYAMA ALSO SAID THE NATION MUST CONVEY THE HORRORS OF WAR TO ITS YOUNGER GENERATIONS SO THE MISTAKES OF THE PAST WILL NOT BE REPEATED.

CONTROVERSY OVER HOW JAPAN SHOULD DEAL WITH ITS ROLE IN THE WAR IS A CONTINUING ISSUE. MR. MURAYAMA'S STATEMENT WAS DESIGNED TO BOLSTER A MUCH WEAKER RESOLUTION, APPROVED BY PARLIAMENT IN JUNE, EXPRESSING REMORSE FOR JAPAN'S ACTIONS. SEVERAL RECENT PRIME MINISTERS AND OTHER OFFICIALS HAVE OFFERED SIMILAR EXPRESSIONS OF REGRET BUT MR. MURAYAMA'S IS SEEN AS ONE OF THE STRONGEST SINCE IT WAS APPROVED IN ADVANCE BY THE CABINET.

IN A SEPARATE CEREMONY, AT LEAST NINE MEMBERS OF MR. MURAYAMA'S CABINET VISITED A SHRINE TO THE NATION'S WAR DEAD. VISITS TO THE SHRINE BY SUCH OFFICIALS ARE DISCOURAGED BECAUSE A NUMBER OF JAPANESE OFFICIALS WHO WERE EXECUTED AS WAR CRIMINALS ARE ENSHRINED THERE. 15-Aug-95 3:17 AM EDT (0717 UTC) Source: Voice of America

[CND, 08/15/95] TOKYO -- In a press conference on the 50th anniversary of Japan's surrender in WWII, Prime Minister Murayama delivered a carefully worded apology for the wartime atrocities Japanese caused during its invasion of Asia, Dow Jones News reported. "I ... express here once again my feelings of deep remorse and state my heartfelt apology," said Murayama. "[Allow] me also to express my feelings of profound mourning for all victims, both at home and abroad, of that [wartime] history." Earlier this year, the Japanese Prime Minister failed to push a much stronger statement of apology through the Japanese Parliament due to resistance from right wing politicians, Dow Jones News reports. (WU Fang, Jian LIU)

[CND, 08/15/95] SEOUL -- After the 50th anniversary of the WWII, Japanese prime minister Murayama expressed his "heartfelt apology," following which were mixed reactions around the world, AFP reports. Murayama conceded that Japan stipulated a wrong national policy, took a path of war rendering "tremendous damage and suffering to the people of many countries, particularly to those of Asian nations." China welcomed the apology, but pointed out that the Japanese militarism are still haunting around among some cabinet members and components of the society. The British government praised the apology, noticing Murayama's mentioning British POWs in the Second War, yet British war veterans questioned if the apology came from Murayama himself or from the Japanese government; some, along with the veterans of Holland, are still appealing the Japanese government for war compensations. The U.S. hailed the apology and expected friendly ties with Tokyo. South Korea, the Philippines, and Australia all responded positively towards the apology. (Frank LING, Daluo JIA)

Tuesday marks the 50th anniversary of the end of the Pacific War. Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama is scheduled to release a "Prime Minister's remark" on that day, but it is hardly attracting public's attention.

Besides an annual memorial service for those died during the War on that day, a separate meeting to commemorate the War's end fifty years ago was scheduled, in which Prime Minister was to release the remark. However, that meeting faced a strong opposition by the LDP and was canceled.

In addition, Yoshinobu Shimamura, a newly-appointed Education Minister in the last week's cabinet reshuffling and a right-winger within the LDP, was forced to withdraw his controversial remark on the War. At the press conference to introduce new cabinet members, Shimomura had said that "it can not be called a war of aggression," referring to the War Japan had fought until fifty years ago.

Although his whole body is entrusted to the LDP, somewhere in his soul Murayama remains a socialist. Having regretted that the No War Resolution passed in the parliament failed to accomplish what he aimed for, Murayama wanted to release a sincere remark to compensate for the resolution's inadequacy on August 15. Yet, such a feeling was undermined by the new Education Minister he had appointed.

Shimomura withdrew his remarks in order to avoid further troubles, but it is clear that his true feeling lies elsewhere. Prime Minister's remark has to be adopted by the cabinet, of which he is a member, after scrutinizing its content. Once cabinet approves the content, it will be then released. Once again his remark is very likely to become a product of political compromise and lack substance.

In a separate move form government-sponsored events, several citizens' groups are planning to hold meetings on the same day and declare their pledge of no war. Moreover, part of these groups is putting an advertorial in a major newspaper which demands a complete reckoning with the past War.

Still another group is holding a two-day international meeting in Tokyo to discuss the post-War compensation from August 13, with representatives of war victims, including the comfort women, from Asian countries.

Furthermore, the Asian Women's Fund is starting on Tuesday to call for public donations to compensate for comfort women and other victims, using private money. Opinions are still split among citizens' groups active on the issue of compensation: some are against private compensation as they regard the idea as failing to clarify the government responsibility while others insist that , despite drawbacks in the idea, war victims should be compensated right away as they are becoming deceased one by one so that compensation will not fail to produce its intended result.

On the other hand, the United Kingdom will hold a ceremony to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Victory over Japan in various places, where war veterans will play a leading role, from Saturday through Sunday.

[CND, 08/15/95] BEIJING -- Chinese President JIANG Zemin visited the Lu Gou (Marco Polo) Bridge on the outskirts of Beijing where Japanese troops first attacked Chinese forces on July 7, 1937, Reuter reported. On the fiftieth anniversary of Japan's surrender, JIANG welcomed Japanese Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama's apology for Japan's past aggression. Murayama said he regretted the pain Japan inflicted on the Chinese people and other Asians during World War II. JIANG, however, reiterated that some Japanese cabinet ministers still could not "take a correct attitude toward problems relating to that part of history." Memorials were held in major cities across China on Tuesday. Cinemas showed films like "Rape of Nanjing," a story about the 300,000 innocent Chinese killed by Japanese troops. (Ray ZHANG, Jian LIU)

INTRO: CHINA COMMEMORATED THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE END OF WORLD WAR TWO TUESDAY WITH ACTIVITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY....

CHINESE PRESIDENT AND COMMUNIST PARTY CHIEF JIANG ZEMIN COMMEMORATED THE ANNIVERSARY TUESDAY BY VISITING THE BRIDGE WHERE JAPANESE TROOPS LAUNCHED THEIR BRUTAL INVASION OF CHINA IN 1937.

AT THE MARCO POLO BRIDGE, ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF BEIJING, MR. JIANG SAID THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HOPES JAPAN WILL SINCERELY REVIEW THE PAST, AND AVOID REPEATING THE SAME MISTAKES IN THE FUTURE. THREE OF CHINA'S TOP GENERALS -- LIU HUAQING, ZHENG ZHEN, AND DEFENSE MINISTER CHI HAOTIAN -- ACCOMPANIED MR. JIANG.

OFFICIAL CHINESE NEWSPAPERS WERE FILLED WITH STORIES ABOUT THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE WAR -- WHICH MOST CHINESE CALL THE WAR OF RESISTANCE AGAINST JAPAN. ARTICLES PRAISED FORMER CHAIRMAN MAO ZEDONG AND OTHER WAR HEROES.

JAPANESE TROOPS ARE ESTIMATED TO HAVE KILLED ABOUT 35-MILLION CHINESE DURING THE INVASION AND OCCUPATION THAT LASTED FROM 1937 TO 1945.

MEANWHILE, TONG ZENG, A CHINESE CAMPAIGNER WHO HAS BEEN HELPING WAR VICTIMS SEEK COMPENSATION FROM JAPAN, SAID HE BELIEVES JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER MURAYAMA'S APOLOGY IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT NOT ENOUGH. HE CALLED ON JAPAN TO RELIEVE THE SUFFERING IT CAUSED IN CHINA BY OFFERING CONCRETE COMPENSATION. 15-Aug-95 10:41 AM EDT (1441 UTC) Source: Voice of America

INTRO: AUSTRALIA'S PRIME MINISTER PAUL KEATING HAS DESCRIBED AS COMPREHENSIVE, THE APOLOGY BY JAPAN'S PRIME MINISTER TOMIICHI MURAYAMA FOR ATROCITIES COMMITTED BY JAPAN DURING WORLD WAR TWO. HOWEVER, AUSTRALIAN VETERANS OF THE WAR HAVE CALLED MR. MURAYAMA'S STATEMENT INADEQUATE. WE HEAR MORE IN THIS REPORT FROM ROBIN POKE IN CANBERRA.

TEXT: MR. KEATING SAYS MR. MURAYAMA'S EXPRESSIONS OF REGRET REPRESENT A 'QUITE COMPREHENSIVE' APOLOGY, AND SHOULD SATISFY MOST OF JAPAN'S WAR-TIME OPPONENTS. HE SAID IT WAS A POWERFUL STATEMENT, WHICH RECOGNIZED THAT JAPAN'S WARTIME POLICIES WERE A MISTAKE, AND THAT JAPAN WANTED TO EMBRACE THE PRINCIPLES OF PEACE AND PROSPERITY.

HOWEVER, AUSTRALIA'S FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER GARETH EVANS INTERPRETED THE JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER'S REMARKS AS MORE PERSONAL, AND NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ENTIRE NATION.

SIMILAR SENTIMENTS WERE EXPRESSED BY THE PRESIDENT OF AUSTRALIA'S LEADING EX-SERVICEMEN'S ASSOCIATION, MAJOR GENERAL WILLIAM JAMES. GENERAL JAMES WELCOMED WHAT HE CALLED MR. MURAYAMA'S 'COURAGEOUS' APOLOGY, BUT SAID IT WAS NOT ENOUGH. HE SAID IT WAS FROM JAPAN'S LEADER ALONE, NOT JAPAN'S PARLIAMENT, THE DIET, WHICH HAD NOT FULLY SUPPORTED MR. MURAYAMA'S WISH TO ATONE FOR HIS COUNTRY'S WAR-TIME DEEDS. GENERAL JAMES ALSO SAID JAPAN SHOULD COME TO TERMS WITH ITS PAST, AND ACCURATELY RECORD ITS WAR-TIME RECORD, OTHERWISE FUTURE GENERATIONS OF JAPANESE WOULD NEVER UNDERSTAND CONTINUED INTERNATIONAL MISTRUST. HE SAID THAT IN HONOR OF THOSE WHO DIED AT THE HANDS OF THE JAPANESE, AUSTRALIA SHOULD NOT REST UNTIL ALL OF JAPAN GENUINELY ACCEPTS THE SENTIMENTS EXPRESSED BY MR. MURAYAMA.

THE REMARKS BY GENERAL JAMES WERE ECHOED IN LONDON BY BRITISH WAR VETERANS HELD PRISONER BY JAPAN DURING THE WAR. THEY ACCUSED THE TOKYO GOVERNMENT OF PRESENTING A MAKESHIFT APOLOGY FOR JAPAN'S WAR-TIME ACTIONS, AND SAID THEIR STRUGGLE FOR FINANCIAL COMPENSATION WOULD CONTINUE.

15-Aug-95 8:19 AM EDT (1219 UTC) Voice of America

INTRO: THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAS WELCOMED A STATEMENT FROM JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER TOMIICHI MURAYAMA APOLOGIZING FOR HIS COUNTRY'S CONDUCT DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR. BUT BRITISH VETERANS ASSOCIATIONS ACCUSE MR. MURAYAMA OF FUDGING (CLOUDING) THE ISSUE BY MAKING THE APOLOGY A PERSONAL ONE AND NOT ON BEHALF OF THE JAPANESE NATION. FROM LONDON, V-O-A'S CHRISTINE FURNELL HAS A REPORT.

TEXT: BRITISH VETERANS ASSOCIATIONS ARE ANGERED OVER JAPAN'S APPARENT INDECISION ON WHETHER A LETTER TO PRIME MINISTER JOHN MAJOR, FROM HIS JAPANESE COUNTERPART, INCLUDED AN APOLOGY FOR JAPANESE ATROCITIES DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR.

THE ISSUE WAS FURTHER EXACERBATED TUESDAY BY MR. MURAYAMA'S STATEMENT IN WHICH HE OFFERED AN APOLOGY -- BUT IT WAS A PERSONAL APOLOGY, NOT ONE ON BEHALF OF HIS GOVERNMENT OR THE JAPANESE PEOPLE.

BUT BILL HOLTHAN, CHAIRMAN OF THE JAPANESE LABOR CAMP SURVIVORS ASSOCIATION SAYS AN APOLOGY ALONE WILL NOT, HOWEVER, BRING THE MATTER TO A CLOSE.

"IF IT AN APOLOGY ACCOMPANIED BY REPARATION, THEN THAT WOULD BE AN END TO THE MATTER, IF IT ISN'T, THEN WE WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT BECAUSE WE ARE SUING THE JAPANESE FOR GROSS VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS. YOU DON'T HAVE TO TELL THE UNITED NATIONS ABOUT THE ATROCITIES, THEY KNOW ALL ABOUT IT THE WHOLE WORLD KNOWS ALL ABOUT IT AND IN THAT CASE, WE WILL ENDEAVOR TO TRY AND GET THE UNITED NATIONS TO CITE JAPAN AS BEING GUILTY OF GROSS VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS, THEN PERHAPS THIS WILL BE CONSIDERED THE NEXT TIME THEY APPLY TO GET ON THE SECURITY COUNCIL BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT THEY WANT. AS FAR AS WE SAY, THEY ARE NOT FIT TO GOVERN THIS WORLD, NOT UNTIL THEY WIPE THIS SLATE CLEAN."

LAST MONTH A GROUP OF VETERANS FROM BRITAIN REPRESENTING THE THOUSANDS OF SURVIVORS FROM JAPANESE PRISONER OF WAR CAMPS APPEARED IN A TOKYO COURT TO SEEK REPARATIONS FROM THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT.

MR. HOLTHAN SAYS THE VETERANS ARE ASKING FOR 20-THOUSAND DOLLARS EACH. THIS IS IN LINE WITH WAR REPARATIONS PAID TO JAPANESE CAPTURED BY THE ALLIES.

THE TOKYO GOVERNMENT, HOWEVER, INSISTS THAT ALL WAR COMPENSATION ISSUES WERE SETTLED BY POSTWAR TREATIES. BUT MR. HOLTHAN SAYS IF THE COURT CASE IN JAPAN IS SUCCESSFUL, AND COMPENSATION IS FINALLY PAID, ONLY THEN WILL THE VETERANS BE SATISFIED.

15-Aug-95 10:43 AM EDT (1443 UTC)

Source: Voice of America