Abe's stance on past to decide Japan's future

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is expected to include two key words, "apology" and "aggression", in a speech he will deliver on Aug 14 to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, Japan's public broadcaster NHK said on Monday.

The initial draft, expressing Japan's deep remorse over the war, and highlighting how it became a pacifist country in the postwar era and its future contribution to the international community, reportedly did not include the word "apology".

Indeed, a genuine apology should come from the bottom of one's heart, which is unlikely in Abe's case even if he apologizes to the countries that suffered under Japanese invasion and occupation before and during WWII, including China and the then undivided Korea. But still, the Japanese leader deserves some credit if he finally agrees to do the right thing.