Japan should apologize to victims for aggression

Japan's former prime minister Yukio Hatoyama bows in front of a memorial stone during his visit to the Seodaemun Prison History Hall in Seoul, South Korea, Aug 12, 2015. The Seodaemun Prison History Hall was a prison where Japan had imprisoned Korean fighters during Japan's colonial rule of Korea from 1910-1945. [Photo/IC]

HARBIN - Japan's former prime minister Yukio Hatoyama said he expected current Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to face up to history, admit Japan's aggression and apologize to the victims during his statement marking the 70th anniversary of the end of the World War II.

Hatoyama made the remarks during an interview broadcast at a forum held in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province on Sunday, about a week ahead of the 70th war end anniversary.

War anniversary statements have always been closely monitored. But with the major anniversary and Abe's revisionist mentality, this year's is being watched even closer.

The video of Hatoyama was recorded on July 9 in the Hatoyama Hall in Tokyo, and was first publicized in Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang on Sunday.

In the video, the former prime minister said "I sincerely feel that wars are wrong, therefore I do not want them to reappear, and we should also frankly apologize to all war victims."