Japan's surrender day: can a country that forgets its aggression avoid repeating it?

单集文稿 ...

• 00:00

  In daily news and analysis, we keep you informed and inspired.

• 00:05

  This is World Today.

• 00:09

  81 years after Japan's surrender, has Japan truly learned from its past or its history repeating itself?

• 00:17

  Welcome to Road Today, the panel discussion with Miku Anna in Beijing.

• 00:23

  On August 15, 1945, Japan announced its unconditional surrender.

• 00:30

  For the countries and peoples across Asia who suffered under Japanese militarist aggression,

• 00:35

  August 15 has never been an ordinary date.

• 00:39

  It represents the triumph of justice over aggression.

• 00:43

  It also marked the end of a war that brought immense suffering and profound devastation to Asia.

• 00:50

  But 81 years on, we have to ask, has Japan truly confronted its wartime past?

• 00:56

  For fiscal year 2027, Japan's Ministry of Defense is seeking a record

• 01:01

  high defense budget of 8.9 trillion yen, around 59 billion U.S.

• 01:07

  Dollars, marking the 15th consecutive year of growth.

• 01:11

  At a ceremony marking the 81st anniversary of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi

• 01:19

  made ambiguous remarks about Japan's commitment to the three non-nuclear principles, further fueling concerns.

• 01:26

  At the same time, Japan's newly established National Intelligence Bureau is being viewed

• 01:32

  as a key step toward an emerging form of new militarism.

• 01:36

  And Takaichi is pushing to revise Japan's constitution, challenging Article 9,

• 01:42

  the very provision in Japan's peace constitution that commits the country to permanently renouncing war.

• 01:49

  So 81 years after the end of the war, where exactly is Japan heading?

• 全部文稿