Tokyo: Japan's emperor Akihito, marking the 20th anniversary of his coronation on Thursday, says he is concerned young people are forgetting their history.
Akihito said Japan must not forget its past and especially the turbulent years his father, the late emperor Hirohito, was on the throne if it is to learn from its mistakes.
"What worries me most is that the history of the past will gradually be forgotten," the 75-year-old monarch said at a brief news conference before today's anniversary. He said it was regrettable Hirohito will be remembered by history for World War II and Japan's military advances into Asia prior to its defeat in 1945.
"The reign of my father began at a very difficult time," he said, noting that Japan invaded Manchuria six years after Hirohito ascended the Chrysanthemum Throne. "There are many lessons that we can learn from the 60-some years of his reign."
"He viscerally knew the importance of peace," Akihito said.
Japan has often been criticised by its neighbours, who bore the brunt of Japanese colonialism for whitewashing the country's role in World War II in its school textbooks.
Although Akihito has visited China, he has yet to travel to South Korea, largely because of lingering animosities over the war.
Bureau Report
First Published: Thursday, November 12, 2009, 09:40