Former Japanese Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama, widely remembered for his historic 1995 apology acknowledging Japan’s wartime aggression, passed away on Friday at the age of 101.
According to Mizuho Fukushima, the head of Japan’s Social Democratic Party, Murayama breathed his last at a hospital in his hometown of Oita, located in southwestern Japan. Murayama, who led the then Japan Socialist Party, headed a coalition government between June 1994 and January 1996.
His defining moment as prime minister came on 15 August, 1995- the 50th anniversary of Japan’s surrender that ended World War II- when he delivered what became known as the “Murayama Statement.”
The speech expressed Japan’s deep remorse and heartfelt apology to Asian nations for the suffering and damage caused by its colonial rule and wartime acts.
The statement remains a cornerstone of Japan’s postwar diplomacy and has been upheld by successive administrations- until 2013, when nationalist leader Shinzo Abe distanced himself from repeating formal apologies.
Murayama had criticized growing attempts by nationalist lawmakers to discredit the apology for forced prostitution by citing the lack of official wartime documents specifically stating that the government at the time systematically forced Asian women to provide sex for Japanese soldiers at military brothels.
