Into an abyss of disgrace

Despite Abe's abject denials of the historical truth and evidence, Japan is still liable for its wartime crimes against humanity

Among world leaders, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is unparalleled in making headlines for the wrong reasons.

Since he became Japan's leader for the second time, Abe has more than once come under fire because of his controversial comments, one of which was his remark that the definition of "aggression" has yet to be established in the international community or academia. His publicity stunts, from wearing a camouflage jacket and helmet waving from a tank to posing inside a training jet emblazoned with the number "731", a reminder of the imperial Japanese army's notorious Unit 731 that conducted horrific human experiments during World War II, have also been widely condemned.