Some reflection, but more needed

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Saturday, the day marking the 70th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II, sent a ritual offering to the notorious Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, which honors Japan's war dead, including 14 Class-A convicted criminals of WWII. This was just a day after his long-awaited statement to mark the anniversary.

True, Abe did include "deep repentance", "heartfelt apology", "colonial rule", and "aggression" in his 4,000-word statement - much longer than those on the 50th and 60th anniversaries - but he stopped short of offering a direct apology of his own for Japan's wartime atrocities.

In response, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying on Friday called on Japan to recognize and reflect on its history of aggression through concrete actions and to follow the path of peaceful development to win the trust of its Asian neighbors and the international community. Park Geun-hye, president of the Republic of Korea, said that Abe's speech contained "regrettable elements".