[Provisional translation]

At the opening of the 2013 Memorial Ceremony to Commemorate the Fallen on the Anniversary of the End of the Battle of Okinawa, I wish to convey my feelings of sincere mourning for the souls of those who perished in the Battle of Okinawa.

Certain days in Japan's calendar are imbued with special meaning.  On these days, old and young alike silently close their eyes to reflect upon and ask themselves where we have come from.

Today is one such important day.  It is a day on which we ponder once more the fact that we who are alive at this moment enjoy peace, security, freedom, and prosperity by way of a history of indescribable hardship on Okinawa, with 200,000 precious lives having perished as heart-wrenching noble sacrifices.

The scars engraved upon the hearts of the Okinawan people are extraordinarily deep, and it would be presumptuous to think that later generations are able to appreciate that anguish fully.  And yet, we must come to understand it more deeply and continually give profound consideration to it.  This must be an ongoing endeavor.

Today as we mark the 68th anniversary of the end of the Battle of Okinawa, I would like now to join with all the Japanese people in closing our eyes as we remember the people who suffered in the horrific flames, and in bowing our heads in silence, engraving deeply in our hearts the fact that the noble sacrifices that Okinawa endured and the blood and tears shed by the Okinawan people have made us as we are today.

I believe that, based on that recognition, we must start out again tomorrow on the path by which we seek a bright future, as a people who abhor war and painstakingly strive to build peace, just as the people of Okinawa have done, and just as our grandparents and our parents have done until now.

Okinawa, our gateway to Asia, holds both great advantages and unbounded potential.  The promotion of Okinawa is an important pillar of our policy that we actively advance.  Firmly believing that the development of Okinawa will be a driving force for Japan's future, I will stand at the forefront as we comprehensively and strategically advance Okinawa's development.

It goes without saying that the concentration of United States bases is a heavy burden to the people of Okinawa even now.  I reaffirm my pledge to make every effort to reduce the burden of the bases upon Okinawa as much as possible.

I will conclude my address by praying that the souls of those who lost their lives here may rest in peace and by offering my sincere wishes for the happiness of the bereaved families of the war dead.

June 23, 2013
Shinzo Abe
Prime Minister of Japan