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Address by Prime Minister Abe at the Sixty-Ninth Memorial Ceremony for the War Dead
Friday, August 15, 2014
[Provisional Translation]
In the gracious presence of Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress and with the attendance of bereaved family members of the war dead and many distinguished representatives of all sectors of society, I hereby commence the annual Memorial Ceremony for the War Dead.
Here, before the souls of those who fell on the battlefields thinking of their homeland and concerned about their families as well as the souls of those who perished amidst the destruction of the war and those who lost their lives in remote foreign countries during the aftermath of the war, I offer my heartfelt prayers for the repose of their souls.
The peace and prosperity that we now enjoy have been built upon the precious sacrifices of the war dead. We will never forget this, even for a moment.
We will also never forget the remains of the war dead that still have not been recovered back to their hometowns even now. The other day in Papua New Guinea I joined my hands in prayer thinking of the more than 120 thousand people who lost their lives in the jungle or at sea there.
I would now like to close my eyes for a moment and quietly bow my head, reflecting on this past.
The hills and fields of Japan are enveloped by choruses of chirping cicadas. This was surely the case 69 years ago as well. No matter how time flows, we have a path that we must never change.
Today is a day on which we renew that pledge towards peace.
We will carve out the future of this country for the sake of the generation that is alive at this moment and for the generations of tomorrow, facing history with humility and engraving its lessons deeply into our hearts. We will make contributions to lasting world peace to the greatest possible extent and spare no effort in working to bring about a world in which all people are able to live enriched lives.
I will conclude my address by once again offering my heartfelt prayers for the eternal repose of the souls of the war dead and for the happiness of the members of their bereaved families.
Shinzo Abe
Prime Minister of Japan
August 15, 2014
