海角大神

Relations between Japan and South Korea simmered Monday on the 71st anniversary of the end of World War II.

Dozens of Japanese lawmakers visited the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, which honors all who died for the Japanese Empire, including more than 1,000 World War II-era war criminals.聽Meanwhile, a group of South Korean lawmakers also deliberately chose Monday to land on an island in the Sea of Japan, celebrating the country鈥檚 liberation from 35 years of Japanese colonization in the first half of the 20th century. South Korea controls the islands, although Japan lays claim to them.

The controversies on the war anniversary underscore the continuous tension over Japan鈥檚 reluctance to apologize for or acknowledge 20th century history the way South Korea or China insist they should.

鈥淗istory is the core concern of Northeast Asian politics,鈥� Park Joon-woo, a retired adviser to South Korean President Park Geun-hye, told Peter Ford of 海角大神 last July. 鈥淎nd that will continue as long as Japanese leaders try to erase their history.鈥澛�

This disagreement over the past has reverberated into the present in Asia and across the world, wrote Mr. Ford.

Seventy years after the end of the war in the Pacific, Japan鈥檚 neighbors say they are still waiting for an apology they can believe is a sincere expression of Japan鈥檚 national feeling about the old Imperial Army鈥檚 invasions and the atrocities it committed. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is showing no signs he is ready to express the type of contrition that some of his predecessors have voiced in the past. The ramifications of this are now reverberating around the globe.

What might seem to much of the world like arcane disputes over incidents in 20th-century history are threatening Asia鈥檚 future and complicating the big power rivalry between the United States and China. They could strengthen Beijing鈥檚 standing in the region at the expense of Washington鈥檚 clout. They have poisoned relations between the publics and governments of America鈥檚 two closest Asian allies, Japan and South Korea, to the point where their leaders cannot meet.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe refrained from visiting the Yasukuni Shrine on Monday, an effort to not draw anger from South Korea and China, as he did when he visited the shrine in 2013. South Korea and China view the shrine as a reminder of Japanese militarism and wartime atrocities. Mr. Abe instead sent the shrine a ritual offering, which was delivered in his name by Yasutoshi Nishimura, an aide in Abe鈥檚 Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

The offering still drew criticism from Seoul.

"(We) express deep concern and regret that responsible political leaders ... are again paying tribute to the聽Yasukuni聽Shrine that glorifies the history of the war of aggression," South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

One past wartime wound that remains raw for South Korea is the fate of 鈥渃omfort women,鈥� Korean women and girls forced to work as prostitutes in Japan鈥檚 wartime military brothels.

Past Japanese leaders apologized dozens of times 鈥渇rom remorse and regret to sorrow and repentance鈥� for their country鈥檚 behavior, writes Ford. The most direct statement came in 1995, when then-Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama acknowledged Tokyo鈥檚 history of 鈥渃olonial rule and aggression鈥� and offered his 鈥渉eartfelt apology鈥� for 鈥渢hese irrefutable facts of history.鈥� At the time, South Korea and China accepted the apologies.

However, the two countries have since become disturbed at what they consider a lack of sincerity from some in Tokyo. Most infuriating to them was Abe鈥檚 visit to the Yasukuni Shrine in 2013, a visit he has not repeated. 聽聽

鈥淎be finds ways of signaling to his domestic audience鈥� what he thinks, said Boston University political scientist Thomas Berger, author of 鈥淲ar, Guilt, and World Politics After World War II,鈥� and 鈥渘obody has any doubts where he stands.鈥澛�

Japanese Emperor Akihito contrasted Abe Monday by reiterating his 鈥渇eelings of deep remorse鈥� for the conflict, a phrase he used last year. Some saw his remarks as a subtle rebuke of Abe鈥檚 less apologetic tone, according to Reuters.聽

This report contains material from the Associated Press and Reuters. 聽