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Katsuhiko Takaike

【#1297】Criticizing Ishiba’s Reflection on 80th Anniversary of War’s End

Katsuhiko Takaike ／ 2025.10.16 (Thu)


October 15, 2025

　
On October 10, Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba at a press conference issued his “reflection” on the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Upon reading it, I was struck by a sense of bewilderment—what on earth is this? There are two problems with this reflection. First, one wonders whether these are the words of a man who is about to resign as prime minister. Second, its content is problematic.

Who do you think you are?

Regarding the first point, I may tell him, “Who do you think you are?” In the past milestone years marking 50, 60, and 70 years since Japan’s defeat in the Greater East Asian War, prime ministerial statements were issued on or just before the anniversary of the war’s end. While I have had doubts about both the issuance and the content of each of those statements, at least they were released on the actual commemorative dates. In that sense—though only in that sense—there was some justification for issuing them.

This year is certainly a milestone year to mark the 80th anniversary of the war defeat, but the reflection was not issued on any commemorative date. It was merely a remark made at a press conference ahead of his resignation. If it was a remark made at a press conference before stepping down, it would be natural to reflect on one’s term—what was accomplished, what was left undone—and offer some introspection as prime minister. And yet, he ends the reflection with lines like, “Drawing on the various lessons of the last war, together with the people of Japan, I will make every possible effort to ensure that such calamities are never repeated.” Such words are nothing short of disheartening.

High school student report?

Next is the content of the reflection. Ishiba lined up frequently heard comments on problems regarding the defunct Constitution of the Empire of Japan, the prewar government, the parliament, the media, and information collection and analysis, as well as lessons learned for today. He offered no original comments. The reflection thus looked like a history report by a high school student.

As it is a line of argument we have heard often, everything in it is not wrong. However, it is unacceptable that all the problems are discussed from the perspective that the war was evil.

Here is an example. Japan was “fighting a completely different war” from the war fought by its ally Germany (Tokyo High Court ruling on October 11, 2001). Any war has an opponent. Depending on how the opponent behaves, we may be forced to enter a war like a war of self-defense. Ishiba’s reflection noted that there had been no civilian control in Japan. This comment is taken as indicating that if there were civilian control, the war would have been prevented. It lacks diversified points of view.

Although civilian control in a democratic country differs from the civil-military relations in a dictatorship, they share the common feature of politics being in the superior position. Wasn’t it the case that Hitler’s Germany waged war not through military insubordination, but under political supremacy? If civilian control in Japan is firmly in place, can it prevent China’s war of aggression driven by political supremacy under President Xi Jinping? This is a different question. In order to ensure that “calamities are never repeated” in Japan, shouldn’t we also address this different question?

Ishiba has freedom of speech to publish his personal views. But rather than presenting them in the form of a “reflection,” wouldn’t it be better if he took the time to write a memoir, as many statesmen have done, including Winston Churchill?

Katsuhiko Takaike is an attorney-at-law and Vice President of the Japan Institute for National Fundamentals.