• Asako Takashima Project Researcher, Institute for Advanced Global Studies, The University of Tokyo

• Sawako Shirahase TCJS Director

As the history problem became an issue for Japanese foreign policy since around 1990, the issue started to be targeted academically. Many studies have laid focus on the concept of apology. However, an apology which is accepted by an apologized country can be different according to situations. Thus, the question should not be which apology is accepted or not, but why an apologizing country would make an apology even when it may not be accepted. To answer these questions, this paper will shed light on how the Japanese government apologized to other countries from the viewpoint of political narrative. A detailed analysis of the Japanese Prime Ministers’ annual greetings on 15th August at the Memorial Ceremony of the War Dead and the Prime Ministers’ talks (Danwa) which are presented around 15th August regarding the anniversary of the end of the War will allow us to understand why an apology is made or not.