 |
News World |
|
Japan minister apologizes for atomic-bomb remarks
|
|
Japan's defense minister apologized on Sunday for comments about the 1945 US atomic bomb attacks on the country which outraged survivors and drew criticism from the ruling bloc ahead of a key election in late July.
|
|
|
Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma said he had not meant to offend the victims when he said on Saturday the bombings couldn't be helped because they had brought World War II to an end and had prevented the Soviet Union from entering the war against Japan. "If my remarks were seen as lacking regard for the feelings of atomic bomb victims, then I am sorry," he told a news conference. On Saturday, Kyuma had said in a speech: "My understanding is that it ended the war and that it couldn't be helped ... I don't hold a grudge against the United States." The remarks drew condemnation from victims of the Aug. 6. 1945 bombing of Hiroshima and the Aug. 9 attack on Nagasaki, which together killed more than 210,000 people by the end of the year. Some opposition parties demanded Kyuma's resignation. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe defended his minister on Saturday, but ruling party executives urged Kyuma to apologize, in a bid to minimize the damage ahead of the July 29 upper house election.
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOKYO REUTERS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Benzer Haberler 
World
