Khaldon Azhari

TOKYO: Japan on Monday marked the 77th anniversary of the end of World War II with a government-sponsored ceremony in Tokyo to mourn the approximately 2.3 million military personnel and 800,000 civilians who perished in the war.

The ceremony was held at the Nippon Budokan and was attended by Fumio Kishida as prime minister for the first time. The event was once again scaled down from previous ceremonies due to the pandemic with just 1,000 people attending, less than a fifth of the usual number.

Emperor Naruhito also attended the ceremony and expressed “deep remorse.”

“Looking back on the past, I sincerely hope that the war devastation will not be repeated again, and pray with the whole nation for world peace and further development of our country,” the Emperor said.

A moment of silence was observed at noon for those killed in the war, including those who lost their lives as a result of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Prime Minister Kishida is elected from Hiroshima, which was targeted on August 6, 1945.The bomb at Nagasaki was dropped on August 9.

“Under the banner of active pacifism, we will work together with the international community to solve the problem (of war),”Kishida said.