Japan held a national ceremony at Tokyo’s Budokan hall on Friday to commemorate the 80th anniversary of its World War II surrender. About 4,500 officials, bereaved families and teenagers observed a noon silence—exactly when Emperor Hirohito’s 1945 radio address was broadcast—before laying chrysanthemum flowers for the more than three million Japanese war dead. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba called the war a mistake and pledged that Japan would “never repeat the tragedy,” reviving the word “remorse” in an Aug. 15 address for the first time since 2013. Ishiba, however, stopped short of an explicit apology and, breaking with three decades of practice, deferred issuing an official prime-ministerial statement marking the milestone, saying any personal message was still under consideration. His decision drew criticism from both ruling-party conservatives wary of further concessions and opposition parties that want a clearer reckoning with history. Ishiba stayed away from the controversial Yasukuni Shrine, sending only a religious offering. In contrast, Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and more than 80 lawmakers visited the site, which honors Japan’s war dead—including convicted war criminals—prompting fresh rebukes from Beijing and Seoul. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned against attempts to “whitewash” aggression, while South Korean President Lee Jae Myung urged Tokyo to confront unresolved historical issues ahead of a planned summit with Ishiba. Emperor Naruhito expressed “deep remorse” and stressed the importance of passing wartime memories to younger generations as the survivor population dwindles. Political parties released separate statements outlining visions for Japan’s future security and constitutional debate, underscoring how the anniversary has become both a moment of reflection and a platform for competing narratives about the country’s role in a shifting regional order.