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Japanese Emperor Prays for World Peace at War Anniversary

Posted on: Monday, 15 August 2005, 03:00 CDT

Text of report in English by Japanese news agency Kyodo

Tokyo, 15 August: Speaking on the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II, Emperor Akihito on Monday [15 August] expressed strong hope that Japan will never wage war. "Looking back on history, I ardently hope that the horrors of war will never be repeated," the emperor said in a message delivered at a government-sponsored memorial service held in Tokyo's Nippon Budokan hall.

The emperor said he prays for "world peace" and Japan's "further development". Emperor Akihito said that the people's tireless efforts in the past 60 years had created Japan's peace and prosperity but that they remember the difficult bygone days.

The annual ceremony, at which Empress Michiko was also present, was held in remembrance of some 2.3 million Japanese soldiers and civilian army personnel and 800,000 Japanese civilians who perished in the war. At noon, the participants observed a one-minute silence to pray for Japan's war dead.

Source: BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific

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