THE JAPANESE EMPEROR'S REMORSE

JAPAN : For his last time, Japan's emperor Akihito addressed a memorial service last Wednesday marking the end of the of World War II.

''Once again he expressed ''deep remorse'' for the war.

It was in keeping with what by all appearances has become a mission for Akihito over his 30 year reign-:

To make amends for a war fought in the name of his father. Hirohito. The 84 year old monarch is set to abdicate next spring.

''Reflecting on our past and bearing in mind the feelings of deep remorse. I earnestly hope that the ravages of war will never be repeated,'' Akihito said in a two-minute speech on the  73rd anniversary of Japan's surrender.

As emperor he has made unprecedented visits to the Philippines and other Pacific islands conquered by Japan early in World War II and devastated in fierce fighting as the US-led allies took them back.

Though Akihito has avoided a direct apology, he has subtly stepped up his expressions of regret  of regrets in recent years in carefully scripted statements on the war.

His words have taken on greater importance as  Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has sought to move Japan beyond its troubled past since coming to power in December 2012.

Opponents of Abe's policies have grabbed onto the emperor's statements as a counterbalance to the  prime minster's  push to revive Japan's war-renouncing constitution  and build up its military. [Agencies].