일본은 주변국의 우경화 우려에 대해, 전전의 ‘침략주의 일본’과 전후의 ‘평화주의 일본’은 다르다고 주장해왔다.

전쟁을 포기하고 군대를 보유하지 않는 평화헌법 9조가 그 증거라고 말해왔다. 최초의 원자폭탄 피해국임을 강조하며 비핵과 평화를 강조해왔다.

교과서 검정 과정에서 주변국의 우려를 반영하겠다는 1982년 미야자와 기이치 관방장관 담화(이른바 ‘근린조항’), 일본군 성노예에 대한 정부의 관여를 인정한 93년 고노 요헤이 관방장관 담화, 식민지배와 침략전쟁으로 주변국들에 피해와 고통을 준 데 대해 사과한 95년 무라야마 도미이치 총리 담화로 과거에 대한 속죄 뜻을 간간이 보여주기도 했다.

[9.27. 한겨레]

Japan’s rightward turn endangers peace in East Asia

In response to the concerns of neighboring countries surrounding the rise of right-wing militarism in Japan, the nation has regularly claimed that the stories of “imperialist pre-war Japan” and “pacifist post-war Japan” are totally different.

As evidence, it has often cited Article 9 of its pacifist constitution, which renounces war as a sovereign right and stipulates that the country will not maintain armed forces. In addition, stressing that it was the victim of the first atomic bomb attack, the nation has continuously emphasized denuclearization and peace.

Japan has at times made gestures of atonement for the past, as shown in discourse by Kiichi Miyazawa, then Chief Cabinet Secretary, that vowed to reflect the interests and grievances of neighboring nations when recording wartime history in the process of school textbook verifications, which led to the establishment of so-called “neighboring clause” in 1982. In a similar vein, was the 1993 statement by Yohei Kono, then Chief Cabinet Secretary, that acknowledged the government's complicity in wartime sex slavery practices of Japanese troops, and a 1995 statement of apology issued by Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama for inflicting misery and damage on neighboring countries.