Different responses by Abe and Merkel

Germany and Japan are the nations that should pay off their war crime debts. Now 70 years after the end of World War II, the two countries are responding in strikingly different ways.

At a ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of the liberalization of Auschwitz in Berlin on Monday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that crimes against humanity don`t disappear and it is the permanent responsibility of German people to deliver to the future generations and remember the terrible acts Germany had committed.

Her speech contrasts with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who is constantly striving to erase Japan`s past misdoings. Japanese media raised concerns Tuesday after Abe at an NHK program on Sunday hinted that he would omit certain expressions used by former Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama in his apologies over World War II.

The Asahi Shimbun said through an editorial that though Abe said he would embrace expressions used in past cabinets, he responded negatively to Murayama`s expressions. The Tokyo Shimbun also released an editorial titled, "Talks 70 years after the war: the future comes only by reflecting on the past."