Ex-PM Ishiba Wants 1940 Anti-Military Speech Record Restored

Tottori, Oct. 27 (Jiji Press)–Former Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Monday called for the swift restoration of a deleted section of a parliamentary record of a 1940 anti-military speech criticizing Japan’s war with China. “It would be meaningful to do so this year, which marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II,” Ishiba told a press conference at the prefectural government office in the western prefecture of Tottori. In a statement released on Oct. 10 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of the war, Ishiba referred to the speech delivered by then House of Representatives lawmaker Takao Saito at the Imperial Diet in 1940. In the speech, Saito denounced Japan’s military campaign in China, and was subsequently expelled from the lower chamber of the Diet. Before stepping down as prime minister last Tuesday, Ishiba, a member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, instructed the LDP to work with opposition parties to restore the record. He said that support from opposition parties is growing but noted the LDP’s cautious stance. “While the party says it is not opposed, it also claims that this will take time, but I don’t think that’s a good move,” he said, adding that “its stance is questionable.” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]