Tomiichi Murayama, former Japanese prime minister renowned for his landmark 1995 World War II apology, died at age 101 in Oita City on Friday. The announcement was made by Mizuho Fukushima, head of the Social Democratic Party.
Murayama, who served as PM from 1994 to 1996, led Japan during the 1995 Kobe earthquake and the Tokyo subway sarin gas attack. His August 1995 statement marking the 50th anniversary of Japan’s surrender expressed Japan’s “deep remorse” for the suffering caused by its wartime actions, setting a benchmark for subsequent government apologies.
Conscripted into the Japanese Imperial Army in 1944, Murayama later led a coalition government with the Liberal Democratic Party, leaving a legacy defined by humility and wartime accountability. His 1995 apology remains a cornerstone of Japan’s post-war diplomacy and historical reckoning.
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