On the 70th anniversary of the end of the war, we must calmlyreflect upon the road to war, the path we have taken since itended, and the era of the 20th century. We must learn from thelessons of history the wisdom for our future.

　　正值战争结束七十周年之际，我们认为，必须平静地回顾走向那场战争的道路、战后的进程、二十世纪那一时代，并从历史的教训中学习面向未来的智慧。

　　More than one hundred years ago, vast colonies possessed mainly by the Western powersstretched out across the world. With their overwhelming supremacy in technology, waves ofcolonial rule surged toward Asia in the 19th century. There is no doubt that the resultant sense ofcrisis drove Japan forward to achieve modernization. Japan built a constitutional governmentearlier than any other nation in Asia. The country preserved its independence throughout. TheJapan-Russia War gave encouragement to many people under colonial rule from Asia to Africa.

　　一百多年前，以西方国家为主的各国的广大殖民地遍及世界各地。十九世纪，以技术的绝对优势为背景，殖民统治亦波及到亚洲。毫无疑问，其带来的危机感变成日本实现近代化的动力。日本首次在亚洲实现立宪政治，守住了国家独立。日俄战争鼓舞了许多处在殖民统治之下的亚洲和非洲的人们。

　　After World War I, which embroiled the world, the movement for self-determination gainedmomentum and put brakes on colonization that had been underway. It was a horrible war thatclaimed as many as ten million lives. With a strong desire for peace stirred in them, peoplefounded the League of Nations and brought forth the General Treaty for Renunciation of War.There emerged in the international community a new tide of outlawing war itself.

　　经过席卷全世界的第一次世界大战，民族自决运动的扩大阻止了此前的殖民地化。那场战争造成了一千多万死难者，是一场悲惨的战争。人们渴望和平，创立国际联盟，创造出不战条约，诞生出使战争本身违法化的新的国际社会潮流。

　　At the beginning, Japan, too, kept steps with other nations. However, with the Great Depressionsetting in and the Western countries launching economic blocs by involving colonial economies,Japan's economy suffered a major blow. In such circumstances, Japan's sense of isolationdeepened and it attempted to overcome its diplomatic and economic deadlock through the use offorce. Its domestic political system could not serve as a brake to stop such attempts. In this way,Japan lost sight of the overall trends in the world.

　　当初，日本也统一了步调。但是，在世界经济危机发生后，欧美各国以卷入殖民地经济来推动区域经济集团化，从而日本经济受到重大打击。此间，日本的孤立感加深，试图依靠实力解决外交和经济上的困境。对此，国内政治机制也未能予以阻止。其结果，日本迷失了世界大局。

　　With the Manchurian Incident, followed by the withdrawal from the League of Nations, Japangradually transformed itself into a challenger to the new international order that the internationalcommunity sought to establish after tremendous sacrifices. Japan took the wrong course andadvanced along the road to war.

　　满洲事变以及退出国际联盟—日本逐渐变成国际社会经过巨大灾难而建立起来的新的国际秩序的挑战者，该走的方向有错误，而走上了战争的道路。

　　And, seventy years ago, Japan was defeated.

　　其结果，七十年前，日本战败了。

　　On the 70th anniversary of the end of the war, I bow my head deeply before the souls of all thosewho perished both at home and abroad. I express my feelings of profound grief and my eternal,sincere condolences.

　　正当战后七十周年之际，我在国内外所有死遇者面前，深深地鞠躬，并表示痛惜，表达永久的哀悼之意。

　　More than three million of our compatriots lost their lives during the war: on the battlefieldsworrying about the future of their homeland and wishing for the happiness of their families; inremote foreign countries after the war, in extreme cold or heat, suffering from starvation anddisease. The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the air raids on Tokyo and other cities,and the ground battles in Okinawa, among others, took a heavy toll among ordinary citizenswithout mercy.

　　由于那场战争失去了三百多万同胞的生命。有不少人在挂念祖国的未来、祈愿家人的幸福之中捐躯。战争结束后，也有不少人在严寒或炎热的遥远异国他乡苦于饥饿或疾病之中去世。广岛和长崎遭受的原子弹轰炸、东京以及各城市遭受的轰炸、冲绳发生的地面战斗等等，这些导致了许许多多的老百姓悲惨遇难。

　　Also in countries that fought against Japan, countless lives were lost among young people withpromising futures. In China, Southeast Asia, the Pacific islands and elsewhere that became thebattlefields, numerous innocent citizens suffered and fell victim to battles as well as hardships suchas severe deprivation of food. We must never forget that there were women behind thebattlefields whose honour and dignity were severely injured.

　　同样，在与日本兵戎相见的国家中，不计其数的年轻人失去了原本有着未来的生命。在中国、东南亚、太平洋岛屿等成为战场的地区，不仅由于战斗，还由于粮食不足等原因，许多无辜的平民受苦和遇难。我们也不能忘记，在战场背后被严重伤害名誉与尊严的女性们的存在。

　　Upon the innocent people did our country inflict immeasurable damage and suffering. History isharsh. What is done cannot be undone. Each and every one of them had his or her life, dream,and beloved family. When I squarely contemplate this obvious fact, even now, I find myselfspeechless and my heart is rent with the utmost grief.

　　我国给无辜的人们带来了不可估量的损害和痛苦。历史真是无法取消的、残酷的。每一个人都有各自的人生、梦想、所爱的家人。我在沉思这样一个明显的事实时，至今我仍然无法言语，不禁断肠。

　　The peace we enjoy today exists only upon such precious sacrifices. And therein lies the origin ofpostwar Japan.

　　在如此重大损失之上，才有现在的和平。这就是战后日本的出发点。

　　We must never again repeat the devastation of war.

　　再也不要重演战祸。

　　Incident, aggression, war — we shall never again resort to any form of the threat or use of forceas a means of settling international disputes. We shall abandon colonial rule forever and respectthe right of self-determination of all peoples throughout the world.

　　事变、侵略、战争。我们再也不应该用任何武力威胁或武力行使作为解决国际争端的手段。应该永远跟殖民统治告别，要实现尊重所有民族自决权利的世界。

　　With deep repentance for the war, Japan made that pledge. Upon it, we have created a free anddemocratic country, abided by the rule of law, and consistently upheld that pledge never to wagea war again. While taking silent pride in the path we have walked as a peace-loving nation for aslong as seventy years, we remain determined never to deviate from this steadfast course.

　　我国带着对那场战争的深刻悔悟，作出了如此发誓。在此基础上，我国建设自由民主的国家，重视法治，一直坚持不战誓言。我们对七十年以来所走过的和平国家道路默默地感到自豪，并且今后也将继续贯彻这一坚定的方针。