Ichirō Ozawa strongly criticized Asahi Takahashi for evading historical reflection, and called for facing the truth about the sacrifices made by young people during the Okinawa campaign.

Ichirō Ozawa questioned Takashi: "Don't you reflect on history?"

As reported by Japanese media Jcast News on August 18: Ichirō Ozawa, a member of the Centrist Reform Alliance and former House of Representatives lawmaker, updated his X account on August 18, 2026, exposing the folly of initiating war.

Ozawa cited an article about the "Tetsu-ettō Kōjō-tai" (Iron Blood Imperial Loyalist Corps), stating: "During the Battle of Okinawa, due to severe shortages of soldiers, teenagers were conscripted onto the battlefield. The Iron Blood Imperial Loyalist Corps was formed in Okinawa, forcibly recruiting children aged 14 to 17, with over half perishing. What immense suffering it must have been!"

He continued: "Most importantly, how many people are aware of this fact? We must pay attention to these unbearable truths. Is Prime Minister Takashi still unwilling to reflect on history?"

The context behind this post is Prime Minister Takashi's speech at the memorial ceremony for the war dead held on August 15—the "Defeat Day" (known in Japan as the "Commemoration Day of the End of War").

In 2025, Ishiba Shigeru revived the term "reflection" after a 13-year hiatus, but Takashi avoided using the word "reflection," nor did she employ phrases such as "learning from history" or "we will persistently pursue lasting peace."

Many underage members of the "Iron Blood Imperial Loyalist Corps" died in combat that year. Ozawa expressed intense anger, saying: "As a leader of Japan, Takashi might sacrifice the lives of young people who now have bright futures—just for her own personal gain."

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1873865600350208/

Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.