Germany's Merkel urges Japan to face history squarely

Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel has urged Japan to confront its wartime past in order to progress toward reconciliation with its neighbors.

During a public lecture on Monday in Tokyo, Merkel said that after World War Two, acceptance was possible for Germany because it squarely faced its past.

The Chancellor came to Tokyo earlier on Monday for a two-day official working visit.

Relations with its neighbors and wartime victims, South Korea and China, remain cool with Japan yet to fully apologize for its wartime atrocities.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of Japan's defeat in World War Two.

[저작권자(c) YTN & YTN PLUS. 무단 전재-재배포 금지]