The United States declined comment Thursday on whether Japanese Prime Minister should include a new apology for the country's wartime past in an upcoming war anniversary statement, only saying the Japanese leader made "positive remarks" on history issues earlier this year.
  

Earlier in the day, an advisory panel on Abe's war-anniversary statement released a report that made no mention of a need for Abe to make a fresh apology for the country's imperialistic past, though it took note of the country's "aggression" and "colonial rule."
  

The report reinforced views that Abe could express remorse about the war without offering a new apology.
  

"We are aware of the report that was issued by the advisory panel," said Mark Toner, State Department deputy spokesman, at a regular briefing. "We welcome Prime Minister Abe's positive comments this past year on history issues ... I'm not going to project on what he may or may not say."
  

Toner was referring to what Abe said during his trip to Washington in April. At the time, Abe expressed deep remorse over the war and said he upholds the views expressed by his predecessors, but he snubbed calls for a clear apology for the country's wartime sexual enslavement of women.
  

"We took note of his remarks in Washington about upholding the views expressed by previous prime ministers in regard to the past. And we believe finally that strong, constructive relations between countries in the region promote peace and stability and are in their interests as well as the interest of the United States," Toner said.
  

Abe plans to issue the statement next week, possibly on Aug. 14, to mark the 70th anniversary of Japan's defeat in World War II.

The statement will be watched closely as it is considered a second chance for him to resolve historical tensions with South Korea after failing to do so during his U.S. visit.
  

South Korea has long urged Abe to offer a clear and unequivocal apology for its colonial-era atrocities, including the sexual slavery issue, so as to move relations between the two countries forward, but Abe has refused to do so while attempting to whitewash wartime wrongdoings. (Yonhap)