Commemorating the 64th anniversary of the end of World War II, Prime Minister Taro Aso expressed deep remorse over the pain Japan inflicted on its neighbors and vowed never to engage in war again.

Prime Minister Taro Aso vowed never to engage in war again at Nippon Budokan Hall in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, on Aug. 15. KYODO PHOTO

"Japan caused tremendous damage and suffering to the people of many countries, particularly to those of Asian nations," Aso said Aug. 15 in a speech at Nippon Budokan Hall in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo. "On behalf of the people of Japan, I hereby express my feelings of profound remorse and sincere mourning for all the victims of the war."

Although Aso is known for being a hawk on foreign policy, he has avoided visiting Yasukuni Shrine, which is widely regarded as a symbol of Japan's past militarism.

Aso has proposed the controversial shrine be stripped of its religious status and be turned into a state-run war memorial. But the unpopular leader has yet to take any steps in that direction after nearly a year in office and with a tough Lower House general election looming, Aso and his ruling Liberal Democratic Party could soon find themselves out of power.

Instead, he went to the annual ceremony at Nippon Budokan Hall, which commemorates about 2.3 million service members and 800,000 civilians who died in the war.

"We will sincerely look back on the past without allowing the lessons of that horrible war to erode and will faultlessly hand them down to the next generation," Aso said. "Japan renews its pledge not to engage in war and vows to actively work toward the establishment of lasting world peace."

Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko also attended the ceremony.