Whatever Abe says on Friday, he is a leader with a distorted view of history and an expanding military, which is a dangerous combination.
By breaking up with its militarist past can Japan improve relations with its Asian neighbors and boost its national image, says expert.
Analysts in Europe and Asia stressed the importance of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sincerely apologizing for Japan's wartime atrocities in his statement on Friday marking the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.
Admittedly, we should never let down our guard given Japan's attempt to relive the militarist past, though we do not have to overstate the possibility of its remilitarization either.
China's contribution to the overall Allied victory during World War II is a topic that is gaining increasing historical attention in the West.
Abe's apology, if he does render one, will be of great historical significance to all countries that suffered Japanese aggression.
The most heinous aspect of contemporary Japanese revisionism is the denial of the plight of the Korean and Chinese sex slaves.
Whether Japan chooses the path of pacifism or relives the country's militarist past is not only about China, but also about Asia and the world.
Missing this historic opportunity will simply convince China and the ROK that healthy ties with their neighbor are impossible while Abe is in office.
It is becoming increasingly clear that Japan is close to becoming a major regional military power "thanks to" the efforts of Japanese right-wingers.
If Japan wants to reconcile with China over wartime history, it should look to the example set by Germany, a senior Chinese scholar of Japan studies told China Daily.
Later generations should always bear in mind what these veterans contributed to the war that prevented this nation from being subjugated by the foreign aggressors.