TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe apologized Sunday over a former defence minister's suggestion that the 1945 U.S. nuclear attacks were justified, and promised expanded medical support for survivors, officials and reports said.
Abe offered the apology as he met atomic bombing survivors in Hiroshima the day before the city was to mark the 62nd anniversary of the world's first-ever nuclear attack on Aug. 6.
Defence Minister Fumio Kyuma resigned in July amid a public outcry after suggesting that the U.S. atomic bombings may have been justified.
Abe said he felt sorry that Kyuma's remarks "hurt the feelings of the A-bomb survivors,'' public broadcaster NHK reported.
"Now that 62 years have passed since the atomic bombings, we must provide fuller medical and welfare measures,'' Abe told the survivors.
The prime minister also proposed a plan to relax screening of radiation-induced illnesses for those seeking free medical support, said Sunao Tsuboi, a survivor group representative.
The first atomic bombing killed more than 140,000 people in Hiroshima. A second bombing on Nagasaki in southern Japan three days later killed another 74,000.
About 260,000 people survived the attacks, including 4,000 living abroad. Bombing survivors have developed various illnesses from radiation exposure, including cancer and liver illnesses. But the government has faced criticism that many suffering radiation-linked illnesses were denied access to free medical support due to overly strict eligibility standard.
As they do every year, survivors, relatives of the deceased, residents and officials will attend a memorial service and release doves at Hiroshima's Peace Park Monday, the time the bomb struck 62 years ago. Abe will make a speech at the ceremony.
Also Sunday, dozens of Korean atomic-bombing survivors in Japan marked their anniversary, customarily held on the eve of the city-organized main event.
