Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has visited the United States naval base Pearl Harbor Hawaii. Japan's surprise attack December 7, 1941 led to the United States joining World War II. Mr Abe did not apologize the attack but did offer his condolences. He said: "President Obama, the people the United States of America and the people the world, as the Prime Minister of Japan, I offer my sincere and everlasting condolences the souls those who lost their lives here." Mr Abe also paid tribute to those who died the attack. He said: "We must never repeat the horrors war again. This is the solemn vow the people of Japan have taken." President Obama welcomed Mr Abe, "in the spirit friendship".
A total 353 Japanese aircraft attacked the US base Pearl Harbor, killing 2,403 US personnel. The 75-minute attack also damaged or destroyed 19 US Navy warships. Mr Abe is the first Japanese leader decades to visit Pearl Harbor and the first to visit a memorial the site of the sunken battleship the USS Arizona. Mr Abe acknowledged the US role rebuilding Japan WWII. He said: "When the war ended and Japan was a nation burnt-out ruins as far as the eye could see, suffering miserable poverty, it was the USA and its good people that generously sent us food to eat and clothes to wear." He added that the friendship the USA and Japan was an everlasting "alliance hope".
