The Daily Advertiser from Lafayette, Louisiana • 5

Saturday, Aug. 16, 1997 The Advertiser 5a Our World Japan marks WW II surrender Both sides waiting for the other to act after Mideast talks Little action seen by Israelis, Palestinians JERUSALEM (AP) Yasser Arafat is supposed to crack down on Islamic militants. Benjamin Netanyahu is supposed to release millions of dollars in Palestinian tax revenues. Good intentions, meant to pave the road to a major U.S. peace initiative, were plentiful after U.S.

envoy Dennis Ross pressed Palestinian and Israeli leaders for concessions in four days of shuttle talks. But two days after he went Associated Press Benjamin Netanyahu Wearing their old uniforms, Japanese naval veterans of World War II gather at the Yasukuni Shrine to mark the 52nd anniversary of Japan's surrender. Japanese remember end of war with remorse and patriotism. TOKYO (AP) Japanese held two starkly different ceremonies on the anniversary of the nation's World War II surrender Friday: The government expressed remorse in one, while flag-waving veterans demanded national recognition in the other. How Japan commemorates the day is watched closely by China, South Korea and other countries where anger over Japan's brutality during the war remains intense.

"Deep sadness" expressed This year, as in years past, Emperor Akihito presided over a solemn ceremony at the Budokan hall, an auditorium adorned with a wall of yellow chrysanthemums. In a somber speech, he expressed "deep sadness" for the lives that were lost in the war. Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto, wearing formal mourning clothes, said Japan felt "deep remorse" about the war, but avoided a direct apology to Japan's victims. The war "caused tremendous suffering and sorrow not only in our country but also to peoples of many countries, especially those in Asia," Hashimoto said. The noon ceremony coincided with the moment on Aug.

15, 1945, when Akihito's father, Hirohito, went on the radio to announce that Japan was surrendering. The prime minister was conspicuously absent from observances held nearby at the Yasuku-ni Shrine, known as a site of nationalistic and militaristic demonstrations during the war. Hashimoto drew angry criticism by visiting the shrine in July 1996. And Japanese news media said he wanted to avoid stirring up more rancor now, especially from China, which he visits next month Yasukuni, dedicated to the country's war dead, is controversial because those enshrined there include executed war criminals. The grounds include a war home, there is little sign of movement on either side, raising questions as to what his mission actually accomplished.

David Bar-Man, a top adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said Israel was waiting to see the Palestinians take "concrete" steps to fight terrorism before it eased the economic sanctions. "They know exactly what we expect," Bar-Illan told The Associated Press. "Until something happens on that side, we've made it clear that there will be no moves on our part." Bar-Illan added that the lack of progress so far was "not particularly promising," but said Israel was waiting to see what came out of a security meeting with the Palestinians on Monday. Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said the Palestinians have been fighting terrorism all along, but that Israel is sabotaging its efforts by withholding money needed to pay government salaries and closing the borders of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, which keeps tens of thousands of Palestinians from jobs inside Israel. "You don't pay the policemen their salaries and then ask them to cooperate is that their idea of cooperation?" he asked.

Netanyahu is "terrorizing the Palestinian people," Erekat said. "He's shooting himself in the foot. I 'i- P'- ISBjjf Invariably, the visits rekindle debate about Japan's accountability for the war. Some say the nation hasn't done enough to atone; others say Japan has nothing for which to apologize. Demonstrations held In other parts of Asia, many people believe the Japanese government should pay direct reparations to surviving victims of wartime atrocities, including slave laborers in Japan's mines and factories, casualties of chemical and germ warfare, and women forced to work in military brothels.

In Manila, about two dozen former wartime sex slaves dressed in black protested at the Japanese Embassy to coincide with the anniversary. They demanded government compensation and an explicit apology. In Taiwan, 12 former sex slaves from Taiwan's aboriginal tribes filed a lawsuit against the Japanese government for compensation, while former Taiwanese soldiers conscripted into the Japanese army gathered in Taipei. They demand back pay, which has not been museum that houses a kamikaze plane. Veterans and right-wing nationalists rallied at the shrine Friday, urging Japan to recognize the shrine as a national monument.

Veterans remember comrades A group of old men marched in Imperial Army uniforms, carrying the army's World War II flag. The roads surrounding the normally quiet shrine were crowded with the black trucks that right-wing activists often drive through Tokyo with loudspeakers trumpeting their views. As usual, the vehicles blared old military songs. U.S. occupation forces prevented Japan from using it as a national shrine, so it is regarded as a private religious site.

That angers veterans such as 77-year-old Tadashi Yamada. "Every other country has a place where fallen soldiers are honored," he said. "It's only natural that Japan should have such a national site too." Although Hashimoto stayed away, seven members of his Cabinet went to offer prayers to the spirits of dead soldiers. Yasser Arafat "There is a difference in understanding of security cooperation," Erekat added. "The agreement says it's a two-way combating of violence.

We consider settlements and collective punishment a violence. We do not understand security as dictations and orders." The United States has urged Israel to release the tax revenues, which are vital to the Palestinian government, calling Israel's action counterproductive and punitive. Associated Press Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko bow at the Budokan hall in a ceremony marking the end of the war. shooting the peace process in the head." Erekat warned that if the Israeli sanctions continued, "then there will naturally be a response from the Palestinian people." He did not elaborate. 2 Da Special 1 Just for the Guy Dockers Wrinkle Free Twill Slacks NOW 31.99 Regular 37.99.

Pleated all cotton twill in khaki, navy, sand, olive and black, 29 to 44 waist. 5 fit Savane Wrinkle Free Twill Slacks NOW 29.99 Pleated cotton twill in khaki, navy, sand and olive, 30 to 42 waist. Levi's 550 or 560 Jeans NOW 29.99 Regular 35.00. Levi's 550 Relaxed Fit or 560 Loose Fit Jeans in indigo stone or bleach, 28 to 42 waist. Take $10.00 off any pair of Dockers' Shoes, Boots or Sandals! Regular 44.00 to 89.00.

Entire Stock of regular priced Docker Footwear. NOW 34.00 to 79.00! Clotkmf ArMlum Sim 1895 Downtown Oil Center Discount not applicable on sate items prior purchases, layaways, or special orders. All sate prices refer to special sate groups of assorted sizes only. Setectton varies by store. Not to be used in Discount not appncame on saie items prior purcndws 0C0.7V Mn.Qat in Alalia's charae Visa.

MC. AmEx Discover welcome conjunction wun any oiner oner, uuwmiuwm cmci mmrm.