Japanese envoy Kazuyoshi Umemoto said his country “does not believe” that raising such issues during a diplomatic forum is “helpful in lowering tensions and enhancing the stability in the region.” He nevertheless offered a defence, saying Japan has atoned for its past and that Abe “would welcome direct dialogue” with the leaders of China and South Korea. He said the purpose of Abe’s shrine visit was to “renew the pledge that Japan shall never again wage war” — a statement that another South Korean envoy called “preposterous.”