In Europe, the more time that passes from the terrible events of the second world war, the more the rancour diminishes between the warring nations. In north-east Asia, sadly, the opposite appears true. The more the events of 70 years ago recede, the more enmity there is.

Partly, this is because of genuine feelings among Chinese and South Koreans that Japan has never fully repented for the horrors it inflicted. Partly, it is because of a cynical exercise to keep the flames of hatred alive. That is particularly true of China’s Communist party, which uses anti-Japanese sentiment to bolster its own legitimacy. Its constant demands that Japan square up to the past would be more convincing if it were not so wantonly dishonest about its own bloodstained history.

In recent decades, Japan has become locked into an unedifying spectacle of “apology diplomacy”. Its leaders make statements of contrition, which are parsed for evidence of genuine remorse. That is the background against which Shinzo Abe, prime minister, gave a speech to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of the war.