The problems of historical memory, particularly those related to Japan’s colonial and wartime past, are a significant factor affecting both Japan’s international relations and its domestic politics. Not only does it often trigger bitter disputes between Japan and its neighbors, first and foremost, the Republic of Korea and the People’s Republic of China, but the attitude towards pre-1945 Japan is also a significant dividing line between liberal and conservative political camps within the country.

In this paper, I am focusing on the way this issue was addressed in policies by the cabinets of Abe Shinzo (2006-2007; 2012 – present time). By tracing views on these issues expressed both by Abe Shinzo himself and members of his cabinets, I am trying to show their transformation over time, as well as determine the factors driving this transformation. Among these factors, I evaluate the role of both domestic (public opinion in general and Cabinet approval ratings in particular, political scandals, changing balance in the Japanese political arena, etc) and international (the attitudes of neighboring countries towards these issues, as well as those of the United States) ones. My main conclusion is that, more often than not, the issues of historical memory serve as an opportunistic instrument of boosting political capital by means of appealing to the conservative electorate, while trying to maintain a delicate balance with the existing norms of the post-war Japanese political system.