>I've never known the Japanese to defend anything they did

during World War II, or say it was okay at all.

AFIAK though, Japan never apologized for anything they did during the war. What kind of message does that send? I think if they would just swallow their pride, and apologize, it would greatly improve relations with the rest of the Pacific Rim, but yeah, the PM that does this will be commiting political suicide most likely, so the odds of it happening are very slim. Nations as a whole aren't nearly as cold towards Germany as Asia is with Japan.