What is the true impact of an apology?

Abstract

ABSTRACT A national apology may assist in achieving reconciliation, cooperation, or forgiveness after past wrongs. However, the high hopes that are held for this role are more frequently dashed than fulfilled. Japan’s history of apologies is readily comparable to other nations’ attempts to correct past wrongs. The difficulties that many countries experience in their efforts to make meaningful apologies tend to undermine the power of the act itself. Individuals and small groups in civil society can further the progress of reconciliation through an apology and other actions. However, a nation cannot act as an individual or small group. Research shows that the pragmatic factors of commerce and trade, as well as the geopolitical context, can significantly suppress the remembrance of past wrongs, allowing past enemies to work cooperatively without confronting the past. This paper takes a deliberately broad exploratory approach to examine how pragmatic policies affect the impact and success of national apologies. It also cites a case where an alleged lack of apologies can be used in an effort to heighten threat perception. Such matters have become sharply relevant in January 2023, when the Chinese Ambassador to Australia, Xiao Qian, was reported as saying, ‘The Japanese government has not apologised … they don’t accept it’s wrong and … might repeat the history.’ However, this paper also suggests that while some wrongs, such as genocide, may never be forgiven, former enemies may be able to find common ground in the context of geopolitics and economic and cultural spheres.