The Japanese govt including currently under Shinzo Abe is notorious for historical revisionism. Much grief has been expressed by Chinese and Korean people over the lack of acknowledgment for atrocities like the rape of Nanking in China, and the lack of any voiced repentance over the brutal teatment Koreans received under Japanese occupation pre WWII.
It has a lot to do with shame/honor cultural sensibilities and the notion that confession implies surrender, defeat, or weakness.
Has also something to do with being a U.S. ally, in good economic standing, non-interventionist, and having been on the receiving end of nuclear weapons...which may give a sense of exoneration for their own crimes. (Because the “retaliation” was so massive.)
But honestly its just certain mainstays of toxic mentality that have never truly been erased or meaningfully confronted. Japan is also notorious for being the hardest country for Christian missionaries to have breakthroughs. I think it remains one of the least Christian countries in Asia. This has something to do with it definitely. Spiritual strangleholds where the Devil does not want to give up his grip.
I just started reading “Samurai William”. I’m up to the point where the Portuguese Jesuits make Nagasaki their base.