Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama says he subscribes to former Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama’s views on wartime history.

Speaking to reporters late Thursday, Hatoyama said he plans to face up to Japan’s past. He said he will tackle wartime history issues by bearing in mind a statement Murayama issued in 1995 in which he apologized and expressed remorse for Japan's colonial rule and wartime atrocities.

Last month, Hatoyama made a similar pledge when he met with Chinese President Hu Jintao on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York.

Japan’s Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada has also stressed the importance of Tokyo actively addressing wartime history issues.