 South Korea criticized it as "disappointing", followed by comments from other Asian states as well, for example Taiwan calling on the Japanese government to examine its wartime aggression and learn the lessons of history.Abe’s words about the end of Japan’s “apology” and that Abe's generation must not let the next generations “be predestined to apologize", was regarded unsatisfactory by those believing the Japanese should apologize for generations for the “sin of Japanese ethnicity.” 

Former PM Tomiichi Murayama had responded to Abe's statement, two hours after it had been announced.He had accused Abe of using words from the Murayama statement and rewording it to create a more abstract version of the statement.