LETTER: Allies committed war crimes, too

From Mr Tom Walter

Sir: Your leading article ("Sorry seems to be the hardest word", 12 August) does not mention what is surely the main reason why the Japanese government finds it so difficult to acknowledge and apologise for their war crimes - namely that such an action would involve "loss of face". To the Japanese mind, this is on a par with surrender, a fate to which thousands of their soldiers preferred death.

Yours faithfully,

Tom Walter

Bidborough, Kent

14 August

The writer is an ex-internee of the Japanese in Java.