JH: "It's necessary for all nations to be frank about past events."

That's open to many interpretations, a true Howardism, ie, not too frank, not all past malfeasance, and they don't even have to be your own doings. And, in the case of indigenous groups who disappeared without trace, since there is no forensic evidence, there can't be anything to own up to.

There's honesty, and, let's be frank about it, there's mealymouthed bullshit.

On to Tokyo.

What John Howard will say in Toyko is "We must all move on." The man is completely devoid of any principles and a moral coward.