Time to Bury Traces of Grudges on Japan, First Lady Declares

WASHINGTON — First Lady Barbara Bush, whose husband’s plane was downed by the Japanese during World War II, said in an interview broadcast today that it is time to drop any lingering grudges with Japan.

“George was shot down by the Japanese, and if he doesn’t feel embittered, I can’t imagine why anybody else would,” the First Lady said in an interview on the NBC “Today” program before departing with the President for Tokyo to attend Emperor Hirohito’s funeral.

“Well, I can, of course, but this is the time to move on,” she added. “These are allies of ours and business partners of ours and this is the time when you put aside old grudges and you move on.”