They don't, in fact as time goes on they're more and more convinced that it was an act of aggression without provocation. I kid you not. There has always been

They don't, in fact as time goes on they're more and more convinced that it was an act of aggression without provocation. I kid you not. There has always been some denial on that end about the role of starting that war, and even more denial about their behavior in China and elsewhere. They probably "give a pass", because to do more on the international stage would draw attention to their many, many, inexcusable war crimes. Dropping plague fleas on China for instance, or the general activities of Unit 731, which would be bound to come up again and again... and they weren't trying to end a war. That said, I think even in the US there's a lot of debate over the fact that Nagasaki probably didn't need to happen, but hindsight is 20/20.