Following Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's war anniversary statement, UN Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon on Friday called for a genuine reconciliation in the region based on reflection of history.

"The Secretary-General has taken note of the message issued by the Prime Minister Abe marking the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II and is studying it," UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told a daily briefing.

"As the Secretary-General has said previously, he hopes that based on reflection and understanding of history, the countries concerned can achieve a genuine reconciliation and build peace and prosperity collectively in the region," he said.

Abe released an official statement earlier Friday morning to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, in which he mentioned previous governments' apology for Japan's wartime past, but refrained from offering his own apology.

Abe said aggression and war should never be the means to resolve international disputes and Japan will abandon colonial rule forever, but he stopped short of mentioning directly Japan's aggression and colonial rule before and during WWII.