Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressed "deep remorse" Wednesday for Japan's World War II aggression at a summit attended by Asian leaders, but stopped short of repeating previous apologies in a move that risks angering Beijing and Seoul.

At an Asia-Africa summit in Indonesia, which commemorates a key conference 60 years ago that helped emerging nations forge a common identity, he offered a weaker statement than previous Japanese leaders on the issue.

Referring to principles of peace laid down at the original conference, he told delegates, including China's Xi Jinping: "And Japan, with feelings of deep remorse over the past war, made a pledge to remain a nation always adhering to those very principles throughout, no matter what the circumstances."