Final answer:
The US government formally apologized to Japanese Americans for their internment during World War II due to a combination of political pressure and moral responsibility. Groups such as the Japanese American Citizens League and influential politicians played key roles in facilitating this acknowledgment. The Civil Liberties Act of 1988 resulted in an official apology and reparations of $20,000 for each living internee.
Step-by-step explanation:
The government may apologize for past actions like the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II many years later due to various reasons. Among the possible reasons are political pressure, a sense of moral responsibility, legal obligations, or economic incentives. However, in the context of the US government's apology to Japanese Americans, it was primarily due to a sense of moral responsibility, and significant political pressure from the community and its supporters. This apology came alongside reparations which were seen as an attempt to make amends for the injustices and economic losses suffered by the interned Japanese Americans.
The advocacy efforts by groups such as the Japanese American Citizens League, involvement of Japanese American politicians, and public hearings provided strong political pressure, which helped lead to a formal acknowledgment of the wrongful actions. This acknowledgment was also shaped by the moral responsibility felt by the government to correct a historical wrong. The Civil Liberties Act of 1988 signed into law by President Ronald Reagan officially apologized and provided reparations of $20,000 to each living internee, with the first checks being issued by President George H. W. Bush in 1990. Overall, 82,219 Japanese American internees received these reparations.