Spotlight: Japan refuses to further console "comfort women" victims with apology letters
Source: Xinhua   2016-10-03 19:15:16

TOKYO, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday said that his government is not planning to issue letters of apology to Korean "comfort women" despite Seoul's expectations that Japan would take further measures to atone for its forcible wartime conscription of women to work in military brothels.

During a Diet budgetary committee meeting, the Japanese leader said that a deal struck between Tokyo and Seoul last December did not require Japan to issue such letters of apology.

"Both countries are required to sincerely fulfill the contents of the agreement, and apology letters are not included in those contents," the prime minister said, reiterating remarks made by Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida on the issue Friday.

At the end of last year, Abe, by proxy, renewed an official apology for the wartime atrocities committed by Japan's military in WWII during its occupation of the Korean Peninsular, expressing his "most sincere" apologies and remorse to all those who suffered immeasurable and incurable physical and mental wounds as "comfort women."

An accord was thus struck with South Korea that would see Japan pay 1 billion yen (9.87 million U.S. dollars) to a fund for the surviving "comfort women" and Japan conceded that its current government recognizes its responsibility over the issue and the "grave affront to the honor and dignity of large numbers of women," caused by the Imperial Japanese Army during its occupation.

The apology and admission of guilt seemingly cemented a new accord between Tokyo and Seoul, with both sides also agreeing to no longer antagonize each other over the issue on global platforms, but Tokyo's pledge to contribute to the fund for the remaining surviving "comfort women," was quickly followed with the undiscussed stipulation that Seoul removes a statue of tribute to the women from near the Japanese Embassy in Seoul.

The "comfort women" deal, while initially being hailed as a great step toward bridging a historical divide between Japan and South Korea and helping to reinstate diplomatic ties between Tokyo and Seoul, took a turn for the worse when Abe and other senior Japanese politicians added the unwarranted stipulation.

Seoul, for its part, according to local media sources here, had expected Japan to take further measures to show compassion for the "comfort women" and Abe's remarks Monday could further test what had initially been heralded as a landmark agreement made between the two countries and a step towards mending bilateral ties.

The widely-used term "comfort women" is a euphemism used to describe hundreds of thousands of girls, including underage teenagers, and women, largely from the Korean Peninsular, but also from other Asian nations, who were forcibly coerced into working in military brothels and serving members of the Imperial Japanese Army, during its brutal wartime occupation.

Tens of thousands of women aside from Koreans, from then occupied countries, comprising women from China as well as the Philippines, Myanmar, Indonesia and those from the Netherlands and a contingent of Australian women, were also forced to service Japanese soldiers in wartime sex camps.

The statue that remains a problematic issue for Japan was erected in 2011 by a South Korean civic group called the Korean Council for Women Drafted for Sexual Slavery by Japan and pays tribute to the "comfort women" victims and the deplorable suffering inflicted on them by the Imperial Japanese Army.

Political watchers have maintained that as with a number of statues around the world paying homage to historical figures and groups who have suffered internationally-recognized injustices, Japan has no right to insist on the statue in Seoul being removed.

Similarly, sources close to the matter on Monday stated that Japan simply "throwing money" as restitution for its wartime wrongdoings was a superficial gesture and Japan issuing letters of apology would be an earnest showing of true regret and remorse to the victims.

Editor: Mengjie
Related News
Xinhuanet

Spotlight: Japan refuses to further console "comfort women" victims with apology letters

Source: Xinhua 2016-10-03 19:15:16
[Editor: huaxia]

TOKYO, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday said that his government is not planning to issue letters of apology to Korean "comfort women" despite Seoul's expectations that Japan would take further measures to atone for its forcible wartime conscription of women to work in military brothels.

During a Diet budgetary committee meeting, the Japanese leader said that a deal struck between Tokyo and Seoul last December did not require Japan to issue such letters of apology.

"Both countries are required to sincerely fulfill the contents of the agreement, and apology letters are not included in those contents," the prime minister said, reiterating remarks made by Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida on the issue Friday.

At the end of last year, Abe, by proxy, renewed an official apology for the wartime atrocities committed by Japan's military in WWII during its occupation of the Korean Peninsular, expressing his "most sincere" apologies and remorse to all those who suffered immeasurable and incurable physical and mental wounds as "comfort women."

An accord was thus struck with South Korea that would see Japan pay 1 billion yen (9.87 million U.S. dollars) to a fund for the surviving "comfort women" and Japan conceded that its current government recognizes its responsibility over the issue and the "grave affront to the honor and dignity of large numbers of women," caused by the Imperial Japanese Army during its occupation.

The apology and admission of guilt seemingly cemented a new accord between Tokyo and Seoul, with both sides also agreeing to no longer antagonize each other over the issue on global platforms, but Tokyo's pledge to contribute to the fund for the remaining surviving "comfort women," was quickly followed with the undiscussed stipulation that Seoul removes a statue of tribute to the women from near the Japanese Embassy in Seoul.

The "comfort women" deal, while initially being hailed as a great step toward bridging a historical divide between Japan and South Korea and helping to reinstate diplomatic ties between Tokyo and Seoul, took a turn for the worse when Abe and other senior Japanese politicians added the unwarranted stipulation.

Seoul, for its part, according to local media sources here, had expected Japan to take further measures to show compassion for the "comfort women" and Abe's remarks Monday could further test what had initially been heralded as a landmark agreement made between the two countries and a step towards mending bilateral ties.

The widely-used term "comfort women" is a euphemism used to describe hundreds of thousands of girls, including underage teenagers, and women, largely from the Korean Peninsular, but also from other Asian nations, who were forcibly coerced into working in military brothels and serving members of the Imperial Japanese Army, during its brutal wartime occupation.

Tens of thousands of women aside from Koreans, from then occupied countries, comprising women from China as well as the Philippines, Myanmar, Indonesia and those from the Netherlands and a contingent of Australian women, were also forced to service Japanese soldiers in wartime sex camps.

The statue that remains a problematic issue for Japan was erected in 2011 by a South Korean civic group called the Korean Council for Women Drafted for Sexual Slavery by Japan and pays tribute to the "comfort women" victims and the deplorable suffering inflicted on them by the Imperial Japanese Army.

Political watchers have maintained that as with a number of statues around the world paying homage to historical figures and groups who have suffered internationally-recognized injustices, Japan has no right to insist on the statue in Seoul being removed.

Similarly, sources close to the matter on Monday stated that Japan simply "throwing money" as restitution for its wartime wrongdoings was a superficial gesture and Japan issuing letters of apology would be an earnest showing of true regret and remorse to the victims.

[Editor: huaxia]
010020070750000000000000011100001357304271