US Rocks the Comfort Women Issue
This isn’t a real post but, the resolution passed!!! For once: Yay USA! For, at least, 16 years the Japanese government has been dancing around this issue… Maybe we’ll see some change?
US urges ‘comfort women’ apology
US lawmakers have called on Japan’s government to formally apologise for its role in forcing thousands of women to work as sex slaves in World War II.
The symbolic and non-binding resolution was passed during a vote in the House of Representatives.
Up to 200,000 “comfort women” from across the Far East were part of Japan’s military brothel programme.
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The resolution calls on Japan – one of the strongest US allies in Asia – to “formally acknowledge, apologise and accept historical responsibility in a clear and unequivocal manner” for the suffering of the women.
Earlier this month, a group of Japanese lawmakers demanded the US government retract the resolution, saying it was based on “wrong information that is totally different from the historical fact”.
Tom Lantos, chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, described attempts to deny the use of sex slaves as “nauseating”.
“There can be no denying the Japanese imperial military coerced thousands upon thousands of Asian women,” Mr Lantos said.
“Those who posit that all of the comfort women were happily complicit and acting of their own accord simply do not understand the meaning of the word rape.”
Mr Abe caused an uproar in March when he said there was no proof that the government or the military had forced the women into sexual servitude.
He later apologised, saying he felt sympathy for those affected.
Full article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6923352.stm
Ah I’ve been reading about this issue from a number of sources and noted that many countries were pressuring Japan to apologise. I’m so happy that they finally did! I know that some of those women are still alive and have been protesting frequently, at least they can have some peace now.
Author’s Response: Japan hasn’t truly apologized, yet. Sorry if my quoting of the article was confusing. Abe only retracted an insane and offensive statement that he made in March.