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1st 'comfort women' statue installed in Taiwan

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Pukey2Aug. 18  10:32 am JST

Ossan:

So what exactly DID he say? He's as bad as your 'excuse of a president' when it comes to lying and spinning things.

Abe said "There is no evidence that they were coerced". Meaning, they were not kidnapped by IJA soldiers as per the South Korean (and your) narrative. This is collaborated by all US documentation from the time, as well as the results of a 7 year U.S,. inter agency investigation. The claim of being kidnapped comes from survivor testimony which has been deemed "contradictory and not credible" by Prof Ahn, Prof Soh and Prof Park. All South Korean scholars. They have concluded that they were recruited, sold off by their families or deceived by Korean middlemen and ended up in the Comfort Women System.

So what did Abe say? The latest is:

"As Prime Minister of Japan, Prime Minister Abe expresses anew his most sincere apologies and remorse to all the women who underwent immeasurable and painful experiences and suffered incurable physical and psychological wounds as comfort women."

https://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2015/12/28/full-text-japan-south-korea-statement-on-comfort-women/

Just a little googling will produce this information. No need to ask.

Trump is irrelevant to this article and discussion. And I certainly didn't vote for him. So you hate all Japanese because you don't like Abe, and you hate all Americans cause you don't like Trump? Every look up the definition of prejudice?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Ossan:

So what exactly DID he say? He's as bad as your 'excuse of a president' when it comes to lying and spinning things.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Abe never said "it never happened". Nobody in Japan refutes the existence of the Comfort Women System. Why should they, many of them were Japanese women. He said that "200,000 women were not kidnapped". This is supported by all existing documentary evidence in the U.S. from that time period. This false South Korean narrative going back to the fake news stories published by the Asahi Newspapers is a hoax.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

How many times is the Japanese government required to apologize for atrocities that occurred during WWII?

Well Mr Abe says it never really happened or people are exaggerating. Is that an apology? Two faced government needs to stop weaseling out of it's responsibility.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

No,I didn't, I just don't think that counts as a news. 'China may try to join hands with Japan'- is that a news? Any country might join hands with any other country-based on economical or political situation.

Fair enough. Nevertheless always interested in the agendas of Abe and his Chinese opponent.

Plus, Japanese government has no backbone to build any relationships without looking back at the US, so I don't think its happening any time soon.

Do you prefer a more independent role of Japan?

Yeah, only the difference is that whatever the J government does 70 years later it will be too little too late. Still it would be good if some politicians stopped their denial of what was happening.

Agree, although for their neighbours sake and for the sake of the Japanese they should reach some consent over their shared history. Better too late than doing nothing at all.

The Germans maintained a coloured story till the 1970s.

I think these issues will stay as a grudge for a very long time because they were not dealt with at once. And politicians will keep reminding of them to the citizens in case of any political issue with Japan

Agree, maybe you need a new generation for that.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

This is why this issue will never go away...

It doesn't matter how many times you apologize, if you do not openly accept and admit responsibility yourself or on behalf of those that did it. Saying sorry without meaning it or without showing any remorse (fake lip service) is even more painful than saying nothing...

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

South Korea has very strong links to the Philippines. Links to Taiwan are also pretty good.

Japan also has strong links to both. I hear a lot of negative stuff about Koreans from the Philippines - much less about Japan. In any case, this does nothing to show that Korea has more friends while Japan doesn't as you said. I could talk about India and Vietnam, among others. But all that would do is demonstrate that Japan has stronger international ties than Korea. Sorry, but the "Japan has no friends" meme doesn't hold water.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

@Netgrump

You missed the news as Japan led by Mr Abe is aligning with the PRC.

No,I didn't, I just don't think that counts as a news. 'China may try to join hands with Japan'- is that a news? Any country might join hands with any other country-based on economical or political situation.

Voicing hopes for improving the relationships is not same as building some joint strategy. That article is aimed mostly at the US who see China-Japan alliance as a threat, because of course everyone in the world builds relationships to 'challenge US'. What a self-centered thinking. Plus, Japanese government has no backbone to build any relationships without looking back at the US, so I don't think its happening any time soon.

Maybe you should ask by yourself why Japans old ally Germany isn't asked for apologies anymore by victim countries after 70 years...

Yeah, only the difference is that whatever the J government does 70 years later it will be too little too late. Still it would be good if some politicians stopped their denial of what was happening.

I think these issues will stay as a grudge for a very long time because they were not dealt with at once. And politicians will keep reminding of them to the citizens in case of any political issue with Japan.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Regardless of what they say, these movements are all backed by the KMT, which are not Taiwanese. KMT are mainlanders that invaded Taiwan after losing the Chinese civil war. They still hold power economically and politically. Their anti-Japanese setiments are almost as deep as mainland Chinese.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

CHINA IS NOT A SUPERPOWER!!!!

Whatever you want to believe to fit your world view. But the rest of us know it is the only credible candidate for super power status other than the USA.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

For heaven's sake, let it go. This war ended 73 years ago. What if the Japanese built a monument to the victims of the Tiananmen Square Massacre in 1989?

What if the Japanese set up a monument to many women who have recently been raped by American soldiers on Okinawa?

Many of the so-called "comfort women" did it voluntarily and were under the protection of Japanese Imperial Army and knew that they would fare better than civilians during the war. And what of the brutality of China under Mao in the last seventy years after the war?

Endeavouring to humiliate the contemporary Japanese by event that happened many decades before they were born is not honourable or productive. If the suffering of these women (many of them volunteers) needed to be celebrated in a monument, why wasn't it done twenty years ago.... or forty years ago ..... or sixty years ago?

The erection of such a monument at this time in the twenty first century is a spiteful and counterproductive act and likely to cause animosity on all sides and destabilise the region.

Let go of it.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

No Japanese politician to date has denied the existence of the Comfort Women System. What has been denied is the South Korean narrative that "200,000 women were kidnapped". All documentation possessed by the US from during WWII indicates that they were not "kidnapped". Prof Ahn , Prof Park and Pro Soh, South Koreans have denounced the testimony of the survivors as "contradictory and not credible". That Japan has addressed this issue apologized and paid compensation is also well documented. Why this issue continues despite these facts can only be explained by this article:

http://www.atimes.com/article/beijing-weaponizes-comfort-women-propaganda-tool/

6 ( +9 / -3 )

"China is less bothered about maintaining close links because it is the superpower.!

Definition of superpower

: excessive or superior power

2

a : an extremely powerful nation; specifically : one of a very few dominant states in an era when the world is divided politically into these states and their satellites

: an international governing body able to enforce its will upon the most powerful states

CHINA IS NOT A SUPERPOWER!!!!

China cannot enforce its will on any powerful state; only on banana republics.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

Really? Tell me what friends Korea has?

South Korea has very strong links to the Philippines. Links to Taiwan are also pretty good.

China is less bothered about maintaining close links because it is the superpower. However, whatever people make of it, it won't be a never ending resentment about a refusal to atone.

-8 ( +1 / -9 )

I believe they have had recognition for 25 years at least.

https://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/postwar/issue9308.html

https://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/women/fund/policy.html

https://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/women/fund/pmletter.html

So where is the recognition? I read the first two links, and i did not see any recognition or admission of guilt. Maybe you can highlight it for me. Also, you are being dishonest if you intentionally ignore the fact that dozens of high ranking Japanese politicians, including Prime Ministers, Mayors and so on have been consistently denying or downplaying these war crimes, even going as far as insulting the victims by making antagonizing statements. How do you expect someone to believe you when you keep making these vague statements in which you never make admission of guilt, and then you loudly deny what you just said.

-7 ( +2 / -9 )

You need to ask yourself why Japan doesn't have any friends.

Really? Tell me what friends Korea has? Or China? Or Taiwan? The "Japan doesn't have allies" narrative doesn't hold up in comparison to other East Asian countries. Comparisons to European countries are irrelevant. East Asia is not a love-fest for anyone, but Japan comes off relatively better than either South Korea or China.

8 ( +10 / -2 )

The statue is purposely set next to a 1930s era Japanese department store in historical Tainan. And it was only 73 years after Great Leader Chiang were erected everywhere in the island, not before.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

The statue inaugurated by former 'president' Mark Ma, is financed by pro-China KMT Party-affiliated organisations. Unlike Seoul, South Korea, it is purposely set in the historical City of Tainan, not in the KMT Party-dominated Taipeh.

KMT-sponsored 831 Military Brothel lasted for over 30 years was far more unsanitary, exploitative, degrading than anything Japanese Army did. It targeted specifically indigenous women and also included females of political dissidents not born in China. Hypocrisy!

The purpose is divide et impera,

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Ichabod truly believes that this statue will immediately be removed after Japan re-establishes full diplomatic relations with the Republic of China-Taiwan and cease being a puppet of communist China.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Yesterday I drove past a loudspeaker car driven by some millitary-clad nutties, all praising the Japanese army and its doings during the war. Do that in a civilized country (as Germany) and you go straight to jail. Japan should have to apologize as long as they don't do a proper effort to clean up their own society and reduce it's acceptance for such attitudes.

-4 ( +4 / -8 )

It seems the political desire to keep this issue alive is supported by quite a/the volume of posters here. Let's just let it go, along the lines of: ignore it and it will go away. Japan has done enough about this issue already. END of story.

Not so smart comment here. 'Ignore it and it will go away' the poster says, but after 70 years it apparently doesn't it :)

'Japan has done enough about this issue' again..apparently not as, political motivated or not, the issue stays alive. In my home country we drink beer with our German neighbours and have fun about an American with German roots.

'End of story' always a lame one by small boys :)

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

It is not well known, but just to add another angle, the sex slaves who were brought to Japan to service troops here were also made to service US Occupation troups after the war. That is perhaps why the US never says anything about this.

I covered this in my previous summary of the arguments above:

There were sex slaves but other countries did bad stuff too.

One of the apologists' tricks is to search the history books to find some obscure crime that someone else committed to divert attention from the issue in question.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

If you look through this thread you basically see western views and local views and some unbiased views.

The only ones who have a hard time engaging in dialogue are the angry ones who are so sure they are right and accuse everyone else of being sub par and worse.

Pretty funny how as people age their mentalities get set and they don’t wanna budge from one norm.

As with most human dilemas it will take honest understanding from all parties.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

It is not well known, but just to add another angle, the sex slaves who were brought to Japan to service troops here were also made to service US Occupation troups after the war. That is perhaps why the US never says anything about this.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

These are the reasons why anything japan does will always be considered half-hearted.

Recent:

https://japantoday.com/category/politics/japan's-abe-sends-offering-to-yasukuni-shrine-on-world-war-two-anniversary

Past:

Most people agree that German atonement -- while more conflicted than it's often portrayed -- has exceeded Japan's in both substance and image. Willy Brandt kneeling at the Warsaw Ghetto memorial in 1970 resonates far more powerfully in popular consciousness than former Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama's bland if equally sincere apology in 1995.

Nor was the image of Japan helped when -- on the same April day that Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi delivered his "heartfelt apology" before Asian and African leaders in Jakarta -- the patriotic id of Japan popped out in the form of 80 Japanese lawmakers visiting the Yasukuni shrine, where the spirits of 14 class-A war criminals are enshrined with about 2.5 million Japanese war dead.

https://www.sfgate.com/opinion/article/Japan-and-the-German-sackcloth-Other-countries-2622028.php

1 ( +3 / -2 )

It would be reasonable to assume that most,if not all of the Comfort Women have passed away. If this is the case, who will be putting their hands out for the money?

0 ( +2 / -2 )

I think I have summarised the debate quite well here. Did I miss anything?

As I'm attracting down votes for my post, I must have missed something, but they won't say what it was.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

This was a done deal some 30 odd years ago. It would seem that this generation wants a slice of the cash too. The Korean government took their wad of cash and spent it on infrastructure instead of passing it on to the women. I guess the Taiwanese government did the same thing.

However, when you have Japanese historians and politicians continually downplaying and denying the use of wartime sex slaves one can start to accept why these country’s people are still quite angry, but they should stop asking for cash and just seek recognition. 5e fact they keep asking for cash just makes them look petty and insincere.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

I think it would be best for Japan to just politely ignore this whole situation. Vehement denials and protestations prevent the situation from healing.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Another Nation bullying Japan. I am angry even 1 person in Taiwan could hate Japan. Enough is enough! As I always say, Japans only real friend and closest ally to rely on is the USA.

You need to ask yourself why Japan doesn't have any friends.

Japan is not really an ally of the USA, just a vaguely useful counter balance to China. A harmless sycophant. A recent survey put Japan as 21st in American eyes on the ally list - below Greece and one above Iceland.

If Japan wants allies it can rely on it should look closer to home.

2 ( +8 / -6 )

waste time!

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Another Nation bullying Japan. I am angry even 1 person in Taiwan could hate Japan. Enough is enough! As I always say, Japans only real friend and closest ally to rely on is the USA.

-4 ( +4 / -8 )

I think I have worked out the 2 side's arguments in this debate:

Side 1: Japan institutionalised sexual slavery during the war and had never atoned for it, despite some half-heated utterances.

Side 2:

There were no sex slaves but many well-paid willing prostitutes

There were sex slaves but Japan said sorry in 1995 so stop complaining.

There were sex slaves but other countries did bad stuff too.

There may have been sex slaves but it was a long time ago so stop complaining.

This is all about money.

This is all about politics and trying to make Japan look bad.

-

I think I have summarised the debate quite well here. Did I miss anything?

0 ( +4 / -4 )

It's the same in US with the Democratic party trying to erase the history they have of slavery. 

Yes, we should never forget that the Democrats used to be the right wing party in the USA and the Republicans the left wing party. The kind of people who voted Republican today voted Democratic in the previous century.

However I'm not sure it is really relevant to this debate other than as a device to detract attention from the real issue.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Japanese women are also victims, don't forget that.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Might as well get used to it, because this issue will never die, ever. The protesters in the picture are all college-aged, two generations after the actual victims.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

"Oh, god. Let it go already." I would normally agree if Japan ever owned up to its WW2 history.

0 ( +6 / -6 )

The time is long past overdue for Japan to erect its own comfort women statues – starting with one at the Yasukuni shrine, outside of parliament, at the Hiroshima monument, at the great Buddha in Kamakura, and a few hundred other locations. And in the countries which were directly affected, one outside of every Japanese embassy.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

It seems the political desire to keep this issue alive is supported by quite a/the volume of posters here. Let's just let it go, along the lines of: ignore it and it will go away. Japan has done enough about this issue already. END of story.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

@ ossanamerica

Nice try but no point missed here. Everyone loves to use Germany as a comparison, ignoring the fact that Germany is not surrounded by nations that want to keep WWII issues alive perpetually and will therefore never accept any apologies.

Well that's exactly what I mean with my suggestion ' Maybe you should ask ..' as living in a neighbouring country of Germany. I didn't address you but another poster above..context ..context... :)

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

The Elder Taiwanese man told me, the KMT has colonized Taiwan. Taiwan is independence state. Chinese Government wants to take over Taiwan because of KMT came to Taiwan and occupied Taiwan by force. Taiwanese peoples have resisted when KMT came to Taiwan and KMT killed many Taiwanese peoples. Taiwan has been modernized by Japanese before KMT came to Taiwan. Taiwanese doesn't like KMT and only peoples with immigrant background are supporting KMT.

Now unpopular KMT is playing politics with comfort women.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

ThePBotAug. 14  11:05 pm JST

 But it looks like the apology was made in 1995-and no one of them knew this fact. Looks like an apology alone is not enough for these kind of matters. 

And it looks like you're unaware of the fact that the Japanese government has questioned, if not, retracted those apologies ever since. What kind of an apology is it when it's not even sincere?

Please show us where Japan has ever "retracted" an apology. It's this kind of nonsense that keeps issues like this going forever.,

5 ( +11 / -6 )

NetgrumpAug. 14  11:28 pm JST

@ Ossanamerica

Maybe you should ask by yourself why Japans old ally Germany isn't asked for apologies anymore by victim countries after 70 years...

Germany has never addressed much less apologized or paid compensation for it's military brothels during WWII. Japan has.

*"According to records, at least 34,140 European women were forced to serve as prostitutes during the German occupation of their own countries along with female prisoners of concentration camp brothels.[1] In many cases in Eastern Europe, the women involved were kidnapped on the streets of occupied cities during German military and police round ups called łapanka** or rafle.[3][4] "*

You missed the point so read again and your search activity os off-topic as well :)

Nice try but no point missed here. Everyone loves to use Germany as a comparison, ignoring the fact that Germany is not surrounded by nations that want to keep WWII issues alive perpetually and will therefore never accept any apologies. And regarding the Comfort Women issue, the comparison falls flat as proven.

4 ( +11 / -7 )

@Wolfpack: I agree with you completely, you expressed what I think way better than I am able to do. Thanks.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

The people of Taiwan and other nations should not in any way be dissuaded from marking the history of the comfort women. As a post above states, all countries have been involved in tragic historical events or periods of time. It is when these remembrances are turned into a weapon for the benefit of people today who were in no way directly affected by the past event is what causes a problem for me.

After saying "one or two Japanese politicians have in the past expressed remorse," Ma was evasive when asked what kind of apology he would deem satisfactory. He said the Japanese government needed to figure that out itself, and he was in no position to tell it what to do.

The past should be remembered and learned from. It isn’t an excuse to use bitter memories for political gain when the Japanese have tried to make amends and you reject it.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

@smith: I never denied that the Japanese soldiers abused of women in war. I never did it. You are creating your own narrative about me, as usual. Just because I think - and it's absolutely a FACT - that all the soldiers, of any Country involved in war, abused of women, but ONLY in some cases these events are used by some governments as a POLITICAL TOOL for the sake of their political agenda, this doesn't mean I deny what Japanese soldiers in particular did. Why are you so upset by the fact that I said that American soldiers and South Korean soldiers did the same, but in their case - at least so far - the matter isn't used conveniently as a political tool by some parties? I just said the truth. Sorry, but I am a very objective and well informed person. Have a nice day.

9 ( +11 / -2 )

Look what happened was bad and affected many people's lives. It should be learned from and lets not have happen again. Every nation on earth has done things like this through out human history. So are we know going to go to each and every country to tell leaders who had nothing to do with these past events to pay up. No, this beyond ridiculous, never mind many things is history being left of what, why, who and how about all these past events. It's the same in US with the Democratic party trying to erase the history they have of slavery. The take down this statue or that one because it reminds us of the past, which it should so we do not repeat. Stop getting offended everytime, learn from past mistakes, don't repeat and live good,respectful life with others....Yes i will get negative clicks, so what. I could say the sky is blue and someone would complain, such is life...

-6 ( +3 / -9 )

All these anti Japan nationalists follow the same tired script,

It seems to me these days that having a legitimate opinion which is not in agreement with a section of the Japanese population makes a person anti-Japanese.

And what makes the commenter think that these people are nationalists?

-4 ( +5 / -9 )

Here we go again!

I find it amusing that the people who erect these statues and protest around them are at least 2 generations on from those that were involved. I suspect the compensation culture is linked to this generation and being driven by the younger relatives of the "comfort women" who fear that when they pass away their claim to anything will be greatly reduced.

As with all things, it seems that this is primarily driven by money, not by common sense and that those that seek to dig up issues long since passed and resolved need to really think about what motivates them in life. It was 70 years ago!!!! Move on, get over it!

7 ( +12 / -5 )

@ Ossanamerica

Germany has never addressed much less apologized or paid compensation for it's military brothels during WWII. Japan has.

"According to records, at least 34,140 European women were forced to serve as prostitutes during the German occupation of their own countries along with female prisoners of concentration camp brothels.[1] In many cases in Eastern Europe, the women involved were kidnapped on the streets of occupied cities during German military and police round ups called **łapanka or rafle.[3][4] "**

You missed the point so read again and your search activity os off-topic as well :)

-4 ( +5 / -9 )

A mournful look and a bow is not enough when actions reflect otherwise.

-6 ( +3 / -9 )

 But it looks like the apology was made in 1995-and no one of them knew this fact. Looks like an apology alone is not enough for these kind of matters. 

And it looks like you're unaware of the fact that the Japanese government has questioned, if not, retracted those apologies ever since. What kind of an apology is it when it's not even sincere?

But the people talked about in this article aren't even looking for an apology. They're just honoring their own victims. What? Is that not allowed for them to do? Is Japan really going to get offended by this and threaten their relations with Taiwan? Goodness, it's kind of like IF Americans would get all angry every time Japan commemorates the atomic bombings and say that it was a war crime.

-3 ( +8 / -11 )

I have every sympathy for the comfort women, but how many apologies are enough, and after how long. Will Taiwan’s traditional government the Kuomintang then apologies to what it did in mainland China, or to true native Taiwanese indigenous peoples?

Live in the present, stop looking for every issue in the past, it’s helps nothing.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

A shame really, considering the great ties between Japan and Taiwan.

I don't say this because I think the idea of remembrance is bad, but because of the way these people go about doing it, caring little about honoring the victims and more about antagonizing Japan.

All these anti Japan nationalists follow the same tired script, like this guy in Taiwan. Japan has 'never' apologized or properly atoned, Japan has 'never' compensated victims (and always using the Asian Women's Fund as an example), etc. So played out.

1 ( +11 / -10 )

@Bill Wright

As long as human exist, there will be wars. Let's face it, We are not a really peaceful entity as we would like to self proclaimed to be.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

IloveCoffeeToday 09:41 pm JST

Asking for apology and compensation is counterproductive to their case in my opinion. What would be more productive is to ask for recognition.

I believe they have had recognition for 25 years at least.

https://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/postwar/issue9308.html

https://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/women/fund/policy.html

https://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/women/fund/pmletter.html

3 ( +10 / -7 )

Asking for apology and compensation is counterproductive to their case in my opinion. What would be more productive is to ask for recognition.

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

In Memory — Least we forget man’s atrocities to mankind! It’s as befitting as those erected in Nagasaki And Hiroshima cities and others cities worldwide — War is a cruel affair to all, we all pray there will never never be a major world armed Conflict — There can be No winners.......

7 ( +7 / -0 )

If they set aside reparations in 1995 and acknowledged the problem then what else is there.

The people that participated are all dead probably anyway and if not its not likely that they will ever be able to atone the way people want them to. Put it in the history books. Make sure people on both sides know it happened and do better.

Let them put up the statute to raise awareness that it happened but don't blame anyone that wasn't born during that time for it. It's shaming people that never did anything.

Let China and Korea handle their own business. There is no shadow being cast over anything. This isn't drama club. They didn't dent Japan's hit points by mentioning people were killed because the entire world knows what happened. You don't see modern day Germany having any problems.

Attacking people in a news post isn't going to make up for it. People just like virtue signalling.
4 ( +8 / -4 )

Abe and their buddies should not protest and pressure to this case.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

This will continue until Japan wakes up and faces the atrocities of its past.

Which will most likely be never.

-5 ( +13 / -18 )

girl_in_tokyoToday 08:38 pm JST

Every country and people have the right to remember triumphs and tragedies, people or places in the way of their choosing.

Be respectful and quiet as people remember their countrymen for a tragedy they faced.

This is exactly what I wanted to say. This is about memorializing the comfort women - nothing more, nothing less.

If it were, you'd be 100% correct. But it's not. The comfort Women issue is a political tool which has and continues to act not to the benefit of the survivors.

8 ( +16 / -8 )

ToshihiroToday 04:53 pm JST

Ironic, the Voices in Japan topic mentioned Taiwan as having little to no sentiment against Japan's atrocities during WWII and yet this happened. Truly Ironic

Not really. The Chinese information war machine is simply at work. The population of Taiwan hasn't been brainwashed with revisionist history since WWII like South Korea.

"The comfort women issue allows China, a country which leads the world in forced abortions, gendercide (sex-selective abortions of girls in favor of giving birth to boys), and draconian restrictions on a woman’s rights to have children, to deflect from its own women’s rights record. In portraying Japan as uniquely perverted, China hopes to isolate its perennial enemy from the world community while assuming the mantle of champion of gender equality."

www.atimes.com/article/beijing-weaponizes-comfort-women-propaganda-tool/

NetgrumpToday 07:07 pm JST

Meanwhile, I don't understand how current government should be responsible for the wrongdoings of the government in charge over 70 years ago.

Maybe you should ask by yourself why Japans old ally Germany isn't asked for apologies anymore by victim countries after 70 years...

Germany has never addressed much less apologized or paid compensation for it's military brothels during WWII. Japan has.

"According to records, at least 34,140 European women were forced to serve as prostitutes during the German occupation of their own countries along with female prisoners of concentration camp brothels.[1] In many cases in Eastern Europe, the women involved were kidnapped on the streets of occupied cities during German military and police round ups called łapanka or rafle.[3][4] "

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_military_brothels_in_World_War_II

13 ( +19 / -6 )

After the WW2, when the Americans took over South Korea from the Japanese, they kept the "establishments", just raised the ranks of soldiers (officers) allowed to enjoy. No word about that.

9 ( +14 / -5 )

"Let it go already"

Yeah, nah. I don't blame these victims for their constant "barking" about atrocities when the so called aggressors are brushing off such issues nonchalantly.

Got to change your attitude if you want people to be more sympathetic of you.

-6 ( +10 / -16 )

Every country and people have the right to remember triumphs and tragedies, people or places in the way of their choosing.

Be respectful and quiet as people remember their countrymen for a tragedy they faced.

This is exactly what I wanted to say. This is about memorializing the comfort women - nothing more, nothing less. If the Japanese government protests, what impression does that give?

-2 ( +12 / -14 )

@Toshihiro not really that ironic, this is just a bunch of people that decided to protest and do this, nothing to do with the government or even a fraction of how Taiwanese people feel or think

10 ( +11 / -1 )

Every country and people have the right to remember triumphs and tragedies, people or places in the way of their choosing. Japan remembers war dead including convicted criminals of war crimes. Japan also remembers the A-bombs and the victory of the Japanese fleet over the Russian fleet in WWI. The allies remember many things from both world wars and the Jews will always remember the Nazi's. That some in Taiwan wish to remember comfort women with a statue is neither unreasonable nor wrong. It is their right to do so. That Japan must always comment negatively about such remembrances simply means it still bares some shame over the issue.

Be respectful and quiet as people remember their countrymen for a tragedy they faced. As you would want others to be respectful of your own tragedies. Germans are respectful and supportive when Jews mention the Holocaust. They do not say, get over it already, your embarrassing us. Its not about the Germans and this is not about the Japanese its about a group of women who went through a tragedy.

4 ( +12 / -8 )

Is this a Taiwan-wide, huge movement with hundreds of thousands of people participating?

Probably not.

I wonder how many people are actually involved in this.

Couple hundred? Less?

14 ( +17 / -3 )

I don't know why, but I have the feeling that this was supported by mainland china.

I mean, Ma Ying-jeou who is the face of this even was known and their party voted out of office because they started to be in bed with the communist party of China, and knowing that the communist party wants to basically invade Taiwan...

13 ( +19 / -6 )

There's no harm in a reminder of brutality against women. Be it in war or peactime, women are still being treated badly all over the world through oppression, violence (domestic and otherwise), sexual assault and in the workplace.

17 ( +21 / -4 )

Despite all the bad history, I think its a very strange timing for this protest and a memorial. Who would be interested in worsening the Taiwan-Japan connections now? It would make sense for Chinese government to alienate Taiwan from Japan, and put a pressure to align with mainland.

You missed the news as Japan led by Mr Abe is aligning with the PRC.

"I'd like to lead Japan-China relations to a new stage by promoting the overall improvement in bilateral ties," Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told Chinese Premier Li Keqiang during their meeting in Tokyo in May.

Meanwhile, I don't understand how current government should be responsible for the wrongdoings of the government in charge over 70 years ago.

Maybe you should ask by yourself why Japans old ally Germany isn't asked for apologies anymore by victim countries after 70 years...

-7 ( +9 / -16 )

haloerika: "It serves as a reminder of a dark history. As a Japanese I’m not at all bothered. It’s not like they’re blackmailing us."

Good on you! And that's how most current Japanese should see it as well; not as a statement on them, and never a condemnation of them for things they did not do. We are not responsible for the "sins of the father", save for those that call it a lie or fabrication -- they are just as guilty as the soldiers who committed the atrocities, for they would allow it to happen again in their attempts to wipe out true history.

-15 ( +15 / -30 )

Alex80: "People who want to try to compare Taiwan to South Korea situations are completely wrong. Taiwan government isn't asking for new apologizes and deals. Come on."

Didn't take you long to get that one wrong. Which makes you wrong about it not being comparable with South Korea. Oops! Fine work. And yes, it absolutely CAN be comparable, same as the rage of right-wingers on here towards a statue recognizing the horrors of war. Why can you be equally loathe about a statue on Taiwan's soil, but posters not allowed to say rape and coercion of Taiwanese women is similar to that of the Koreans, who experienced it a thousand fold, other than sheer volume?

"Taiwan government isn't asking for any apology. "

Can't backtrack, Alex. You already made a mistake in your assumptions.

"Indeed, you don't see South Korea protesting against the USA for the same reason, despite many South Korean women were used like "comfort women" also by the American soldiers."

So, you admit Japan did it, even though deflection? And in any case, there are people in Korea that protest every little bit as much as Okinawans and others do against the US military.

-15 ( +9 / -24 )

@haloerika

Good on you, mate.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

Let Taiwan and Korea have their statue. Let the PM of Japan visit Yasukuni. Fair deal.

-3 ( +12 / -15 )

@GregB: Taiwan government isn't asking for any apology. That is South Korea government. When Taiwan government will start to do the same, well it will mean simply that Taiwan changed its political agenda. Sadly, this problem is only a political tool. Indeed, you don't see South Korea protesting against the USA for the same reason, despite many South Korean women were used like "comfort women" also by the American soldiers. There's not any government that care genuinely of women abused in war. This is why, for example, Vietnam isn't asking for any apology and compensation to South Korea for the atrocities that South Korean soldiers committed against Vietnamese women. At the moment, it's not politically convenient for Vietnam acting this way, but someday the situation could change.

16 ( +20 / -4 )

In 1995, the Japanese government set up the Asian Women's Fund and offered atonement money and a letter of apology from the prime minister to victims from South Korea, Taiwan and other nations.

The project continued until 2002 for Taiwanese victims, but many refused to accept payment on the grounds that the Japanese government's legal responsibility remained unaddressed.

Despite all the bad history, I think its a very strange timing for this protest and a memorial. Who would be interested in worsening the Taiwan-Japan connections now? It would make sense for Chinese government to alienate Taiwan from Japan, and put a pressure to align with mainland.

On the other hand,I remember my Asian fellow students being angry about 'no official apology from Japan' for what was done. But it looks like the apology was made in 1995-and no one of them knew this fact. Looks like an apology alone is not enough for these kind of matters. Meanwhile, I don't understand how current government should be responsible for the wrongdoings of the government in charge over 70 years ago.

15 ( +20 / -5 )

How many times is the Japanese government required to apologize for atrocities that occurred during WWII? At some point both governments need to have concrete discussions to finally put this matter to rest.

10 ( +22 / -12 )

apologies*

1 ( +2 / -1 )

@Schopenhauer: they are only a local group of people who are protesting for something. It's their right, like in any democracy. If I got correctly, they are even supported by a nationalist leader. Anyway it's not like Taiwan government is involved in this. The article said clearly it's not the case. When Taiwan government will start to ask for new apologizes, agreements and compensation, well we could compare Taiwan to South Korea. Now, it's completely different.

22 ( +25 / -3 )

Hmmmm......   If they pout half as much effort into modern day people trafficking and sex slavery and the like it would be energy far better spent.

17 ( +29 / -12 )

They are coward. If they have any complaint, they should appeal to justices. This is nothing but damaging the image of Japan on purpose. You cannot do the same thing to other countries.

1 ( +25 / -24 )

People who want to try to compare Taiwan to South Korea situations are completely wrong. Taiwan government isn't asking for new apologizes and deals. Come on.

17 ( +25 / -8 )

"B-b-b-b-b-but I thought Taiwan liked us!"

I can just hear it now. Well, that and people who demand respect be paid to Japanese kidnap victims or atomic bomb sufferers "Let it go already" or "why it took 70 years?" when it comes to Japan being the aggressors in the real history books.

Epee: "I believe it'll last as long as Japan is obnoxious about it."

Exactly, and the fact that some Japanese, and in the article itself claim it could cast a shadow on relations for saying that recognising the extreme abuse, rape, and murder of innocent women after being coerced and forced into sexual slavery, and that it should never be repeated is necessary says a lot about the Japanese government, nationalists, and people who defend them on this issue. Hell, I bet before the day is up we see some of the regulars come on with bots to thumb down people who support acknowledging history, and claiming that South Korea were the aggressors and the women "well paid volunteers", as one poster loves to claim on this issue while demanding it be forgotten and claiming Japan has showed repentance (for this made up propaganda).

-21 ( +24 / -45 )

They do not have to be afraid of anything by embarrassing Japan. Nobody in the world is afraid of Japan. Free to insult.

-7 ( +17 / -24 )

What is the significance of the white masks?

20 ( +21 / -1 )

Bitterness kills.

9 ( +25 / -16 )

SpeedToday 04:20 pm JST

Oh, god. Let it go already.

I believe it'll last as long as Japan is obnoxious about it.

-7 ( +27 / -34 )

Ironic, the Voices in Japan topic mentioned Taiwan as having little to no sentiment against Japan's atrocities during WWII and yet this happened. Truly Ironic

2 ( +19 / -17 )

Why it took 70 years?

-14 ( +17 / -31 )

Oh, god. Let it go already.

16 ( +46 / -30 )

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