Gov't - but not Ishihara - backs away from Hashimoto's comfort women comments

A Japanese elderly friend's opinion on Hashimoto's comments were positive reflecting a nationalistic thinking style of many men in Japan who go by the thinking, my country right or wrong.

lol, is anyone REALLY surprised, seriously?

At　First　I　support Hashimoto becuse he tried to defend USMC's camp in okinawa from minority Anti-america leftist's brame.

But now I really regret that I defend him at initial stage---This stupid Guy is spoiling US-Japan alliance now! Its really awful

I hate Commy but I hate Facists too! Why thre are No Pro-America Liberal Democratic Partys BUT only Facists Commy Cults parties for vote---

This comfort women issue has been hanging for decades. Golly...why can't Jpn once and for all do something about this and apologies personally and acknowledged them. I guess that's all comfort women asked before they pass away. We and Jpn knows some women if not all were coerced against their will as comfort women. I admired Japanese way of courtesy during my 21 years of stay in Japan. It is time for PM Abe to prove me wrong. I have heard sooo many bad news in the Philippines from the elderlies about how the Japanese Imperial Army coerced and forced filipino women into sex slaves. Some elderlies even said they were Koreans, the lowest among the ranks of Japanese Imperial army in the Philippines were the most brutal and cruel. This I wonder why they know they were Koreans and serving the Japanese army.

We went from blatant denial of history to justification of rape and torture? Is this guy even human? Absolutely disgusting as well as some of the japanese comments.

Some japanese people are actually defending him saying "well, the americans done it too". I'm sorry, that's no justification for rape.

Really tells you something about an individual when they justify rape just cuz it happened elsewhere. Implying men are not able to control their urges is laughable at best. How do people ever survive puberty without going to jail for rape? /sarcasm

Yes the Allied powers weren't saints either. But never did they abduct women and force them to have sex with that many soldiers. Nationalists discount proof from japanese soldiers and victims and keep asking for "proof".

Where is the proof behind Japan's claim that the treasures from the Korean peninsula and China were actually gifts and not pillaged? Japan's being a hypocrite... but that wasn't a surprise... especially with the idiots that run the country.

china and korea should invade japan because of this, come to think of it, mr. sakamoto who lives in fukuoka farted in the general direction of Pusan, korea should definitely invade, at least take it up with the UN

I think Toru had a great idea regarding our Marines in Okinawa. The Pentagon spokesperson should re-think DOD stance regarding prostitutes. In many European countries prostitution is legally controlled and the GIs took advantages of its services. I think a "Pink House" should be around each Marine base, them boys sure need it.

Baby-face, barb tongue, dumb brain, (d)elite politician (?) Hashimoto is making sure he is heard across the stage. Worldwide. It's time he's given a muffler. Answering questions about this, uhh, character abroad recently I found embarrassing.

@tmarie

Timtak, perhaps you should go and read yesterday's article

I did read yesterday's article, Hashimoto's statements in Japanese, and commented upon the article.

Great. Do you think that extends to all 20,000 women who were comfort women? One refusal is one refusal too many.

Hashimoto admits that there were incidents of rape as tragic exceptions to the comfort woman system. I agree, one refusal is one too many, in any sphere of work.

Many assume it to have been a system where "women were taken out of their houses at gun point and forced to have sex with Japanese soldiers," i.e. mass rape, when Hashimoto believes it was a commercial system designed to prevent rape. Who is nearer the truth? I could argue both ways, but it would not involve guns, duping, or soldiers, but up front payments and debt, such as are taken by prostitutes -- or are they sex slaves -- perhaps in greater numbers from the Philippines and Korea going to work overseas today.

You asserted that the name "comfort women," demonstrated that these women were not prostitutes. In respect of this I asked whether you thought that those front page adverts in Korean newspapers for "comfort women", with pay given (in the Japanese case, at several times that of a nurse) duped Korean women into thinking that they would be providing psychological comforting services? And if so, were women similarly duped by the Korean government when in 1961 it put out adverts for "comfort women" to provide sex to US soldiers? You did not respond. You did say however,

Sorry but if you think any woman signs up to be used by 40 guys a days, be beaten, be given STDs... I think you and I live on very different planets.

I think we live on the same planet. But I think that the world that we live in now, and that in Japan during the war, are very different planets.

I wish we heard more about the Korean miners.

The fact that people are even discussing "comfort women" in the context of prostitution is utterly wrong. They were our sisters, mothers and daughters. Ordinary women that were taken from their houses at gun point and forced to have sex with Japanese soldiers.

Approximately three quarters of comfort women died, and most survivors were left infertile due to sexual trauma or sexually transmitted disease. Most international media sources quote about 200,000 young women were recruited or kidnapped by soldiers to serve in Japanese military brothels.

Victims from East Timor testified they were forced into slavery even when they were not old enough to have started menstruating. Kentaro Igusa, a Japanese naval surgeon who was stationed in Rabaul wrote in his memoirs that the women continued to work through infection and severe discomfort, though they cried and begged for help.

Having women provide services of their own free will is not the same as kidnapping and rape

Never said it was.

Hashimoto is condoning rape. Get it? Rape. Not paid sexual service.

Now you're just being ridiculous.

Did Hashimoto ever visited war zones to conclude his opinon?

There is a huge sex industry catering to US soldiers in Okinawa and other US bases in Japan and it only takes a 5 minute walk from Shinjuku east gate heading towards Kabukicho to see that there are literally hundreds of sex establishments willing to take yen from foreigners. Don't even get me started on Roppongi...

Not really true. Try taking a walk in Yokohama around the Hinedocho Station area and you will see many sex shops and buy me drink places, and most will give the "No Foreigners" Same thing in Yokosuka, the Honch used to have a few shops, but Shore Patrol and the police hit them heavy. Most of the action is around the Yokosuka Chuo area, and that area is not foreigner friendly. As for Okinawa, Gate 2 used to see much action but again public outcry has closed most of the action. The establishments in Naha don't like to cater to foreigners, and will not take money from them for fear of losing their Japanese customer base. Same as in places like Osaka. Hashimoto is saying one thing, but not really looking at what really goes on.

This is the guy who wanted to can city employees for having tattoos, so do you really think that he would welcome foreigners using the sex industry in his city and other Japanese establishments?

To counter people like this guy, sometimes you have to hit them with the truth. The truth is, the sex industry in Japan discriminates against foreigners, something that people like him don't want to admit in public.

Never been to Okinawa or Shinjuku I assume. There is a huge sex industry catering to US soldiers in Okinawa and other US bases in Japan and it only takes a 5 minute walk from Shinjuku east gate heading towards Kabukicho to see that there are literally hundreds of sex establishments willing to take yen from foreigners. Don't even get me started on Roppongi...

Hashimoto, incredibly, wants to know why Japan is being unfairly singled out for its soldiers using sex slaves to satisfy their hentai urges, lol.

Meanwhile, in Washington, Pentagon press spokesman George Little on Monday ridiculed Hashimoto’s suggestion that U.S. Marines on Okinawa avail themselves of local sex services in order to control their sexual urges.

I don't agree with his methods but he has a point. When I read on another forum where he told the commanding General those words, the General just gave a stock stern reply that the US military does not condone that type of behavior. What the General should have said was that's a good idea, let's start doing that as soon as those sex establishments start to allow foreigners to enter them and stop turnig them away.

To counter people like this guy, sometimes you have to hit them with the truth. The truth is, the sex industry in Japan discriminates against foreigners, something that people like him don't want to admit in public.

I do think that the military needs to loosen up a bit. I understand that you shouldn't be going to places where the women are held against their will for services, but if the government of Japan lets a business in the sex industry operate, then why can't the military let it's members go and visit. Maybe when a few druken guys get roughed up by the local Yaks when they get out of line, the message will be sent to be on your "P's and Q's" when out at night and abiding by the rules.

Comfort women captured by the US Army in Burma reported in their interrogations that they did have the right to refuse soldiers and exercised the right often.

Great. Do you think that extends to all 20,000 women who were comfort women? One refusal is one refusal too many.

is the first Japanese that is being honest about the Comfort women and what they did and that they were forced by the military at the time.

I guess you missed him trying to backtrack on this by stating that if there was "proof". Hashi realised that he was being given the cold shoulder so quickly changed his tune - just like he's done on nuclear power. A wolf in sheep's clothing who changes his jacket depending on the pack.

Japan was wrong but it happens and it even happened in Vietnam believe it or not.

I don't think anyone is questioning if it happens in other places or not. Rape is known to be used as a weapon of war. The outrage is because he CONDONES this while most other governments would not - or would be wise enough to keep their mouths shut if they were so barbaric.

“When soldiers risk their lives under a hail of bullets, and you want to give them a rest somewhere, it is clear that you need a comfort women system,” Hashimoto said.

So here is an open question to both Hashimoto and Ishihara........"Would you both be willing to provide your wife and daughters to work as comfort women if Japan head off to war in the very near future?"?

Why on earth do people keep voting in these morons to run things???????

I support Hashimoto, He is the first Japanese that is being honest about the Comfort women and what they did and that they were forced by the military at the time. As he states that when at war countries would do anything to control their men in the field and that is what the Japanese military did with the comfort women. Japan was wrong but it happens and it even happened in Vietnam believe it or not.

I am certainly not denying that some women do "sign up" to become prostitutes but even a prostitue has the "right" to say no and leave. These women were NOT allowed this. Hence it is rape. It pains me that I have to spell this out to someone who thinks they are so very clever. Rape. Look up the meaning.

Comfort women captured by the US Army in Burma reported in their interrogations that they did have the right to refuse soldiers and exercised the right often.

he is just as bad as Hashimoto in almost deliberately trying to destroy relations with neighboring countries - my mistake, I meant, Ishihara!

Nothing decent has ever come out of Hashimoto's mouth, from trying to force government workers to own up to having tattoos and face the consequences of be fired if they do, or be fired if they don't own up, to this now unfathomable remark about the multitude of women forced into prostitution. Coming from a paternal 'mafia' background, I often wonder how and why this creep was even allowed into politics! He has no regard for peoples' rights or feelings and he is just as bad as Hashimoto in almost deliberately trying to destroy relations with neighboring countries. If people continue to praise or allow these two mongrels to stay in power, there has got to be something wrong with this government and country!

Timtak, perhaps you should go and read yesterday's article about this as he did indeed condone rape and said that it was needed to allow soliders to relax. Sorry but if you think any woman signs up to be used by 40 guys a days, be beaten, be given STDs... I think you and I live on very different planets.

I am certainly not denying that some women do "sign up" to become prostitutes but even a prostitue has the "right" to say no and leave. These women were NOT allowed this. Hence it is rape. It pains me that I have to spell this out to someone who thinks they are so very clever. Rape. Look up the meaning.

Hashimoto did not condone rape. Quite the reverse. He believes that prostitutes, not sex slaves, were and should be provided to reduce incidents of rape perpetrated by soldiers.

Little ridicules the use of prostitutes and points out that Marines are forbidden from using them.

After the marines raped an Okinawan girl in 1995, US admiral Macke, also wished that the men had availed themselves of a prostitute, and was so reviled for this suggestion that he was forced into retirement and demoted.

tmarie wrote

Confort women does not equal prostitutes. If it did, another word for this type of service would not be needed.

Hashimoto believes that, with tragic exceptions, the majority of comfort women were prostitutes.

The term "comfort women" or "ianfu" (慰安婦 I am not sure how they are pronounced in Korean) was used to recruit women as prostitutes for US military personnel during the Korean war. How does the use of this word "comfort women" prove anything?

Do you believe that the women were duped into thinking that they would be providing non sexual services, and thus enslaved, by the Japanese and Korean governments, through the use of this term?

Hashi did INDEED condone rape. Do you understand what this simple phrase means?? "...certain system like comfort women was necessary". THIS condones rape. Confort women does not equal prostitutes. If it did, another word for this type of service would not be needed.

Having women provide services of their own free will is not the same as kidnapping and rape. Hashimoto is condoning rape. Get it? Rape. Not paid sexual service.

Full stop - Hashimoto did not condone rape.

Here is a Japanese transcript of what Hashimoto said. As you can see, no where did he condone rape or any kind of sexual slavery. http://www.asahi.com/politics/update/0514/OSK201305130144.html

Didn't Blackwater operation in Afganistan get busted for hiring a Filipino prostitute and used govermenet funds to support them?

Having women provide services of their own free will is not the same as kidnapping and rape. Hashimoto is condoning rape. Get it? Rape. Not paid sexual service.

His comments towards Okinawa are disgusting. Do you think Hashi would be supportive if the US military started kidnapping and raping numerous women from Japan? I highly, highly doubt it.

Globalwatcher: Before Meiji new govt, in feudal era, Lords gave their daughters to opposing lords to keep their territory intact. After Boshin war, winning side main soldiers were confused. Lords from north and Kyushu offered head of their sons and daughters were for human bondage. Well, they refused and went to Tokyo and created Meiji Government. They wanted to make people same. However, Japanese customs of degrading females, they could not. Too many other jobs they had. I am from Southmost Prefecture in Japan. We heard that northern people sold their children so that their children could get elementary school education, These customs are gone a long time ago. . Many bad customs were SAYONARA now.

Im just amazed, yet again, with what politicians in Japan get away with saying on public record.

What does that say about the public who constantly vote for them and support them? Ishihara has been one of Japan's most popular politicians over many years. Chilling.

I was actually hopeful to wake up this am and see news that he resigned!

Im just amazed, yet again, with what politicians in Japan get away with saying on public record. If this was anywhere else in the developed world, his career would be over. Not so here.

toshikoMay. 15, 2013 - 05:08AM JST

2Jayman: I wrote ''''' WAS ''''''' I never wrote how Japanese people reacted. .I just wrote old practice until Gen, MacArthur tried to stop.

toshiko, this is a thumbs up comment. James Mitchener wrote a book called "sayonara" and it became a famous movie including Miss Miyoshi Umeki.

on Tuesday by arguing that prostitutes and militaries have co-existed throughout history.

and has kept on going but more discretely where it's not as open as before. Didn't Blackwater operation in Afganistan get busted for hiring a Filipino prostitute and used govermenet funds to support them?

It may not be PC to state so but unless the politicians don't mention it, there will always be problems in the future.

If what you say is true then why are the survivors not being compensated justly? It paints Japan in a rather grubby and dishonest light does it not?

Japan paid compensation to the nations it invaded in WWII. With the exception of China which waved it's right to demand reparations.

If the survivors were not compensated justly, the reason is because their government did not properly distribute the money that Japan paid out.

Hashimoto speaks out loud, what most Japanese think and have been saying amongst themselves, about the comfort women.

The doublespeak he attempts is amusing though. Why not he just be honest and say Japan was the real victim of Korea?

If what you write is true... then why do so many Japanese rush to defend these practices?... or attempt (rather poorly) to excuse them? If what you say is true then why are the survivors not being compensated justly? It paints Japan in a rather grubby and dishonest light does it not? Certainly, given that the global community can now pick and choose it's international leaders (a declared aspiration of Japan at UN level)... one couldn't see how Japan could qualify for such honours given the repeated inanne ramblings of her leaders.

Personally, I think it's quite useless to preach the moral standards of today to that of two to three generations ago. I think we should deal with the current problems of sexual slavery and human trafficking which is what Hashimoto suggested last year but instead, we are dealing with ghosts of the past which has nothing to do with the current generation.

I see even Japanese politicians have a bad case of foot-in-mouth disease. Although I agree with ka-chan that Japan has a long way to go on equal rights, this stupid statement that "comfort women are necessary" is completely beyond the pale. Sounds like the guy needs a pie in the face so that he doesn't take himself so seriously next time he opens his mouth.

2Jayman: I wrote ''''' WAS ''''''' I never wrote how Japanese people reacted. .I just wrote old practice until Gen, MacArthur tried to stop.

Hashimoto is just say what Japanese men think of women. Although, US put in a provision in the constitution about women's rights, Japan never truly accepted or practice it. It is only on paper. In reality, you know it's not true when teachers get a slap on the wrist for having sex with their students, when policemen get a slap on the wrist for up the skirt camera work and you have to have women only train carriages, usually the last one, to some what prevent "groping". Under this condition of constant abuse of their own women, of course, it is necessary to service men with women and it really doesn't matter that the women doesn't consent. Since basically what Hashimoto is saying is the women are here to service men. And some people wonder why the birthrate is still going down. China just has to be patient, eventually there won't be any Japanese.

@Toshiko

Human traffic in Japan was a common custom in Japan, (Jnshin Baikai) Crop poor northern area people used to sell their daughters to southern geisha houses called yukaku, Boys were sold to southern factories. After war was over, it took many many yeas for Gen, MacArthur to convince Japanese Govt; stopped the practice. Not only young girls of Japan, y SE Asia countries; females were rounded up and human traffic businessmen(hito-kai) supplied to military, Remind yiou, that is when females were considered less than human beings in Japan

If what you write is true... then why do so many Japanese rush to defend these practices?... or attempt (rather poorly) to excuse them? If what you say is true then why are the survivors not being compensated justly? It paints Japan in a rather grubby and dishonest light does it not? Certainly, given that the global community can now pick and choose it's international leaders (a declared aspiration of Japan at UN level)... one couldn't see how Japan could qualify for such honours given the repeated inanne ramblings of her leaders.

watching Hashimoto's career disintegrate is actually going to be quite pleasant viewing. The amazing thing is that he has even survived such a bile-inducing, moronic display of stupidity. It is equally amazing (but sadly par for the course) that so many like-minded Japanese rush to his defense. It really does speak volumes.

Hashimoto, you should send your daughter, wife, lady lover or nearest lady relative to Okinawa and let the American use her or them..........then tell us how do you feel after that. If North Korea would point their missile it should be the place where Hashimoto and Ishihara are living.

Nigelboy: Glad to know you have your opinion. At that time, Military could not care less how these girls came, Human traffic in Japan was a common custom in Japan, (Jnshin Baikai) Crop poor northern area people used to sell their daughters to southern geisha houses called yukaku, Boys were sold to southern factories. After war was over, it took many many yeas for Gen, MacArthur to convince Japanese Govt; stopped the practice. Not only young girls of Japan, y SE Asia countries; females were rounded up and human traffic businessmen(hito-kai) supplied to military, Remind yiou, that is when females were considered less than humani beings in Japan. That was a tradition Meiji /govt, tried to stop,

Toshiko

I don't know what your trying to say but based on Yoshimi's statements, it's clearly apparent that the military made sure that these women were not recruited either through kidnapping or trafficking. That's my point.

Nigelboy: I will translate for you 民間業者が慰安婦を連れてくれば If civilian businees men brought confort women, 軍隊はMilitaary recognized that they brought after kidnapping or people purchasing that miltary made sure for each case , 誘拐 (だまして連れてきたという意味)あるいは人身売買(お金を与えて慰安婦に買ってきたという意味)がでないのかいちいち確認した。 Anyway, you copied trabslation of different section,

Like all war mongers, Hashimoto is a sociopath.

These are stating that Japanese military engaged in selling and buying of people with help by civilian business men, You have to stop copying and pasting statements you do not unerstand. Wrong section all the time.

????

民間業者が慰安婦を連れてくれば軍隊は誘拐(だまして連れてきたという意味)あるいは人身売買(お金を与えて慰安婦に買ってきたという意味)がでないのかいちいち確認した。

"ｘｘｘｘでないのかいちいち確認した”　　　”でないのか”

Nigelboy wrote: 日本軍が直接出て慰安婦を募集することはできなかっただろう。 だが、慰安所は軍隊が直接用意した。 民間業者が慰安婦を連れてくれば軍隊は誘拐(だまして連れてきたという意味)あるいは人身売買(お金を与えて慰安婦に買ってきたという意味)がでないのかいちいち確認した。 誘拐や人身売買が明白でも軍隊は民間業者を全く処罰しなかった。 このような記録等を見る時日本軍が慰安婦募集に関与したというしかない" ................. . Do you know what these statements are? These are stating that Japanese military engaged in selling and buying of people with help by civilian business men, You have to stop copying and pasting statements you do not unerstand. Wrong section all the time.

English

As Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said, there is not an established definition of aggression among academics. But Japan was defeated in war. We must acknowledge that what Japan did was aggression as a result of that defeat.

It is true that Japan caused great suffering and damage to neighboring countries. Japan must reflect on it and apologize.

Japan must make its own case when it is unfairly insulted over something contrary to the truth.

Why has only Japan’s comfort women issue become the subject of international discussions?

Labeling Japan as a “rape nation,” the world has accused Japan of abducting women through a nationwide campaign and having them serve as comfort women. On that point, we must point out what is incorrect.

There are those who became comfort women against their will and they are a product of the tragedy of war. Japan also bears responsibility for that war. We must understand their feelings and make consideration.

In those days, not only Japan but also other countries used a comfort women system for their military.

With bullets flying like a rainstorm, soldiers were running, risking their lives. If rest could be provided to an army of such overwrought warriors, anyone can understand that a comfort women system was necessary.

But Japan is seen as a rape nation because of campaigns by South Korea and other parties. This is the most important point in question.

If evidence is found, we must recognize the claim. But a Cabinet decision made in 2007 says no such evidence has been found. We must make that point clear.

In order for a lunatic and sadists to be elected to such an important position in gov't, there must be a strong support from the people. But for the support of these people who probably shared the same mentality and principle as the elected, he wouldn't be able to acquire such a platform for his lunacy.

http://www.asahi.com/politics/update/0514/OSK201305130144.html

Have you read the transcript of what he actually said?

If he's a politician in US, he would've been forced to resign or step down on his own to avoid further humiliation.

Let alone seeking re-election and support from your constituents.

The fact that he's still standing here today and that some other politicians such as another name that doesn't deserved to be named is willing to stand up for a guy like him speaks volume about not only Japan's political system but the Japanese people- the voters themselves.

In order for a lunatic and sadists to be elected to such an important position in gov't, there must be a strong support from the people. But for the support of these people who probably shared the same mentality and principle as the elected, he wouldn't be able to acquire such a platform for his lunacy.

So its as much fault as a clown like him, the fault is on his supporters as well as the people on boards like this who argue for anything otherwise. Leaders should have a morality clause since moral turpitude is one of the most important element in law and governing. With such statements and filth being uttered, and with people continuing to support him, it says a lot about Japan. I'm shock to my core that no one is calling for him to step down and just disappear from the public eyes.

Seems like Japan has a different standard for everything it does and another set for what it expects from others.

So, how would you feel, serendipitous? eh?

Historian Yoshiaki Yoshimi, who conducted the first academic study on the comfort women, estimated the number to be between 50,000 and 200,000

The inaccuracies of Yoshimi is legendary. For one, he expanded on the definition of "coerced" in that since he could not locate any evidence of the government condoning or ordering of abduction of women in the former Japanese territories, he expanded to include those who were forced to join due to economic hardships. In addition, the evidence that he did provide to the newspaper was the one where the military took action because there were many criminal activities by local population to recruit women under false pretenses.

Of course, this brilliant gem.

"日本軍が直接出て慰安婦を募集することはできなかっただろう。 だが、慰安所は軍隊が直接用意した。 民間業者が慰安婦を連れてくれば軍隊は誘拐(だまして連れてきたという意味)あるいは人身売買(お金を与えて慰安婦に買ってきたという意味)がでないのかいちいち確認した。 誘拐や人身売買が明白でも軍隊は民間業者を全く処罰しなかった。 このような記録等を見る時日本軍が慰安婦募集に関与したというしかない"

"I don't think it was possible for IJA to recruit these women directly. However, the comfort stations were set up by the military. In regards to the private operators who recruited these women, the IJA constantly checked if these women were not kidnapped or sold. Even if they were recruited in such fashion, the IJA did not punish the operators. Based on these evidence, how could you not say that the IJA was involved in the recruitment".

Nigelboy, Can you even begin to imagine what it must have been like for these sex slave women to be gang raped 30-40 times every single day? They were women, people, human beings but they stopped feeling like one.

Which war are you talking about?

According to Japanese soldier Yasuji Kaneko.

This guy claimed that he was a part of the Nanking Massacre but joined the Japanese army 3 years after it occurred. He also claimed to have taken part in Unit 731 but was stationed in the other side of China...Not to mention he was involved in over 11 years of Soviet and PRC "re-education" after the war.

I wouldn't put much faith in his testimony.

The Boy Wonder really is just a child. I bet the boy wonders what all the fuss is about! And the winner is.... To veer off topic slightly (excuse me, censor) Istanbul or Madrid? they both have Allah, they both have "classes". One of them is gonna have the olympics too.

EVEN if USMC troops sometimes do bad things to okinawa ladys, They are the heros who defend okinawa from Chinese Force. So can Hashimoto describe USMC troops Stxxid? ofcourse can not! So he said "Brave troops need Japanese Commercial Prostitute" At first the confort women was Japanese Commercial Prostitute for avoid sexual crime But ,later because of bad logistics some awfully shameless stupid troops FORCED to do it at local ladys So what Hashimoto saying is " Japanese Govt should have deliverd Japanese Commercial Prostitute to Duch indonesia for avoiding shamless war crime. We regret not only troop's war crime but also Cramsy Logistics"

For a man wishing Osaka to be treated with the same consideration as Tokyo, Hashimoto done an Inoue. Well on him!!

Sarcasm aside, this the second time a prominent figure in Japanese politics has shown to have a very insular concept of the world. Whether or not his statements have merit, he should stayed away from the subject. Now he has to explain himself and hope the international community is foolish enough forget his comments, as Abe wants to define Osaka as a special economic zone.

The "How would you feel...?" comments are irrelevant. Hashimoto is actually right but silly to think it wouldn't stir up emotions. He seems to want to do so. He also said that it was against the will of those women involved so he isn't denying it was bad, just necessary at the time. One would hope that soldiers around the world are better trained and disciplined than those of 70 years ago but are they? Armies that are involved in conquering other nations have always raped and pillaged. In those days it was the norm (and although it sounds terrible but what else was there to do? No electronic toys to play with etc). At the end of the day (or at the end of almost 70 years since the end of WWII) it is time to move on and move forward.

Nigelboy So why did the central gov't's back away and reject Hashimoto's statement?

Because it's not politically correct. Because they are an opposition party.

Hashimoto says the "comfort women" served a necessary role by keeping troops in check. Besides being an absolutely insane and morally corrupt belief, it didn't really work, did it? The presence of government sanctioned rape stations didn't stop them from raping other women wherever they went. That's because rape is an act of violence, dominance, and humiliation, and has nothing to do with normal sexual urges. Hashimoto has no respect for women or the truth.

Nigelboy, You seem to have missed the point, but it was Hashimoto who just stoked the ashes of this fire. He would have done better to keep his mouth shut, kept his personal opinions to himself, and concentrated on those policies which directly affect all those living in Osaka.

What Hashimoto did, in his poor words I might add, is to offer a reality in that military and prostitutuion go hand in hand throughout our history. Denying such reality is in essence, a white wash, where sexual slavery and human trafficking of today will not be addressed. The mere fact that the public is concentrating on what happened 70 years ago is doing a great disservice to the women of today's ongoing sexual slavery trade and trafficking.

In many European countries, including Germany, its illegal to promote revisionist history for Nazi Germany. Time that Japan had the same laws.

What is revisionist about pointing out that most comfort women were not sex slaves?

Pentagon press spokesman George Little on Monday ridiculed Hashimoto’s suggestion that U.S. Marines on Okinawa avail themselves of local sex services in order to control their sexual urges.

Little said the U.S. military does not permit its personnel to use the services of prostitutes, Jiji Press reported.; ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; Right now, the top hancho whose job is to stop military men was arrested by the local polices for his sexual conducts. There are too many military women who were victims of service men. Pentagon has been on fire.

Mr. Hashimoto, do you have a daughter? How would you feel if.... ? Are you capable of feeling for others?

To summarize my view, did the Japanese government at that time condone and directly engaged in kidnapping of women? No. Did the system in which the Japanese government set up resulted in misconduct by certain individuals? Yes. Are Japanese government responsible for the outcome of some of the surviving comfort women? Yes, to a degree. Do the currently Japanese government owe an apology for these women? Yes. ONCE. Should these surviving comfort women and their supporters continue to seek apology and compensation from the Japanese government? No.

Those who deny or try to white wash Japan's historical past, are also enemies of the future for Japan.

Sorry to burst your bubble but the ones who happen to doubt about the "forced" nature of comfort women are the ones who done more research, IMO. Historians, for the most part, should rely on primary evidences (reports and testimonies during that time) instead of placing weight on current testimonies without collaborating witnesses or cross examinations.

Gov't - but not Ishihara - backs away from Hashimoto's comfort women comments

Government should not back away, but FACE it in a BOLD way!

Please note that even if the whole comfort woman business were to turn out to be a myth (which I don't believe), it would still be totally morally corrupt for Hashimoto to say something like that.

The core point here is about accepting responsibility. Just because things exist, and other countries do them, and there was a war going on - this doesn't eliminate responsibility.

Beware the politician who continually tries to dodge owning up to actions.

Good side effect: Japanese will understand what kind of people these rightists are and kick them out of office.

Japanese news reports that Hashimoto told US military commander in Okinawa that US soldiers should use Japanese prostitutes more for their sex relief. He seems to think that women are simply sex toys. I'm so ashamed. But please don't think he represents typical Japanese people's thoughts!

thank god he said it, sayonara to kasumigaseki Toru-Chan, we don't need another idiot in office, stay down there in the big O and eat your takoyaki

Indeed, Smith. Are they distancing themselves from here because what he said was wrong or because they want to continue denying it all?

Upgrayedd:

" Were all ianfu forced? "

Probably not all. It is reasonable to expect that a few were professionals desperate enough to accept the lousy conditions.

Now does that make it OK for you??

The more I think about it, the less I can see this working out for Hashimoto. Certainly he will garner a lot more hard right wing votes for his party, but at what cost?

Up to now a lot of moderate conservative types have not necessarily liked his style, but have been willing to give him credit as a smart political operator. He just blew that credit. In addition there are all kinds of groups in fields like education that he has been building relationships with that he is going to find it a lot harder to do business with now.

It really makes no sense at all. So I'm pleased really, because I have never personally liked him, and I think he's just put the lid on his own career aspirations in all cases bar a massive rightward swing of a kind that I don't believe will happen.

Why on earth does he even have to broach this subject? I guess if the sizeable city-tax-paying Korean population in Osaka all had to right to vote for mayor, he would have kept his mouth shut. BTW, if they served such a "necessary role", why didn't they use Japanese women? Of course, the German Nazis did the same thing (see link below); it's justification is all part of the fascist mentality.

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

There are some Misunderstanding Leftists at okinawa are trying to remove USMC camp from okinawa island, but Hashimoto recognise it is necessary of the camp(for Japan& Taiwan). Leftist brame USMC troop's sexual crime in okinawa so he request USMC commander to aprove troops to use commercial sexual service in okinawa Regarding Fasist's Era's Japan Army he say "For avoiding troop's shameless sexual crime,it was necessary to deliver Japanese Prostitute commercial sexual service at war front" He never say "SEX SLAVE was necessary" And he is sorry to Duch Ladys who forced Sex slevery by stupid/shameless Japanese troops , and Hashimoto regret about Logistic Mistake that Japan Army commander have not deliver Japanese Prostitute to Duch indonesia.

Can you imagine how the Korean women who were forced to have sex with dozens of soldiers a day feel when they read this from Hashimoto?

Prof. Byeong-jik Ahn of Seoul National University spent three years investigating the testimonies of the surving comfort women. Of the 40 or so, he concluded that most of their testimonies were unreliable and confirmed only two were "forced" but not from the IJA. He quit after three years because he felt that this organization wasn't interested in finding out the true nature of the comfort women system but their motive was to pick a fight with Japan.

Logistically speaking, the presence of IJA units in the Korean peninsula at that time was bare minimum for there was no draft system of soldiers until the late 1944. At that time, most of the government officials including the police were of Korean decent so unless one can prove that they were too complicit with IJA in forced recruitment, I find their accusations to be unreliable at best. Also note that during that time, there were many articles indicating reports of kidnapping and criminal acts to recruit young girls under false pretenses by local population.

http://14819219.at.webry.info/201207/article_2.html

One of the most harrowing and heart rending tales of sexual slavery by the IJA I have read was by a Dutch woman who was living in Indonesia when the IJA invaded, and as a 16 year old was selected, along with several other girls, to be placed in establishments where Japanese soldiers could come and rape them, under the guise of paid prostitution. It is a shocking, shocking story. The levels of depravity she was subjected to were beyond belief.

Tamarama,

I don't think the Japanese government is denied any wrongdoing on the above incident for it was IJA Colonel who investigated the incident ordered the immediate shutdown of the operation. Of course, 11 of the IJA and priviate individuals were prosecuted for crimes with one handed down a death sentence.

But to assume that this sort of operation was prevalalent when there are literally hundreds of reports by the Allieds of captured IJA units which clearly indicated that such incidents were an exception and not the rule need to be examined.

It is ridiculous to think that armies don't allow their soldiers to pay for sex. During WWII ALL armies had some sort of prostitution control and organization in order to protect the soldiers' health. There was one exception: US. Right, the US Armed Forces care very little about what their men did during leaves and that's why Hawaii was a center of venereal dissemination all around the Pacific . But it was not only Hawaii but Los Angeles and San Francisco too. There are several articles regarding this theme in this site http://www.exordio.com/1939-1945/civilis/vdomestica/prostitucion.html Articles are in Spanish but could be translated..

Japan isn't ALLOWED to move beyond WW2. China and S Korea keep raising the subject, which then prompts idiots like this to spout his sh... stuff, and so keeping the cycle going. If China and S Korea just accepted the apologies, then let it lie it wouldn't give Ishihara and Hashimoto a platform.

AND FOR GOOD REASON, sorry thunderB2 but you have this ALL backwards, all of this is MIJ!

Can you imagine how the Korean women who were forced to have sex with dozens of soldiers a day feel when they read this from Hashimoto?

Korean comfort women in Burma had the right to turn down any soldier they didn't want to service. http://www.exordio.com/1939-1945/codex/Documentos/report-49-USA-orig.html

*"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing"**

Can you imagine how the Korean women who were forced to have sex with dozens of soldiers a day feel when they read this from Hashimoto?

What shocks me even more than Hasimoto's callous and reckless remarks is the utter lack if outrage among the Japanese populace. It's almost as if this sort of media attention actually fuels his popularity. Twisted.

Yeah Mr Little. You've obviously never been to Okinawa. They pay for it and or take it by force. Maybe you should jump on the commanders to really reign em in because its lower enlisted and officers taking part in paying for sexual services. And October prices not enough is being done to stop em from attacking locals.

I despise people like Hashimoto and Ishihara... Why should they, and those like them be permitted to label the ordinary Japanese people as uncaring and cruel? That's what their actions are doing... they need to be stopped from speaking in public.. a gagging order needs to be issued, shutting them up!

I knew this guy was rotten the second he joined up with Ishihara.

Hashimoto and Ishihara are self-serving clowns who have no sense of diplomacy (which, incidentally, is not a sign of weakness) and should not be voted for by the public at the next election. Kick these clowns out. They are bad for Japan.

This is certainly a Japanese internal problem. Japan is a democracy. Should her people united together to show their will through public opinion and voting? Looking from outside, these extreme right wing politicians are showing that they can run over the Japanese citizens just as their imperial militarists ran over Asia in WWII. Yes, worldwide opinions mean nothing, as long as Japanese people continue to elect their officials with such leadership. *"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing"**

19 million Japanese voted for the political party he is the leader of, his party controls 11% of the vote in the Japanese national government...... kind of crazy when you think about it.

This guy is an idiot. Fine, there are plenty!

But he is backed up by a lot of citizen voting for him. This is much less fine IMHO!

"How does this guy stay in office?"

Sadly he is his own boss. Who is going to fire him? It would take a recall election for the folks in Osaka to possibly remove him, he could face censure in the city council? But in reality that aint gonna happen.

If he were a cabinet member in the government he would have been handing in his resignation papers tonight.

International press and pressure will do nothing either, "it's a Japanese internal problem" will be the call, and "internal politics will not be influenced by outside (foreign) sources"..sound familiar?

I wonder how his wife feels right about now?

The nations always try to go ahead, they do not stay in history, wars always unfortunate for humanity, what happened was the past and now peace and humanity should prevail.

In what other developed democratic nation could the Mayor of the second largest city explicitly and grossly justify and advocate the sexual abuse of women and not face immediate calls for his resignation?

Can this incident make it any clearer the sorry commitment Japan has towards women's rights and more pointedly, human rights?

Er, what makes you think Japan is a "...developed democratic nation..."?!

They just want to change constitution, so they need more strong support from the neighbors.

USA in middle east have been sending both male and female soldiers there. Whether it is necessary or not, there is no COMFORT MEN for female soldiers.

Hashimoto, the "comfort man"!

he only had to think....what if it happened to me. doesn't make sense the insanity of such comments.

Unlike some others, this turn of event doesn't surprise me, nor does it even offend me. When a pig is rolling in its mud, does that make me surprised? When the rain comes tomorrow, does that make me shocked and mad? Japan being what they are, Japan.. this is all to well... expected.

In what other developed democratic nation could the Mayor of the second largest city explicitly and grossly justify and advocate the sexual abuse of women and not face immediate calls for his resignation?

Can this incident make it any clearer the sorry commitment Japan has towards women's rights and more pointedly, human rights?

Japanese government trying to distance themselves from the Osaka mayor who is thought to be a strong candidate to be the next PM of Japan. Not because what he said was vile, but because they are worried about the reactions from their neighboring countries. As others have noted, for a country that has supposedly sincerely "apologized" and showed enough contrition, how does this man and the people like him, still get to keep their jobs unless those apologies were just convenient lip service to shut down the criticisms towards Japan? Not only keep their jobs, they get reelected year after year, and get to be Prime Ministers.

Remember, this man, up to only a couple of weeks ago, was saying there was no evidence that comfort women existed at all. But then one of his buddy Shinzo Abe, just recently had to admit they found some documents that the comfort women did exist. So, what does Hashimoto do now? Why, come up with the excuse, "everyone did it, it was part of war". There's an explanation for everything, don't you know.

With all this fuss about his remarks, Hashimoto will probably go to a soapland to let off some steam tonight.

Oh great this crazy story just made the National News in the US. The plot will thicken now.

It hit the NY TImes and BBC Asia too!

The best thing this guy could do.....resign and become a prostitute so he can then talk from experience, and literally learn what it feels like to take it up......he can give it but can he take it?

The comfort women served a "necessary" role? This statement has effectively set the Japanese civilization back 50 years!

Lets not mix issues. That prostitutes and military have co-existed throughout history is a fact, and there is nothing wrong with stating that.

The issue with Japan`s "ianfu" is FORCED prostitution, which is an entirely different kettle of fish. Another way to call this would be government-organised mass gang rape.

Were all ianfu forced?

I think that guy needs to resign immediately. The remark about suggesting sex business in Okinwawa for US servicemen... seriously wow! How far is this guy away from current affairs and realistic views?!

This guy has most likely the same understanding re the role of the Japanese women: keep the black suit salarymen in check!

wonder how Japanese nationalists would feel if THEIR family members were 'comfort women ' aka sex slaves to be used by foreign murderers as a piece of meat?

his comments have just slapped women back three decades

and some japanese wonder why the rest of the world are still so scathing towards them while everyone's accepted germany's apology

no amount of their lip serviced apologies can be believable until their santioned politicians get re-educated

"soldiers living with the daily threat of death needed some way to let off some steam"

Maybe they wouldn't have been living with the daily threat of death if they hadn't been prancing around China, Korea, the Philippines and other places, subjugating those poor people.

"comfort women" of WW ll served a "necessary" role by keeping troops in check"

Someone keep Hashimoto in check already.

Oh great this crazy story just made the National News in the US. The plot will thicken now.

On the news...sorry!

One the news this PM they interviewed a bunch of folks down here in Okinawa and they are more than a little angry at his comments, particularly about the US military and his ideas that they should use more hookers!

I can not believe with a dick like this being the co-leader of a political party here in Japan, how any female in their right mind would back him or support him. IMO any female that still backs Hashimoto needs to have their head examined!

Little said the U.S. military does not permit its personnel to use the services of prostitutes, Jiji Press reported.

Really? Since when, I wonder. There was no such rule 20 years ago that was this specific. Did Jiji Press get this quote right?

The 1993 apology remains passionately opposed by some Japanese conservatives who contend that the country did not directly coerce women.

One of the most harrowing and heart rending tales of sexual slavery by the IJA I have read was by a Dutch woman who was living in Indonesia when the IJA invaded, and as a 16 year old was selected, along with several other girls, to be placed in establishments where Japanese soldiers could come and rape them, under the guise of paid prostitution. It is a shocking, shocking story. The levels of depravity she was subjected to were beyond belief.

Ishihara and Hashimoto are condoning this. They believe it is OK and justified. What a disgrace.

I'd like to see a much stronger rebuttal from the Government on this. I'd like to see a very loud and public slap down of these views - not the pussy footing they do around such outrage. They need to grow a nut sack.

Jeffrey Rolek:

" "Prostitutes and militaries have co-existed throughout history". Shintaro Ishihara is starting to sound like a far-right version of a pimp. "

Lets not mix issues. That prostitutes and military have co-existed throughout history is a fact, and there is nothing wrong with stating that.

The issue with Japan`s "ianfu" is FORCED prostitution, which is an entirely different kettle of fish. Another way to call this would be government-organised mass gang rape.

Not surprising to hear Ishihara jumping on a bit of free publicity. He's a spent force looking to remain relevant while Hashimoto is looking for a return to top billing after his party had its bottom spanked by the general public in the last general election. I remember some pundits hailing or fearing a new force in Japan's rather dull political landscape. This cabaret act is now reduced to setting fire to its own farts to attract an audience.

it's not this manchild..it is the significant majority of japan. Abe recnetly said japan did Not actually invade asian countries ww2. These kinds of messages and statements like this gov Conform to those reality that ppl outside can see the real japan is. Good luck!

hahaha, this manchild nevers ceases to amaze me. How is it he is still a mayor and involved in any politics, totally bizarre beyond comprehension...

What is it with Japanese politicians, that whenever a reporter sticks a microphone in their face they feel obliged to blurt out something that can only be described as callously stupid? If Hashimoto had any smarts at all, his brain would have told his mouth to disengage -- while he put his brain to work for a few seconds -- and then he could have mouthed some non-controversial platitude about how wonderful it is that Japan has enjoyed nearly 68 years of peace, and it's the duty of today's politicians to ensure this continues, etc., etc. Instead, he just proved he's as simple-minded and clueless as his peers.

What have i been telling you? Check all my postings history! This gov, ishihara whoever.. as i said often the southeast asian countries Know what japan really is.. and japan is in trouble starting in 2040..dying society, asian countries ditching japan.. starting in 2040.. dont kill this messenger. The next generation of japan is in trouble. Good luck.. unless you change!!!

But, of course that will never happen. What they really mean is, "We raped them and are proud of it and would do it again, we think those women are tools, we spit on their graves."

That, and the fact that you just can't win with these ppl and change them very easily,

is what makes me so infuriated and mad when I hear this crap!!

I want to hear these ppl who say this crap start to add something like the following, then maybe I could believe their logic makes sense, at least to them:

1 And I am the son/ daughter of a sex slave who was raped to death and I am proud that that happened to my mother.

2 And I volunteer my mother/ daughter/ wife/ sister to be the first sex slaves in the next combat we have the chance to partake in.

3 And I have met my half-brothers and half-sisters in China/ Korea/ Burma left behind by my rapist father/ grandfather, have made my peace with them, and fully accepted them into my family. I am working to give them Japanese citizenship if they want it, get them officially recognized (in koseki) in our family register, and through them would like to work for peaceful productive relations between our countries.

or something along those lines.

Government should censer Hashimoto to stop him causing trouble.

It is hard to believe this guy is still in politics, but look at all the idiotic things Ishihara has said during his career. I know one thing for sure, someone should have reminded him that his country is trying to win a bid to host a future Olympics.

MumbaiRocks! - The only point I agree with him is that if other countries did the same thing then they should apologize as well.

I am not aware of any other countries that forcibly enslaved over 200,000 women for sex and 3/4 of them were beaten, starved or raped to death. Nor do I know if any other country's politicians that state it was necessary and acceptable cos it was war. Can you enlighten me on an equivalent please?

gogogo "How does this guy stay in office?"

That's one of Japan's problems. In the US a politician would be fighting for his/her political life. In Japan not only are they repeatedly elected, they prosper and are often placed in positions of power and influence. Kind of makes you go hmmmm....

not good comment not good comment..... Think before to talk Mayor!

Thunderbird2 said "Japan isn't ALLOWED to move beyond WW2"!?!?!?

Japanese leaders have been making offending comments, trying to distance itself from atrocities committed and rewriting and white washing history since the end of WW2 and you're trying to pass this on China and S. Korea? Japan is doing fine all by itself keeping WW2 alive. Just take a look at the s**t storm Japanese leaders have created in the last few days alone. No help needed from the outside.

Japan needs to wake up.

How does this guy stay in office?

The question is, is the government distancing itself from Hashimoto's comments because they could inflame relations with Asian neighbours, or because they have constantly claimed comfort women did not exist where Hashimoto seems almost to brag about it?

No surprise Ishihara backed him up, by the way.

Hashimoto and Ishihara come from a long line of Japanese political contortionists. They can speak with their foot in their mouth and their head up their butt!

I think I don't have to explain that war is not a state of love and tolerance but fear and anger. In my personal opinion, comfort women were one of the consequences of the brutality of war. But it's not justifiable in the moral way.

Japanese comfort women are not a unique phenomenon, it's a common thing during wartime that men have to satisfy their sexual needs. During WW2 Russians and other soldiers who didn't have access to any 'comfort women' were just raping local women. In Poland we use a term "stalinki" for the children who were born because of Russians raping Polish women. German women were also often raped, because it was a symbolic "punishment" for the German nation. Not to mention Americans, and gang rapes on German women.

Last but not least: Hashimoto says that the 'comfort women' were good, but on the other hand they were bad. I think that man needs to make up his mind.

once again the foreign community, and the press, make a mountain out of a molehill. the only newsworthy comment Hashi made was that the g'vt didn't sanction comfort women, which is mostlikely BS. but this isn't necessarily incendiary. while his comment that prostitutes/comfort women are a neccessary evil during war is odd, he does admit that some comfort women did so against their will.

so where's the fire with all this smoke?

"Prostitutes and militaries have co-existed throughout history".

Shintaro Ishihara is starting to sound like a far-right version of a pimp.

Is Ishihara (and Hashimoto for that matter) a complete moron? While the government are doing their best to calm the waters up pops this tosser with his moronic statements.

It's rather pathetic that Japan just can't seem to move beyond WWII.

Japan isn't ALLOWED to move beyond WW2. China and S Korea keep raising the subject, which then prompts idiots like this to spout his sh... stuff, and so keeping the cycle going. If China and S Korea just accepted the apologies, then let it lie it wouldn't give Ishihara and Hashimoto a platform.

Yay...another step in stirring up resentment and furthering distrust between Pacific neighbors. Great job. Let's finish off the day by saying Japan biological experiments on the Chinese during WWII were also necessary.

Weisbach, the documents discovered by Yoshimi Y, Professor of Faculty of Commerce, Chu-o University, had meanings Totally opposite to the Asahi NP article reported on Jan. 11 1992, which has been proven by Nariaki NAKAYAMA, a lawmaker of The Representative House, at the National Diet on May 8 this year. Several footage which aired his question and testimony are uploaded with English subtitle or narration on YouTube. Today's Yomiuri NP, which has the largest number of publications in Japan, says parts of that Asahi article report misleadingly on the Comfort Issue.

Hashimoto is simply a disgusting little man. There's nothing else to say about him when it comes to this issue.

What an appauling speech. While I'm sure this inhuman attitude to the rights of individuals would be held by a minority of Japonese people, it seems to me that some blame for this must rest with the Japanese education system's failure to teach the full history of events. Japan has for too long lived in a coccoon if ignorance with respect to the full contexts of many of the attrocities of WW2. It's about time this was corrected before we see the rise of a new nationalism in Japan. Ignorance of history is very dangerious. We as a global community cannot afford to repeat the mistakes of the past.

(Mis)quote: The Osaka mayor says there is nothing like blowing off a little steam after getting shot at by engaging in a little government sponsored rape.

It's only a matter of time before Hashimoto, like Ishihara, fades into insignificance.

A matter of time? Ishihara has been politically active for almost 50 years, during which time he has had a huge influence on ultra-conservative, nationalist thinking in this country. Your comment makes him sound like a flash in the pan which he is most definitely not. We can only hope that Hashimoto doesn't garner the same support.

Do all Japanese leaders suffer from the "foot in mouth" syndrome?

Hashimoto's remarks are truly deplorable. And no surprises Ishihara supports those outrageous comments.

May I ask Hashimoto-san whether, since he supports the use of forced prostitution (which is prohibited by the Geneva Convention) that should a foreign country invade Japan that he will offer his wife and children as prostitutes to the invading army.

No?

I thought not. I think that he should therefore resign as he has damaged the reputation of the good people in Japan.

hashimoto is a real POS, he makes me embarassed to be a male of the species...........

And while we should hear calls for his resignation & it should be forthcoming...........well you know, Japan mostly derseves what it gets for its ""leaders""

It's only a matter of time before Hashimoto, like Ishihara, fades into insignificance.

Historian Yoshiaki Yoshimi uncovered evidence that the government and military sanctioned and ran the "comfort stations": http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/31/world/asia/31yoshimi.html?_r=0&src=tp&pagewanted=all

“A series of remarks related to our interpretation of (wartime) history have been already misunderstood. In that sense, Mr. Hashimoto’s remark came at a bad time

As opposed to saying them at a "good time"? There is no good time, nor bad time, to make remarks like this, particularly from an elected official, in reality a LOW level one at that.

The press gives him too much credit! Hashimoto that is!

The previous post was probably made just in reference to the last line of the article, about members of the US military supposedly not using prostitutes.

OK, my bad. Still, I don't think any US or Japanese official should be confusing what Japan did with comfort women and the issue of service men getting "serviced" by pros. Prostitution really has no place in this discussion.

If Japan were a first-world country, which of course it is not, Hashimoto would be toast!

So no US Marines are paying for sex in Okinawa??????

The fallacy with your comment and statements made by Ishihara/Hashimoto is that you equate prostitutes with comfort women. It's one thing to head into a Manila brothel and spend your weekly paycheck for services rendered by a willing, consensual prostitute. It's another to kidnap women and force them into non-consensual acts, i.e., rape them.

The previous post was probably made just in reference to the last line of the article, about members of the US military supposedly not using prostitutes.

So no US Marines are paying for sex in Okinawa??????

The fallacy with your comment and statements made by Ishihara/Hashimoto is that you equate prostitutes with comfort women. It's one thing to head into a Manila brothel and spend your weekly paycheck for services rendered by a willing, consensual prostitute. It's another to kidnap women and force them into non-consensual acts, i.e., rape them.

“There are many examples” of unacceptable and brutal behavior by soldiers in wartime and “to contain such things, it is a cold fact that a certain system like comfort women was necessary”

This self-negating statement is akin to "We had to destroy the village in order to save it," made by a US military official back in 'Nam.

Little said the U.S. military does not permit its personnel to use the services of prostitutes,

Doh! Right, what else do you expect them to say? But everyone knows the dirty little "truth".

"But many in Japan feel nationalists abroad use the issue as a stick to beat it for their own domestic ends."

Japanese leaders have persistently apologized for WWII atrocities and they have also persistently spent just as much time denying the very atrocities that they previously apologized for. The fact that world leaders constantly beat Japan about it is much deserved.

It's rather pathetic that Japan just can't seem to move beyond WWII.

So no US Marines are paying for sex in Okinawa??????Haahaaahaa!! Sure!!

Wow! What a big surprise that Hashimoto's godfather Ishihara stepped up to support him. NOT! And, attempting to justify it by stating other nations do it is just a load of pathetic crap that has no solid proof at all!