Hashimoto apologizes for comment on U.S. troops, but not 'comfort women' remarks

Hashimoto has a point, Confort women helped lower rapes. But there's an issue left. Were those women real prostitutes, or women that used it as an excuse for money.

Hashimoto, who is also the co-head of an emerging nationalistic party, said his remarks two weeks ago rose from a “sense of crisis” about cases of sexual assaults by U.S. military personnel on Japanese civilians in Okinawa, where a large number of U.S. troops are based.

Sense of crisis? There is no crisis down here, and there haven't been any reported cases of assaults for months now, in fact I do believe it was last year when the last one occurred in Okinawa.

Hashimoto gave out to the press some written information (around 6 pages) in both Japanese and English before his announcement. Would be good if we could see these in full before being filtered by the media.

As a trained lawyer, you'd think Hashimoto would be better at communicating this thoughts. Or is it simply a case of him　seeing what he can get away with before back-pedalling when he pisses off too many voters or loses the support of other political parties?

I would have thought forced sexual slavery was rape... Guess I'm not using the same definition as hashimoto goons.

He was trying to say that armed forces of nations around the world “seem to have needed women” in past wars and also violated women’s human rights during wartime.

So in translation he is saying that what Japan did at the time was justified, in looking back at it, because other countries were violating women's rights. What a weird sense of logic this man has.

Singling out Japan was wrong, as this issue also existed in the armed forces of the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and the former Soviet Union during World War II, he stated.

Ahem...Mr Hashimoto! Question here: "Could you please share with everyone here your information about just which of these countries(specifically and in detail) had a systematic "comfort women", prostitution ring, sex-slave service set up with the express knowledge of the government, to take care of the "needs" and "comfort" of their soldiers during wartime?"

And as a follow up question here Mr Hashimoto: "Do you believe because they did it (which they didnt) it absolves Japan of it's responsibility of openly acknowledging it?"

One thing I have to hand it to Hashimoto for and I am quite sure it was inadvertent on his part, at least he has brought the issue back to the forefront and is making people talk about it and hopefully understand the situation a little better than just constantly try to sweep it under the rug!

@Yubaru

So in translation he is saying that what Japan did at the time was justified, in looking back at it, because other countries were violating women's rights. What a weird sense of logic this man has.

No, that's not was he was saying. He was not trying to justify the act.

He was never going to make things better by opening his yap again. He doesn't seem to reaslise what is offensive and how to make a proper apology. Having said that, the comfort women issue does seem to draw plenty more ire from neighbours of Japan than the Joy Divisions or the hundreds of thousands of rapes and the like committed across Central Europe by Allied troops.

No, that's not was he was saying. He was not trying to justify the act.

You don't get it, when a politician like Hashimoto says one thing was wrong and then obfuscates the issue by inferring or saying that other's did the same and it's not right for just "us" to be pointed out for blame alone, you have to read between the lines. He doesnt have to justify it per say, his words do it for him and all he is doing is just make people think that hey "others" did it too so dont just pick on Japan.

He's not apologizing for what he said because he isn't sorry for it. He is apologizing to try to save face with his party.

Yubaru, Hashimoto is pushing for "Equal Justice Under Law".

Up...is your name hashimoto?

Resign!

Statement by Toru Hashimoto[My recognition and opinion]English : http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/politics/AJ201305270012 Japanese : http://mainichi.jp/select/news/20130526mog00m010012000c.html

Wizwind, thank you for the links!

As a constitutionalist, I also believe that the essential purpose of a nation's constitution is to bind government powers with the rule of law and to secure freedom and rights of the people. Without such legal limitations imposed by the constitution, the government powers could become arbitrary and harmful to the people.

I had to stop reading right there, he is so full of it, freedom and rights of the people? Ask the folks in Osaka with tattoos about this one.

Just as I predicted: He issued a meaningless non-apology and repeated the same convoluted and offensive nonsense that the stated before. What a guy.

Hashimoto just need to resign.

Yubaru, Hashimoto is pushing for "Equal Justice Under Law".

As a lawyer he should know the facts are different.

upgrayed:

" No, that's not was he was saying. He was not trying to justify the act. "

Err, yes he was. He was once again trying to obfuscate the issue by mixing the issue of individual instances of rape with Japan's imperial system of sex trafficking.

In other words, he re-packed his previous stupid and offensive claims once again.

Hashimoto is a real muppet.....

Figure if he is apologizing or justifying his past comments at foreign reporters club.

"...make better use of the legal sex industry" Perhaps they would if everywhere wasn't marked with "no foreigners" signs.

"Still, he claimed he had been quoted out of context to say that he personally believed that the use of a “comfort women” system was necessary."

Umm... sorry, but saying, literally, "it was a necessity" does not mean that quoting you as saying "it was a necessity" is out of context. And yet the guy THEN goes on to defend this 'mistranslation' by saying "the men needed women"! This guy is a complete moron, and I SOOOOOOO look forward to his answers to the foreign media. He is going to destroy himself a lot quicker than he thinks. My guess is he will walk out part way through, claiming he is being misunderstood.

buggerlugs: "I would have thought forced sexual slavery was rape... Guess I'm not using the same definition as hashimoto goons."

You're talking about a nation that actually has a high selling rate of simulated rape pornography, and never mind the comics! When it's Imperial troops or even regular Japanese doing the raping and/or forced sexual slavery it barely makes the news, and the perpetrator in the former is never punished. But you get one incident out of thousands of rapes a year being a US serviceman and suddenly it's front page and a criminal offense.

As for "...make better use of the legal sex industry", isn't prostitution illegal? At least penetration is.

I appreciate the effort of you avid writers out there but, if you are going write long posts...paragraphs please! It sounds as though Hasimoto regurgitated the same garbage to the Foreign Press Club today as well. Time for the press to ignore him!!

The first comment about comfort women lowering rapes is a classic! If a woman is kidnapped and forced to have sex is it not rape?

I think it is high time that Hasimoto stopped digging his political grave on this issue and stepped out of it all together. In fact, he should step out of politics all together. He does not have the cultural awareness or sensitivity to make any sort of comment in this issue.

One of the points of tension is that concerning wartime comfort women. Some former comfort women in Korea are currently demanding state compensation from the Japanese government. However, the Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea and the Agreement on the Settlement of Problems Concerning Property and Claims and on Economic Co-operation between Japan and the Republic of Korea, both signed in 1965, have officially and decisively resolved any issues of claims arising from the war, including the right of individual persons to claim compensation. Japan has also performed its moral responsibility with the establishment of the Asian Women's Fund, and it paid atonement money to former comfort omen even after the resolution of the legal contention with the treaties. The international community has welcomed the Asian Women's Fund. A report to the Human Rights Committee of the United Nations welcomed Japan's moral responsibility project of the Asian Women's Fund. Mary Robinson, the second United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, gave the Fund a favorable evaluation. Unfortunately, however, some former comfort women have refused to accept the atonement money from the Asian Women's Fund. Japan has given significant importance to the Treaty on Basic Relations and the Agreement on the Settlement, both of which made final resolution of any legal contention in 1965, and Japan also sincerely faces, reflects on, and apologizes for its own wartime wrongdoings with feelings of deep remorse. The whole situation poses a rending dilemma for us: how to make such a compensation that former comfort women would accept as our sincere remorse and apology, while also maintaining the integrity of the legal bilateral agreements between Japan and Korea. The Korean government has recently claimed that interpretive disputes over the individual right of compensation for former comfort women in the Agreement on the Settlement still remain. I hope that the Republic of Korea, as a state governed by the rule of law, recognizes the legal importance of the above-mentioned agreements. If the Republic of Korea still believes that there exist interpretive contentions in the agreements, I think that only the International Court of Justice can resolve them. One can hope that the same legal/rule-of-law stance is also observed in the resolution of the territorial dispute over the Takeshima Islands. I firmly believe that neither hatred nor anger can resolve the problems between Japan and Korea. I firmly believe in the importance of legal solution at the International Court of Justice, which arena would allow both sides to maintain rational and legal argument while both maintain both respect for each other and deep sympathy to former comfort women. I wish to express sincerely my willingness to devote myself to the true improvement of the Japan-Korea relationship through the rule of law.

http://tl.gd/n_1rkgb8s · Reply Report post (?)

Moderator: Please stop copying and pasting from other sources on this thread. Please just post your opinion on the topic and nothing else.

so basically hashimoto is saying that there isn't a need for US service members to go out with a "loaded gun" because there are establishments in Okinawa that will relieve them of their "bullets." ok, next topic, please.

He is undoing the value of any apology Japan has made for those acts in the past. If would be in Japan's best interest if they wish to keep their interest in sincerely being sorry for the past events concerning these women to force this obtuse individual to resign. Add statement a like his and Japan going overseas to ask cities to remove plaques is recognition of these women and what you get is NO ONE believes any apologetic word that Japan issues...

Is this all the foreign press could get out of Hashimoto? I thought there would be more to it. The above article sounds much like news items that have been written since he first opened his yap about this issue.

If this is it ... then perhaps the foreign news agencies should start looking for better correspondents to cover the local scene. He should have been taken over the coals ...

...so not an apology at all then. And the systematically raped and sexually enslaved women at Japan's hands can just grin and take it I suppose?

The embarassment to all humanity continues unabated it seems.............

this guy hasn't said anything that Ishihara hasnt said and he continually got reelected. So this guy knows what he's doing. 70 percent of Japanese may not admit that agree with what this guy says but they will re elected him because they believe what he says is true.

I wonder if his statement was translated into Korean...

kiyoshiMukai ( first post ): "comfort women helped lower rapes"

Rapes of other women not in the military brothels? I suppose if a man rapes a sex slave in a military brothel, it delays his raping another woman for at least a little while. But the rape of the military brothel sex slave is still bad. Do you not get that?

What an ignorant snot nose. Most of these women were prostitutes? I am sure some feeble women actually volunteered, under the pretext of doing it for that litlle bespectacled man in Tokyo and his Superior Subjects, but I doubt they were told in advance that they would have to service long lines of eagerly waiting men, alternated by beatings, day and night, on the threat of being shot. The rapists even included doctors that checked them out for venereal diseases. That is, according to soldiers that came forward after the war or felt the need the pen their exploits down on paper. To show their wives perhaps, how noble they had been. And he also forgot to mention all the women and young girls languishing away in prison camps, or taken from villages, who had to endure the same treatment or were just murdered. Also according to former soldiers. Those women and their daughters were not volunteering prostitutes. But no, here we have a fellow, not unlike that noisy, equally ignorant bunch of fools now and then congregating outside of Yasukuni, who knows it better than the people that were actually there and performed these unsavery acts on defenceless people. If it is so difficult for Mr. Hashimoto to understand, I suggest he subjects himself to a long line of a hundred men for starters. It will severley stretch his imagination as well as a certain part of his anatomy. Then he would squeal a different tune. What an absolute disgrace this fellow.

I'm sorry, has he resigned from politics? If not then his lip service means nothing! I feel that it is just that too, " lip service"!!!!

Without his resignation his apology doesn't mean anything!

As for the women who were forced to provide sexual services in the brothels, I would say each time a soldier forced himself upon that woman it was in fact a rape....

Tom..Several years ago? It's beyond several, the rape happened close to 20 years ago, in 1995. Hashimoto was just starting out as a lawyer and working on his family.

Point? Those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it!

When will this bloke learn to Shut up.

Still, he claimed he had been quoted out of context to say that he personally believed that the use of a “comfort women” system was necessary. He was trying to say that armed forces of nations around the world “seem to have needed women” in past wars and also violated women’s human rights during wartime.

What a load of crap, he is not taking any responsibility for what he has said. He would be a terrible leader.

kiyoshiMukai at May. 27, 2013 - 01:54PM JST Hashimoto has a point, Confort women helped lower rapes. But there's an issue left. Were those women real prostitutes, or women that used it as an excuse for money.

Where is your proof!!! In fact Japanese Imperial army did the opposite. It raped and killed Innocent young women and children throughout China and Asia. It is well documented the were captured and forced into sexual slavery. People like you give Japan and Japanese people a bad reputation in Asia. .

One word for Hashimoto. Idiot.

Just turning on the TV, and notice that Beat Takeshita is on the case. (Monday evening, chan. 12). Ha! Now we will get to the bottom of this...

(Monday evening, chan. 12).

Chan 12 is NHK Educational!

I like Osaka, and they have crazy mayor. resign!

Sorry, channel 10. On my TV at least. And the sparks are flying. The two Japanese Hashimoto defenders are every bit as far out there as Toru himself.

Sorry, channel 10. On my TV at least

I knew that is what you meant. Hopefully you realized something though.

Pentagon has big problems on their soldiers sex behavior , that is for sure

In comparison to the rest of society and per- capita not just no, but heck no, soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines are better behaved than any other comparable section of society demographically. The problem is perception.

The other problem is that this is was time hashinatto is talking about and neither him nor any of us here can discuss from an experience point of view about what happened during WWII.

Hashimoto should just STFU. It's that simple.

Man, that foot in mouth syndrome seems to be quite popular with politicians.

Hashimoto apologizes for comment on U.S. troops, but not 'comfort women' remarks

Hashimoto just realized where the real power lies, and narrowly avoided the pink slip.

Here is the problem, of course people from different countries will have different views of history, but sadly Japanese people are not and have not been taught about their own so the only view that they can take due to their narrow view of their beliefs of what their history is causes them to feel as if they are the victims here.

It's really not the populaces fault, and I know plenty of Japanese folks that don't believe much of what is being said about their history because they never learned anything about it to any degree or depth.

It takes a strong willed country, and one that is willing to understand, accept, and admit it's own failings, which sadly Japan is not right now.

The other thing is that events in history like the comfort women issue can not and should not be linked to other similar but totally different events. One can not talk about hookers in the Korean War (Conflict) or Viet Nam War and use that as an argument against Japan's comfort women issue in WWII. To do so is narrow-minded and wrong, in my opinion!

Each should be viewed and discussed on their own issues. So if we are talking about comfort women...Japan's IJA was pretty much guilty as charged.

The other issues are not linked to this and should not even be discussed together.

There is no evidence that United States, the United Kingdom, France, etc had a similar system as Japan's.

There is no evidence that United States, the United Kingdom, France, etc had a similar system as Japan's.

Korea had the same system and gave it the same exact name the Japanese used.

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

There is no evidence that United States, the United Kingdom, France, etc had a similar system as Japan's.

This is exactly the attitude that Hashimoto is pointing out which is the Allieds at that time absolving the usage of women during WWII and beyond.

".....It would suppress the truth that the violation of the dignity of women by soldiers not only existed in the past but also has yet to be eradicated in today's world. Based on the premise that Japan must remorsefully face its past offenses and must never justify the offenses, I intended to argue that other nations in the world must not attempt to conclude the matter by blaming only Japan and by associating Japan alone with the simple phrase of "sex slaves" or "sex slavery."

Upgrayedd, no other country in the world captured the women, rounded them up, shipped them off to the war fronts, put them in secured compounds guarded by soldiers, prevented the women from freely leaving, then have soldiers lined up outside the quarters with their pants down, and their organs exposed while they were waiting. Please stop denying what all the men and women who have been there, who saw what went on. You and other's attempts at history revision is just as worse as the the Holocaust deniers.

Why not? The usage of brothels by military still exists today of which many women are coerced by illicit operators. By simply focusing on the issue that was done over 68 years ago makes little sense to me, IMO.

By which and what military does it concern today? If you suggest the US military, using or paying for sex with a prostitute is against the UCMJ and a military member puts their career, not to mention their freedom at risk by paying for sex with one. Brothel's are off-limits to US Military today.

It makes sense to discuss the comfort women separately because of the manner in which they were treated and abused and received little recognition for their pain and suffering. Clear up the past, and it makes it easier for everyone involved to discuss the NOW. Too much of the past is shrouded and it all comes down to he- says/she-says. It's only a matter of will.

If you want to talk about today, then the countries involved should be putting a stop to the situations where women are subjected and forced into service in a brothel against their will. There is much, much more information about Human Trafficking today than back during and following WWII. Any country could put a stop to it if there was a will or desire to do so.

Circumstances are different, anyone that even suggests they are the same are just looking for an excuse to either justify the behavior "back then" or obfuscate the issue.

Rape during wartime is a totally different issue.

If Japan was seriously interested in settling this issue, it should openly admit what happened, take responsibility and THEN gather the world for a conference about human trafficking and women's issues related to prostitution and sexual slavery. Take the lead, show the world that it means business and will not tolerate the sex industry.

But it can't can it? Too much going on today in Japan for the light to be directed here. Prostitution will always exist as long as there are men looking for sex and women willing to be paid for it. That's a different subject and while I believe prostitution should be legal, it's a human beings right to do with what they wish with their bodies, I am 100% against any women or man for that matter that is forcibly put into a situation where they have no choice.

If this is what you want to hear then listen:

Yes, some maybe many US Military personnel used hookers, paid for sex, and frequented brothels, and in rare instances were involved in rape. There I said it. It's a fact. Did the world suddenly end? No it didn't.

Was is systematic? Was is authorized by the US Military or US Government? A resounding no. In fact in Japan, it was the JAPANESE vice PM that authorized and set up a comfort women system here, for use by the US military, because they figured the US would be just like the Japanese and if they had no outlet for their sex, they would rape their way through Japan.

Did the US Military use these women? Yes many did, however MacArthur put them off limits shortly after they occupied Japan. Did US military use hookers in Korea? The PI, Viet Nam, Thailand? Australia, and where ever their ships stopped at port Yes sure they did.

But now it's illegal, now the US has wizened up and recognized it's problems and is dealing with it.

Did the world suddenly end because someone, me, was willing to state the fact that it happened? Nope, I'm still breathing here.

Japan could just as easily do the same!

Only Hashimoto himself and a few handful of Hashimoto defenders and apologists actually believe that this has anything to do with sparking a national debate about women's rights in war.

Hashimoto is politically done! End of story!

http://www.shingetsunewsagency.com/SNA/SNA_News/Entries/2013/5/27_Hashimoto_Pleads_Will_of_the_State.html

nigelboy:

" But prosecuting a country of the past based on today's moral standards makes no sense other than to obfuscate the current problem of usage of women. "

Nobody is "prosecuting" anybody. It was Hashimoto who felt the need to open this can of worms. And "use of women" is a weasel word.

Are other governments routinely conducting sex-trafficing the way the Japanese Imperial armee did? No, they are not. Were they 70 years ago? No, they they were not. That is a simple fact, live with it.

When the reporters now write their articles on this painting him for the buffoon he clearly is, I wonder how many newspapers he is going to put on his "hit" list, and refuse to do inerviews with anymore. I know Asahi is already on the list.

Ah yes, Hashimoto, "freedom" indeed - as long as controlling the media is part of your ideas of "freedom"

Can you post any physical evidence that all (or most) comfort women were captured and rounded up?

All the testimonials of women and men (both Koreans and Japanese) have been presented, yet I'm not going to rehash again, please look them up yourself. If they weren't forced, they were deceived with enticements. But even if they volunteered (which is absurd), if the imperial Japanese military prevented the women from exercising their choice (to either leave the war fronts, or stop offering their bodies) by threats of death or torture, then it is forced sexual slavery. Name one country where they had a system which even closely resembles the diabolical system of rapes. These women weren't even paid, how can they be considered prostitutes.

Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto apologized Monday for saying U.S. troops should patronize adult entertainment businesses as a way to reduce rapes

The man doesn't understand what rape is or what generally motivates it. It is not motivated by a normal sexual urge. It involves violence, dominance, and humiliation. A normal man might visit a prostitute to have sex; he wouldn't choose to rape someone instead. Sex and rape are not the same thing.

The Toru Hashimoto at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan was all Hashimoto the lawyer, trying to subtly shift the ground of debate so that he could make his argument more defensible. Now he poses as the defender of women’s human rights and says that what he intended all along is to stimulate a global debate about how women are so badly treated in wartime conditions.

This is what disgusts me more than anything. This man, who has had multiple affairs, who has closed down daycares in his mayoral city, who is encouraging foreign troops to make use of brothels, and who still denies women were forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese authorities of the time, is now claiming to be a champion of womens rights, and that he only started the debate to highlight mistreatment of women?

Please someone show this pathetic little excuse for a man the door.

To whom it may concern:

If you can't dazzle them with your brilliance then baffle them with your bull.

This fits Hashimoto and a few others to a "T".

Right, because the thought of those evil gaijin having sex with pure and innocent Japanese women is just unheard of. But yeah, forcing women into sex slavery for the Japanese military during WWII is totally ok.

Yep, this is the backwards way of thinking in Japan that needs to die out with the current generation.

Also,why is this guy going to Okinawa to talk to US commanders? Isn't he just a Mayor?

No more apologies. Yes there were comfort women.Let the past rest. War is ugly, bad things happen. This issue needs to be put to rest. Japan, no more apologies, when I was stationed on Okinawa we visited BC street, whisper alley and gate 2 street. The women were and are available. No one should be fooled about this. So Japan stop apologizing, every military has had comfort women. I don't want the great nation of Japan to compromise its dignity anymore.

RESIGN!!!!!

Toru you don't need to apologize for what YOU believe in. It's not manly. GIs need to release their frustrations somewhere with someone.

No more apologies.

That depends on the sincerity of the apology. And judging by Hashimoto's remarks, doesn't seem like his apology is anywhere near the heart.

Yes there were comfort women.Let the past rest.

Wonder why many politicians, governments say always the same thing, "put in the past, let it rest, move on" After you publicly and make it a yearly commemoration to the people that were affected by Japan's past war time aggressions, then maybe these countries can finally put the past behind them.

War is ugly, bad things happen. This issue needs to be put to rest.

I agree, so still waiting for Japan to show positive and serious contrition.

Japan, no more apologies, when I was stationed on Okinawa we visited BC street, whisper alley and gate 2 street. The women were and are available.

You talk as if women are just pieces of meat.....ah, they were available, just ripe for the picking. Don't you think you are being a bit insensitive and insincere.....

No one should be fooled about this.

The world isn't, but Japan, sadly still is.

So Japan stop apologizing, every military has had comfort women.

My Uncle was stationed in Okinawa, he never had a comfort woman, stop generalizing.

I don't want the great nation of Japan to compromise its dignity anymore.

It lost its dignity more than 70 years ago, when it comes to this particular issue.

BigDaddyJ, f uc k off c u nt, before you get your f u cking stomach disemboweled

BigDaddyJ, f uc k off c u nt, before you get your f u cking stomach disemboweled. c u nt.

On the positive side, all japanese politicians have realized that when it comes to foreign policy, the US is God and is the limit. You never step your foot outside your limit, Hashimoto; remember this, and you may run this time ...

One thing I have to hand it to Hashimoto for and I am quite sure it was inadvertent on his part, at least he has brought >the issue back to the forefront and is making people talk about it and hopefully understand the situation a little better >than just constantly try to sweep it under the rug!

You got that right, there has been some in depth coverage of this issue thanks to the Hashimoto clown, more people than ever now know of Japans evil past.

@nedinjapan

On the positive side, all japanese politicians have realized that when it comes to foreign policy, the US is God and is >the limit. You never step your foot outside your limit, Hashimoto; remember this, and you may run this time ...

Are you sure? The U.S. had George Bush as president for 8 years, hardly a shining example of international diplomacy was he?

I do agree that J politicians are in a league of their own though.

hmm, everyone seems to be talking about this a problem from Japan's past. According to sources as human trafficking,

Japan is a destination, source, and transit country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking.

Even within Japan:

Japan has a significant amount of internal trafficking of women and girls who are trafficked for sexual exploitation. Recruiters actively recruit in subways, popular hangout spots for youth, at schools, and other venues, making promises of success to young women and children if they model or work at certain clubs. Children are also often recruited at a young age to be abused through child pornography.

The Japanese Government

The Japanese Government was placed in Tier 2 for not fully complying with the Trafficking Victims Protection Act’s minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but making significant efforts to do so.

So are "comfort women" as isolated instance from the past? Which was "necessary" according to some. So Japan's adult entertainment industry necessary as Hashimoto implied in the same way Comfort stations were necessary as in the past?