Hashimoto regrets meeting cancelation; wants to apologize to U.S.

What's done is done!

It seems that he wants to apologize for offending but wants to stick with his opinions on the matter...in that case, the offended surely don't want anything to do with it. It's not sincere but rather a necessity to try to save his neck and it reeks of desperation. Hopefully he uses the weekend to do some soul searching and really understand why people are offended and then take measures to prove that he really does understand by actively doing something about the issues.

I wanted to tell them I am sorry for this misunderstanding,

What misunderstanding? They (and we) understand that you are a right-wing twit with no common sense and you should resign! It is you that misunderstands Hashimoto!

Can't he just apologize without adding more obnoxious comments?

Hashimoto is a reminder that all politicians in all countries are scum and have a single, overriding purpose in everything they do -- to grandstand and keep themselves in the press.

Politicians are worthless to society. What has a politician ever done to improve your life or the lives of people around you? Nothing. They're just bloodsuckers living off money confiscated as taxes from the productive people of society who contribute to society by providing products or services.

Hashimoto has changed almost everything he said he stood for while trying to hitch his wagon to publicity hound and general loon Ishihara, who is also just another worthless politician.

Hashimoto has no principles and stands for nothing other than himself.

@darname, I second the motion. And that's even written in Bible just like you said it.

He said he had hoped to show his sympathy over their wartime sufferings as sex slaves.

He SAID that??! Really??! He actually used the words "sex slaves"?

Why won't he just fade away?

Hashimoto on Friday blamed the murkiness of Japans past apology and historical facts for having kept the issue unresolved for so long, hurting Japans relations with its neighbors.

If there is a glimmer of light in all of this, it's in this statement. Ambiguity, inconsistency and perceived insincerity in the wording of official statements matters to people. And this is all about people and the way they feel, at the end of the day. Japan needs to address this, it needs to put it to bed. It needs to issue it's official statements in language that matters, and is satisfactory to it's intended recipients. Not in language that obfuscates in any way. Japan has to stop satisfying itself in these matters and start by satisfying those who were wronged. And just put it all to bed, once and for all.

If he is sincere in apologizing, just say, " I was wrong. I am sorry": ' without adding excuse for his comments, Just be quiet after he apologize.

The fact of the matter is, in my opinion, a very murky if not non-appologetic position regarding the WW 2 era maintained by the past and present Japanese governments and political leaders as reflected in the educational material, which has led many of the past and present generations to reject any war crimes by simply saying Japan is being subjected to the law of the victors. Hence the comparison of the Arlington cemetery to the Yasukuni shrine, and of the Japanese "comfort" houses for their troops to the brothels they themselves operated to spread disease among occupying forces... As long as Japan officially would rather have these issues under the rug or in the closet and not deal openly with them as their axis ally Germany has, her aspirations to a credible role on the international scene will always be seen with scepticism, no matter how much ODA money is channeled to most of these countries that suffered under the Japanese occupation. Consciences cannot simply be "bought" with money that in macro-economic terms, is destined for the development of a market for Japanese goods and services...

What Hashimoto should to is to resign at once, disappear in public. The neighbours will be better understanding Japan people if they clearly throw away these trash politicians by election in stead of putting them as mayors or premier, etc.

Still know know what he is saying.

I happen to have used the word ‘necessity’ but it doesn’t mean I personally meant it was necessary,” he said.

“I mean that it is a historical truth that soldiers were using women. Was it not necessary for them?”

So was it necessary or not? If he is saying that it was necessary for the soldiers at the time then he is saying that he believes it was necessary. He can't say that he personally thinks it was not necessary for the soldiers too. If he thinks it was not necessary then it was not necessary (PERIOD). Double speak.

This guy is a complete idiot. He acts like American military are just running around raping women everyday. Believe me it,japanese men and other foreigners are committing the same crimes probably more,but i guess its no big deal when they do it. Also i hate to suprise everyone,but Japan is the easiest place in the world to sleep with women and i have been all over this world

Two things.

1: Hashimoto is a Public relations disaster for Japan.

2: It appears that Korea / Korean Organisations are determined to undermine Japan and paint Japan in a bad light at every opportunity. ..... Erecting comfort women "memorials in the US" ... demanding that the Sea Of Japan be renamed .... the list goes on and on. Korea should focus on it's own problems like having the worlds highest suicide rate, having the highest rate of domestic violence against women, the large number of Korean women (students) around the world involved in prostitution.

Hashimoto-kun. I think the ladies understood you perfectly. They understood that the same disrespect for human rights is why they were abused in the past. The same idiocy when it comes to common human sense was present in those leaders then. The same inability to feel compassion for others is why the murderous leaders did what they did to so many innocent people.

So I think they got your number right the first time mate. You are a petty right winger with no grasp of history, no grasp of compassion, no capacity for real understanding of others and no ability to even manage your own pathetic point of view for your own pathetic good.

You should feel lucky they did not meet you to make an even bigger fool of you than you have already done on your own.

Resign!!!!!!!

Hashimoto you are full of shite! There is no other way to say it imo!

Resign you muppet

"Hashimoto has a point. we have to apologize to everybody but for something that we didnt do. Better apologize to noone. let them root"

Another shining example of the quality of Japanese history education. If you bother KiyoshiMukai, to pick up a book now and again, you may discover that Japan has a great deal to apologize for from actions taken in WWII.

The father of a dear friend grew up in Korea during the war and remembers the dead rotting near a point where they were killed by Japanese soldiers. I have talked to people from the Philippines who can tell you stories about soldiers tossing children around on bayonet tips. And mothers and fathers being killed in front of their children.

It is easy to point out how horrible the Nazis were. Probably even someone with your history grasp can understand that. But what you don't seem to understand is that the Japanese, aside from being allied with the Nazis, carried out their own mass murder in Asia. In essence liberating Asia from the west and from other Asians all at the same time. And of course, liberating people from life.

So I will be more than happy to buy you some real history books so you can learn exactly what you need to be apologizing for and hopefully make up for the woeful ineptitude of local Japanese history instruction.

He wants to apologize to the US, but he won't take back what he said about comfort women. Just goes to show how scummy he is. Sorry buddy, but the rest of the world is more mad at you for making comments about comfort women being necessary than saying anything about the US soldiers.

resign please. arigatou.

"Instead, they demanded that Hashimoto, 43, apologize and resign."

That would be the sensible thing to do at this point. But nothing will happen until a critical mass of Japanese in Osaka demand his resignation.

A comedy of errors.

Put him in a box and takubin him to China. I am sure they will enjoy his company more than we do.

I don´t get it. From the article it seems that first he apologized, and then he repeated his stupid and offensive claim again? How does that work?

He must apologize to the whole world. To China, to Korea, to Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Phiippines. To Australia, Holland, the US, UK and a raft of others; to all the victims of Japan's aggression.

The world does not 'misunderstand' Japan. There are not two histories - one for the rest of the world and one where Japan is somehow an innocent victim. We know damn well what they did. It is time for the elders and leadership and these so-called 'historians' of Japan to stop lying to their own people. They'd be the laughing stock of the planet if only their whitewashing were applied to crimes that hadn't been so heinous.

@tkoind2 , I agree with your comments but want to add up that history shows, Philippines which were occupied by Spain for more than 300 years but suffered a lot worse worse worse with Japan which just been there for around 2 years. I don't think that was the essence of Liberation from the west.

Going back to Hashimoto kun, he should resign and cool down for some years(means shutting his mouth), study humanity and international politics, break away from Ishihara, if he still wants to save his career in politics.

Actually, open marriage agencies in Okinawa could solve the problem. Government can open free introduction agencies for militaties and also civilians.

“I hurt them with my words, so it’s natural that I want to apologize.”

Yeah, if you call 'natural' more than a week of extreme pressure from both at home and abroad. The guy literally said the brothels were 'necessary', and that the situation was similar to how US servicemen use Japanese women in Okinawa, and now, after refusing to apologize for days and instead claiming he misunderstood US porn culture, etc., "it's natural" that he wants to apologize for his words?

Sorry, Toru, but I think what's natural to you is simply to shoot off at the mouth your radical thoughts, and apologizing for them is anything but.

Again, this 'apology' is coming only because his party is sliding in terms of popularity, and not long before an election to boot.

JanesBlonde - "It appears that Korea / Korean Organisations are determined to undermine Japan.....Erecting comfort women "memorials in the US""

How is "erecting comfort women memorials in the US" undermining Japan? No one says a thing about the Holocaust museums in the US, so how does this undermine the Japanese people?

I thought the Mayor of Tokyo was bad. Makes him look like a Saint.

What misunderstanding? His point was pretty clear: using women for sexual purposes during wartime is okay, a necessity even, and if we have problems with it, other countries do it too, which makes it more okay. Idiot. Hope any envoys from other countries snub him too.

Same advice for Taro as a cyclist once gave Lance Armstrong " find a dark hole, crawl inside and stay there".

Osaka Mayor for how many more months?

Hashimoto on Friday blamed the murkiness of Japan’s past apology and historical facts for having kept the issue unresolved for so long, hurting Japan’s relations with its neighbors.

on that he actually has a point but he never said that except to cover his prejudiced assets. Otherwise he would have said it before

damage control..must save my..career ...i a..po..logiz.

Messy rescue business for a loose canon

Too little too late. He should have hit the brakes long time ago before he finally saw his own train wreck.

Yea, an insensitive and morally corrupted idiot who has enjoyed the super limelight and cheap publicity from victimised comfort women now apologise in the hope of getting sympathy votes for him to stay in public office. How can an insensitive man like him be made a mayor??? Those ppl who voted him were idiots too.

Apologies is never enough in situation like this, if you have integrity and if you seriously meant 'sorry' for what you have said, then step down is the only option and let someone else who is more decent and is of high calibre to take over..... you seriously don't deserve in this public office with your stupid comments at all from now on as you have no moral, lack of sensitivity and lack of wisdom to be a mayor after all..... stop fooling people with your interpretation of English lesson ... whether it was a necessity or a necessary, it still means you are a pathetic idiot....moron.....

Stay on as mayor and enjoy more free publicity at the expense of others and creates more damage for this nation, u r worst than those soldiers actually..... with those words from your mouth..... Don't you realise "a tongue is sharper than a knife?" those comfort women already had deep cut in their entire life since they were taken, what you just said was 'cutting them deeper' instead...... RESIGN IF YOU SERIOUSLY MEAN SORRY!!!

Yea repeating your statement "It is a shame that I couldn’t meet them.....because of your necessity, moronic scum?"

Oh heavens, this guy is stubborn...I don't trust this guy at all. Probably even if he apologizes, he seems to be too insensitive or too stubborn, or both. He should apologize to all women also for making such a statement. Or he should have explained what he REALLY meant better.

This guy doesn't know how to sincerely apologize, he doesn't deserve the meeting with these women.

Why do the Japanese people think that an "apology" makes the horrible things they do and say ok, and absolves them from guilt? It doesnt. I would use a stronger word- repent. Hashimoto is a Right Winger with Fascist tendencies, hence his remarks which are racist and discriminatory in nature. He needs to show genuine repentance for his remarks, which have caused anger, hurt and resentment around the world. True repentance would mean that he wouldnt utter such vile comments again, but even in this article we can see that he actually repeated his views. True repentance would mean that he would resign immediately. The lack of outcry from his constituents shows that sadly, many of them must concur with his sick views. This is a reflection of the distorted view of history being taught in Japanese schools. Japanese politicians will continue to put their feet in their mouths while their distorted views of history continues to be taught in their schools, and the world will never fully trust Japan as a result.

This is a reflection of the distorted view of history being taught in Japanese schools. Japanese politicians will continue to put their feet in their mouths while their distorted views of history continues to be taught in their schools, and the world will never fully trust Japan as a result.

It's not what's taught at schools. Japanese people are beginning to distort history "on their own" That means, Japanese people will keep that view, with or without any school textbook. There is no way to change it.

At this point to save any part of his party's future he to resign. Japan Restoration is quickly becoming a term linked to unapologetic views towards sex slaves. It's not a very good image.

Instead, they demanded that Hashimoto, 43, apologize and resign.

This. Thanks Hashimoto for all your crap. I hope you'll lose popular support. ^^

Vote this scum out of politics !!!

He said he planned to apologize to the U.S. military and Americans for “making them feel uncomfortable because of my inappropriate remarks,” but denied any prejudice against women.

You see, in western culture, Politics is Politics... There is NO need to apologize, we completely understand his rationale.. Not a big deal... It's nice of him to offer, and we surely won't hold his against him, because it's politics. Nothing more, nothing less...

Now as far as the comfort women go, that's a whole different ball of wax, and they actually have skin in that game, not so for his remarks about U.S. troops.

As much as I do not know Hashimoto, I have a 1000 times more respect for him, than our own, past war-criminal -n-chief George Dubya.

This little guy just deserve to be ignored. Nothing more, nothing less!

Un insignificant bug!

Are you freaking serious? Even at the end of his so called "misinterpretation", he still wants to make his point about the "necessity of comfort women"! Hashimoto, you are not sorry, you are only sorry because you get caught and might lose your comfy Mayor position. And how dare you are trying to use those poor victims once again to your own gain! Do the right thing and everyone a favour, shut up and resign.

Hashimoto Hashimoto Hashimoto.....Somebody stick a sock in this guys mouth!

Mr Hashimoto, you have done a great job to discredit the honour of Japan, nobody is willing to believes you and no one believes your regret and apologizes is sincerely!

pk MAY. 25, 2013 - 01:35PM JST - How is "erecting comfort women memorials in the US" undermining Japan? No one says a thing about the Holocaust museums in the US, so how does this undermine the Japanese people?

Because as with many of these actions, there are not being done for the right reasons or even under any form of government protocol. A "Korean Organisation" erecting memorials directly outside the Japanese embassy is simply spiteful.

And although the treatment of large numbers of women under Japanese occupation was despicable, it is insensitive to compare it to the systematic murder of millions and millions of people in gas chambers, that was the Holocaust.

Also I have not seen any Holocaust museums or memorials set up or established directly oppose the doors of any German Embassy.

@JanesBlonde

Again I fail to see how Korean-AMERICAN organizations "erecting comfort women memorials IN THE US" is undermining the Japanese people?

"And although the treatment of large numbers of women under Japanese occupation was despicable, it is insensitive to compare it to the systematic murder of millions and millions of people in gas chambers, that was the Holocaust."

I made no comparison between the sexual enslavement of women to that of the crimes committed by the Nazis.