Hashimoto says comfort women system necessary for wartime troops

This guy really needs to see a doctor for his "foot in mouth" disease! Alas I fear in his case it is incurable!

On a separate note: I wish JT would have added more from his statement which also included a couple of other points as well, including but not limited to;

“Japan is a defeated country," he said. "As a result of the defeat in the war, we must accept (the view) that what Japan did was aggression. There are no doubts (about the accusation) that Japan caused tremendous suffering and damage to neighboring countries. Japan must reflect on it and make an apology.”

On the other hand, he showed understanding of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s recent controversial assertion that the definition of aggression has yet to be decided. The remark triggered strong outrage in South Korea, which Japan colonized from 1910 to 1945.

“What Prime Minister Abe is saying is correct in that, academically, there are no definitions on aggression,” Hashimoto said.

No definitions on aggression? Japan IS a defeated country? Time to use a dictionary. For someone who is supposedly as smart as he is he sure sounds dumb to me!

The system was also instituted by the Korean government for U,N. Forces during the Korean war for their were ads and the news of recruitment on the Korean newspaper at that time.

The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn. -- Alvin Toffler

What an idiot. Wonder if he would enjoy being a sex slave, maybe so from what I have read about him.

He said the system was also important for maintaining discipline and that other countries used similar systems during wartime.

In light of the fact that the opposing forces they encountered in the war did not use sex slaves, and defeated Japan, his logic is facile and ludicrous.

Japan seriously lacks responsible and intelligent statesmen.

Oh, is that a fact, Mayor Idiot? Let's start with your wife, daughters or any other female relatives. Let's see how necessary you think it is then.

Women's slavery and rape won't be never be ok, and their dignity is much more important than the "wellbeing" of the soldiers. They used these women as they were nothing, and then deny it. So terrible.

Hashimoto? Oh, yes I remember him now. It's a pity this b-list, unpleasant little celeb still gets some publicity.

Incredible, even for this scumbag. First, the apologists will have us believe there were no such thing as "comfort women", now they not only existed, but were necessary to maintain discipline. I see that worked out well during the orgy of rape and murder in Nanking, among other atrocities.

Thank goodness Japan is essentially 99% Japanese and has isolated itself to such an extent that it is unaware of what most of the world thinks (of rather doesn't think) of it. Thank goodness - now this story will be discussed for a couple days in the media before being promptly tossed down the memory hole. And this man can continue on as mayor of one of the largest cities in the world.

@Tamarama....

In light of the fact that the opposing forces they encountered in the war did not use sex slaves, and defeated Japan, his logic is facile and ludicrous.

In a manner of speaking they did, but at the time were unaware that many of the women were forced into it. Japan set up something very similar for the US troops during the occupation after the war ended.

He is justifying the actions of the IJA based on this it seems.

@Jimizo....

Hashimoto? Oh, yes I remember him now. It's a pity this b-list, unpleasant little celeb still gets some publicity.

I might agree with you, but he is an elected official and the co-leader of a nationalist party here in Japan. He's past the celeb status I fear

@telecasterplayer.....

Oh, is that a fact, Mayor Idiot? Let's start with your wife, daughters or any other female relatives. Let's see how necessary you think it is then.

Lol! The dude has affairs with women and gets away with it. He doesnt have respect for women, he uses them for his own gratification.

Japanese sisters, wash this stain out for good!

What can you expect from an ignorant son of a gangster, raised without morals?

B-b-b-b-but I thought they never existed!?

Oh Hashimoto, you crazy loon.

On a side note, has anyone noticed that its been quite a while that he has NOT said anything offensive? Except for this, of course. Maybe hes been on his best behaviour for a while?

How do these blokes think they can get away with saying stuff like this? I mean, what planet do they think they live on. This is the future Prime Minister of Japan?

Another "Open mouth, insert foot" politician! First Inose, now him!

And some people here in these pages still cannot understand why Japan's "apologies" never seem to be enough. Well, in case they missed it, let me spell it out with this story as evidence: It is because high-profile politicians are still in complete denial and that makes the apologies seem insincere.

This is good news. By attempting to justify the unjustifiable, he can no longer claim that it never happened. It's like a holocaust-denier saying "Well, actually we had to do it, to save the German nation."

No way back from that.

Another "Open mouth, insert foot" politician! First Inose, now him!

Actually they are just following in the footsteps of their mentor, Ishihara Shintaro, who has to be smiling.

This is good news. By attempting to justify the unjustifiable, he can no longer claim that it never happened. It's like a holocaust-denier saying "Well, actually we had to do it, to save the German nation."

Oh but he did deny that it ever happened. Look at the Japanese language news reports.

Mr. Hash said that the Japanese army did not systematically abduct women through assault to become sex slaves. He topped it all off by telling the Marines down in Okinawa that they should use local Japanese comfort women and this would reduce US military personnel crime levels...(no joke, he said that)

It is extraordinary that so many people actually like and support like and support him.

This guy is a politician. Politicians don't get where they are by "speaking their mind." This was a calculated statement said to generate publicity and show the people of Japan what an old school tough guy he is.

He NEVER would have said that if the general population was against any kind of nationalism or jingoism.

In the 1993 statement, Japan offered “sincere apologies” for the “immeasurable pain and suffering” inflicted on comfort women. Two years later, Japan issued a broader apology expressing “deep remorse” for war suffering.

Which has yet again been ruined by a nationalist idiot.

In any other advanced country, any politician who said something as offensive as this would be fired straight away.

He said the system was also important for maintaining discipline and that other countries used similar systems during wartime.

I hope he's going to name those countries and provide proof. I can only think of the Germans, and they were hardly a good moral compass during the war...

What a japanese sucker with sucking japanese pride n inhumanity.

Let's look at the dictionary definitions of "aggression" and see if they fit Japan's actions during the war.

the action of a state in violating by force the rights of another state, particularly its territorial rights; an unprovoked offensive, attack, invasion, or the like.

That seems consistent with Japan's actions in China, Korea and elsewhere.

any offensive action, attack, or procedure; an inroad or encroachment: an aggression upon one's rights.

Any offensive action, no matter how it is justified, is aggression. Surely even Abe and Hashimoto wouldn't claim that Japan carried out no offensive actions at all? Maybe they will claim that Asian countries invited the Japanese army in?

the practice of making assaults or attacks; offensive action in general.

Clearly, any rational person must conclude that Japan committed acts of aggression during the war. For Abe and Hashimoto to claim otherwise demonstrates the extent of their delusion. These people should be in a mental hospital, not running the country.

It sounds like these guys all need to go buy a Tenga.

This guy is a politician. Politicians don't get where they are by "speaking their mind." This was a calculated statement said to generate publicity and show the people of Japan what an old school tough guy he is.

Actually no he isn't not by training at least. He is learning how as he is doing it. He is a lawyer by trade, then became popular because of a stupid TV program and rode the popularity to elected office. (Sound familiar?)

His popularity is based upon his past and people really don't care and wont until it's too late. Plus he touches on the conservative nerves of the already conservative Japanese public.

I hope he's going to name those countries and provide proof. I can only think of the Germans, and they were hardly a good moral compass during the war...

I'm not sure what other countries were doing but the comfort women system did not end in August of 1945. US occupation authorities kept it going for years after the war. They just changed the name to RAA, the recreation and amusement authority.

The use of sex slaves could never be an acceptable practice but if it was, why didn't the Imperial army use Japanese women? It didn't stop the brutal Imperial troops from raping and killing tens of thousands of young children and women on their march across Asia.

They did use Japanese women.

The issue is actually quite complicated. For starters, contrary to what South Korea says, not all comfort women were sex slaves. The Japanese side is that comfort women were mostly a volunteer prostitution corps. The Korean side is that they were all sex slaves kidnapped from their homes at gunpoint. The truth is probably somewhere in between.

The use of sex slaves could never be an acceptable practice but if it was, why didn't the Imperial army use Japanese women?

They did. Such info of their medical records and issuance of travel documents are all archived by now defunk AWF.

The Korean side is that they were all sex slaves kidnapped from their homes at gunpoint

How does that work considering that IJA presence in the Korean peninsula was minimal and that during the 30's, the government officials were mostly Korean?

Nigelboy:

The system was also instituted by the Korean government for U,N. Forces during the Korean war for their were ads and the news of recruitment on the Korean newspaper at that time.

Don't know if that's true, but if so, SO WHAT? Is that supposed to let everyone off? Your constant defence of the depravity of the Japanese authorities reaches another low. Can I ask you: Is keeping women as sex slaves right or wrong? Oh that's right, they were all volunteers!

the local populous was used to populate the comfort houses.. hence, it is not only south koreans.. perhaps one should say, all occupied territories had comfort houses..

modern day slavery exists.. and here we are, debating about contentious issues.. which certainly is more political in retrospect, many of the victims would no doubt only wish to live in peace & quiet, with the support of their loved ones.. as we do nothing for the millions enslaved today..

politics, is much like the Colosseum of old.. merely a game to amuse and distract the mob.. while the bureaucracy and industries slowly but surely corrode our constitutional rights.. i.e. labor movements (keidairen), womens rights (tax legislations), .. etc.

Don't know if that's true, but if so, SO WHAT? Is that supposed to let everyone off

I think by focusing only on Japan, it is essence letting everyone else off including the most vocal nation.

Screw womens' liberation , our soldier's were stressed out. and they needed to "blow" off some steam.

Good god man, this guy is insane!

This guy isn't fit to hold office and should be asked to resign

It is believed thousands of women were forced to serve as Japanese army "comfort women" during World War II. Around three quarters of comfort women died, while many survivors were left scarred and infertile. Comfort women were kidnapped or lured away from their homes in Japanese-occupied territories.

Often repeated but no evidence to back those claims especially in light of the fact that the actual estimates of women who served are still up to debate. As to those who were kidnapped, most of them were done by local people as evidenced by numerous reports of arrests on newspapers.

hahahaha o__0 you're kidding right? -___- what a moron

Hashimoto is sounding like Ishihara, so he should be called Hashihara.

Shinzo Abe acknowledged the government had a set of documents produced by a postwar international military tribunal containing testimony by Japanese soldiers about abducting Chinese women as military sex slaves.

Was this an order from the top? Or was it the wrongful action of this soldier's unit? Those documents are nothing new for it is already displayed by AWF including the Semarang case.

I'm not sure what other countries were doing but the comfort women system did not end in August of 1945. US occupation authorities kept it going for years after the war. They just changed the name to RAA, the recreation and amusement authority.

Japan set it up just prior to the occupation by the US Military and they "employed" Japanese women for the jobs. MacArthur shut them all down because of an epidemic of VD and didn't want the "men" taking it back home with them.

US occupation authorities kept it going for years after the war.

Technically this is not true, the US occupation authorities did not run the establishments they were run by Japanese. The occupation authorities allowed them to continue until MacArthur shut them down.

There is a different, as the way you say it makes it sound as if the US were running them, they weren't. The Japanese had success with them in Korea and just extended the service back home.

If comfort women are necessary in wartime, aren't they doubly so in times of peace?

I mean, the men have got all that time on their hands when they could be doing something useful.

(Sarcasm)

Some of the sex slaves testified they were raped 30 to 40 times a day by Imperial Japanese troops. I can't even begin to imagine what that must have done to them?

And one former comfort woman try to withdrawal, via lawsuit, her saving which she earned during that time which totaled to today's equivalent of 70 million yen. And she had her original passbook to support this.

Lol, leave it to Hashimoto to keep the threads and news bulletins alive with his big mouth stumbles. People like him, Ishihara, Aso are jokes and the media should ignore these senile loons. Why anyone takes these old farts seriously is so way beyond me.

" He said the system was also important for maintaining discipline and that other countries used similar systems during wartime. "

Err... yeah! But not in this century and not civlized countries. Sheesh!

But what would be another day without another J-politician putting his foot in his mouth.

If comfort women are necessary in wartime, aren't they doubly so in times of peace?

Open your eye's!

Shinzo Abe acknowledged the government had a set of documents produced by a postwar international military tribunal containing testimony by Japanese soldiers about abducting Chinese women as military sex slaves.

I don't think anyone in Japan is denying that Japanese military units kidnapped women to rape them. There were a number of Japanese officers tried and executed for this immediately after the war.

The Japanese right wing claims that these are isolated incidents and not characteristics of the comfort women system.

US occupation authorities kept it going for years after the war. They just changed the name to RAA, the recreation and amusement authority.

One more thing, the RAA did not last for "years" as you state here, it lasted for 4 months or so, run and administered by the Japanese.

Read and learn:

Following the Japanese surrender on August 15, the Japanese found themselves confronted with the prospect of a large number of Allied troops on Japanese soil. Rumors quickly spread among the public of the tragedies soon to befall them. Well aware of the conduct of their own forces during the war, and assuming that Allied troops would behave in the same way, government officials began planning measures to "channel" the sexual urges of the occupying forces into "designated (lower-class) female bodies, thereby protecting the pure women of Japan's middle- and upper-classes".

At a cabinet meeting on August 21, Deputy Prime Minister Fumimaro Konoe expressed concern about potential mass rapes to Prime Minister Higashikuni and suggested the establishment of a "comfort women system" within Japan. After some discussion, this suggestion was approved by the cabinet. However, this approval was merely a formality; the Home Ministry had already sent a directive to prefectural governors and police chiefs on August 18 ordering them to make preparations for "comfort facilities" in areas that Occupation troops would be stationed. These facilities (which included dance halls, restaurants, and bars in addition to brothels) were to be staffed by women already involved in the "water trade"

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

Too bad Japan lost the war...otherwise it might be a two for one deal.

Kind of interesting that rapes committed by American soldiers went up 8x after the RAA was disbanded.

The use of sex slaves were so wide spread it would be impossible to accept that the commanders at the top not only knew what was going on but also endorsed the action. I suppose you would state the same about the army units which carried out live experimentation on people.

I have a pretty good idea of what the commanders did as evidenced by Tomichi Murayama's extensive research.

-Issuing passports to comfort women, verifying their age. -Order for weekly medical examination by military doctors to check for VD with hundreds of reports summarizing the results. -Order to carefully screen the operators for some are recruiting underage girls under false pretenses. -Supply orders for "condomns" because the local area did not have them. -Setting up price and working hours -Warnings not to use brothels set up by locals for it appears that they are growing in spurts due to presence of IJA soldiers and therefore, hasn't complied with the regulations (VD screening, age, how they were recruited, etc.) -Warning to soldiers to pay the prepaid ticket before the actual service for it was reported by operators that some have skipped paying. -Reports of fighting among IJA soldiers because of their affection towards a particlar comfort woman. -Advisement to the soldier to pay for the property damage incurred at the brothel to the operator.

And of course, there are documents/reports issued by Allieds when IJA surrendered which includes shocking documents. For instance,

Rabaul

-Women between ages 20~25, the fee is 2.5 yen which includes condomns. The drinks are quite expensive. -Operation hours between 8 am~6pm. However, certain upper class military can stay overnight at a price. -Women can refuse service if the customer does not use condomn.

Burma

-According the Korean operator there, his restaurant business wasn't doing to well so he decided to operate the comfort station. -He recruited women from ages 19 to 31 paying in advance from 300 yen~1000 yen per woman. -In his operation, his women earned between 300 yen~1,500 yen a month of which a minimum of 150 yen per month was collected by the operator from each women.

Japanese Prisoners of War Interrogation on Prostitution http://www.exordio.com/1939-1945/codex/Documentos/report-49-USA-orig.html

An interesting account of comfort women life from US Army interrogations of captured Korean comfort women in Burma 1944.

Sorry. Link to the above done by Murayama who dedicated the rest of his political career for comfort women.

http://www.awf.or.jp/pdf/0051_5.pdf

Speaking at a news conference, Hashimoto said that the women were needed to provide "the brave frontline troops with rest and relaxation,"

Oh... I don't know where to start...

While speaking at news conference..? Was this a Lunch-in at The Local Rotary Club..?

I could just imagine, it must have went something like this:

"Oh, by the way, while I'm on the subject of promoting business ties within the community, I'd just like to take a few minutes and speak about the need to provide our frontline troops with sex services, you know, while you're in the business of waging a war of aggression, yada, yada, yada, Raping and Pillaging, you need to make sure your troops are happy..."

why bother?

Just goes to prove that this issue is divisive even among the "non-natives" too!

Its funny how this one issue is consistently at the top of the most read topics list.

Japan set up something very similar for the US troops during the occupation after the war ended.

During the occupation, women were asked by the Japanese government (what still remained) to volunteer to become paid prostitutes, they organized these services even before the first GI's even set foot in Japan (Because they were expecting to receive exactly what they dealt out in all the other Asian countries by themselves).

In contrary to what the Japanese did, going from city to city, collecting and capturing women at the barrel of a gun, point of bayonet.

Seriously? This mental midget is the major of Osaka? Hey Osaka!!! Time for a recall election! Goes to prove there is no cure for stupid.

The background of the establishment of RAA for US occupying forces were that there were reported 14000 rapes by US soldiers in European theatre, 10000 rapes in Okinawa, and 1336 rapes in Kanagawa in the first ten days of occupation.

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/特殊慰安施設協会

During the occupation, women were asked by the Japanese government (what still remained) to volunteer to become paid prostitutes, they organized these services even before the first GI's even set foot in Japan (Because they were expecting to receive exactly what they dealt out in all the other Asian countries by themselves).

Goodness man, open your eyes. If this is what you think happened you really need to learn a thing or two. Read the link I provided in an earlier post, and do a little research and you'll see that very few if any women VOLUNTEERED to be hookers.

The only reason the Japanese "comfort women" are hardly ever acknowledged or recognized is due in a large part to the stigma of Japan's loss in WWII and the culture and society of the time.

Believe it or not, there are some "former" Japanese comfort women that live, or lived (passed away) in the US. The stigma of what they did caused many to commit suicide or leave Japan forever. It is another part of Japanese history that folks here like to cover up or refuse to acknowledge that it ever happened. And generations after will never know nor believe because they never learned or heard about it in their history studies.

Heavy use was also made of independent brokers to recruit women. These brokers, many of whom were affiliated with the yakuza, used less ethical recruitment techniques. The Women's Volunteer Corps (女子挺身隊 Jōshi Teishin-tai?), a government organization for mobilizing young girls and women aged 14–25 for work in factories, was a popular target as many of these women were left unemployed and stranded by the end of the war. Yuki Tanaka reports that groups of these women would be deceived and delivered, unknowing, to brothels.[20]

Despite these deceptive recruitment practices, most women working in the comfort stations did ultimately consent to work as prostitutes. There were also women who were unable to leave their brothels, however; either because they had been sold by their impoverished families or because they owed money to the brothel. Some comfort stations used "company store" tactics and loan advances (前借 maegari?) to keep women in debt and unable to leave, something a contemporary GHQ official compared to "enslavement". Contracts forcing women to work at brothels in repayment of debts were eventually abolished by a SCAP order (SCAPIN 642) in January 1946, although some Japanese officials were skeptical of how well such a prohibition could be enforced.[21][22]

Hmm, are these Chinese and Filipino women who are always trying to take my arm and lead me to a massage parlor "comfort women"? Are they not "recruited" in a similar way as the women who were "recruited" during the war? The more things change, the more they stay the same.

My grandfather was a soldier in the Pacific during the war. The allies were quite surprised that Japanese "Army-issue" comfort women existed, while allied soldiers simply used common prostitutes (whom they were warned against as being 100% infected with VD) who were often pimped by children. Certainly the allies didn't require comfort women to fight effectively, and it never has been (and never will be) hard to find a representative of the world's oldest profession.

He is the prime candidate for the first human to receive a de-barking operation just to shut the fool up!

I wonder if this Tory Hashimoto's grandmother was a "comfort woman" and he descended from an unknown grandfather, he'd think the same way.

From nigelboy's link to the comfort women report, it seems like the majority of these "comfort women" were just volunteer prostitutes.. Considering the lack of steady income and general precarious situation for anyone in wartime, I'm not surprised that they would mostly be volunteer prostitutes and find this easier to believe than a widespread government abduction plan.

Often repeated but no evidence to back those claims especially in light of the fact that the actual estimates of women who served are still up to debate. As to those who were kidnapped, most of them were done by local people as evidenced by numerous reports of arrests on newspapers.

Nigleboy at it again. Denying the existence of sex slaves because they either didn't live through the savage rapes or of old age after the war. Pretty easy to deny their existence after you've killed them all eh?

There is some interesting reposiitoning going on amongst the ultra conservative set at the moment. First, the decision not to revise existing apologies, then the decision to review the comfort women issue. Now this kind of remark from Mr Hashimoto. It's a little difficult to figure out what these people are trying to achieve, beyond remarking that they are more concerned about maintaining and enhancing their existing conservative franchise than offending those who are already against the hard right camp.

It seems like gaffer tape over the mouth is necessary for Hashimoto.

Does this chap wish another war so he can rape inercent women.

Well, at that time, the notion of what is right and wrong were different. Nowadays, we have internet. Our present International community can actually decide what is criminal, what is right and what can't be done, but considering the time of our grand fathers, they had a different vision and people didn't enjoyed freedom to stop bad politicians. People were more nationalist, they had no idea about what was going to happen voting to wrong political ideals.

... His earlier remark that Japan needs a "dictatorship" is actually much more unsettling. This guy clearly has some questionable views and puts things at risk!

He is correct comfort women was nothing new when the Japanese forces used them.

Look up;

Western princess, Comfort stations also look up Prostitution.

http://books.google.co.jp/books?id=VZdGpJo0aSoC&pg=PA109&lpg=PA109&dq=raa,+the+recreation+and+amusement+authority.&source=bl&ots=JOHRt2vyQ2&sig=F8ZivjXKGjIxFTFtKky04HIZLKw&hl=ja&sa=X&ei=OKqRUdvWOouPkwW_yYGQCw&sqi=2&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=raa%2C%20the%20recreation%20and%20amusement%20authority.&f=false

Oh, then by your analysis, All kamakaze's were forced into getting into the cockpits of planes..? This is Japan, we're talking about...?

You know you are just as bad as Hashimoto if you are unwilling or blind to the fact that Japan treated it's own with disdain as well. This isnt a discussion about the kamikaze.

You should read a book by Michael S. Molasky " The American Occupation of Japan and Okinawa" if you won't take a "wiki" page. Included in that book is pretty much the exact same information from the wiki page but first published I believe around 1999 (Yep that's it, hit the link I added above and scroll down to the pertinent pages)

Why did Hashimoto even think he needed to make this statement, it as nothing to do with his job or politics in Osaka?

Because he can't stand it that Abe is taking center stage and has changed his mind about redesigning the history of Japan during the period in question.

Plus he wants to keep "his" party in the forefront of peoples minds. Seems to me he only cares about his job in Osaka when there are "incidents" or media chances to keep his face on the news.

No matter is the politician the Japanese system will always try eliminate the bad politicians. Also media oppinion is very important to the system here. You can see the case of Ozawa. Many ministers quits after 1 year job. Dictatorship is an impossibility.

zichiMay. 14, 2013 - 12:40PM JST So what went wrong. If the Imperialist troops were provided with comfort women why did they still rape and murder tens of thousands of women and young children?

Do you actually believe that Japan was the only nation that comment rapes during World War II?

Every nation did, but not every nation lost the war.

He who wins the war writes the history.

Rape has been used as a tool in each and every war since the first, this is nothing new and will only go away when wars end.

Most of this hinges on the cultural attitudes to sex, which is associated with original sin in the West, and with festivities in Japan.

Nigelboy wrote (thanks)

The system was also instituted by the Korean government for U,N. Forces during the Korean war for their were ads and the news of recruitment on the Korean newspaper at that time. The Korean government used the same word - 慰安婦　comfort women - as the Japanese used in their adverts in 1961. Here is the cover of a Korean newspaper with an advert for "UN comfort women". http://livedoor.blogimg.jp/tonchamon/imgs/0/0/00840c95.jpg That the Japanese used that word it is considered proof that the women were duped (into thinking they would only be providing psychological or spiritual comfort) and thus enslaved, in Asia where people prefer circumlocution at the best of times. Was it ever, is it ever likely that a government, Japanese or Korean, would be specific about the terms and conditions of employment? Would those employed wanted the adverts to be specific? Should governments not advertise for such employees at all? This is probably the important point.

Consider the next facts.

Upgrayedd wrote several excellent comments including

Kind of interesting that rapes committed by American soldiers went up 8x after the RAA was disbanded. Very interesting, and very harsh for those raped.

But then Upgrayedd also wrote (I was shocked to find it was same commenter)

He topped it all off by telling the Marines down in Okinawa that they should use local Japanese comfort women and this would reduce US military personnel crime levels...(no joke, he said that)

Would you think what he said a joke if your daughter had been raped by a marine?

To be precise about what Hashimoto said, during a visit to the the Futenma military base he asked a commanding officer that they make more use of the sexual entertainment (fuuzoku) industry and when asked the reason he said "Because there are places were one can relieve sexual energy legally in Japan."

To Westerners the male sex drive is something that can be sublimated, transcended, banished to be replaced only by consensual 'love'. In Japan it is more like other drives, or forces of nature, so without a legal, consensual outlet, likely to find release in more tragic, violent ways. Which view is more realistic?

It's a little difficult to figure out what these people are trying to achieve,

What they try and successfully achieve is getting their sad mugs in national and worldwide news.

Please see this New YorK Times article on ianfu for US troops in Korea for more details http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/08/world/asia/08korea.html?pagewanted=2&_r=4&sq=comfort%20%20women&st=cse&scp=1

To just whisk away the issue with such a tactless comment is inane. So, when the government sees fit to raise morale they'll simply call upon the hostesses to satisfy those lacking any confidence. This guy is frightening with his words. Shocking thing is a lot of these politicians get away with insulting comments due to an already ignorant populace.

Often repeated but no evidence to back those claims especially in light of the fact that the actual estimates of women who served are still up to debate. As to those who were kidnapped, most of them were done by local people as evidenced by numerous reports of arrests on newspapers.

And I supposed the Holocaust and Slavery never happened either. Stupid me, I keep forgetting during the war, the Japanese were in no way responsible for any atrocities whatsoever, it was just all somehow fabricated by the western powers to make Japan look evil.

Seriously, Nigel?

@timtak......(You call his comments excellent? )

But then Upgrayedd also wrote (I was shocked to find it was same commenter)

I do not think you are reading what was written correctly, go back and read the comment again.....Hashimoto said the following:

He topped it all off by telling the Marines down in Okinawa that they should use local Japanese comfort women and this would reduce US military personnel crime levels...(no joke, he said that)

It is a sad fact that these are the type of people that rises to the top of the Japanese political system.

@Bassfunk

Lol, leave it to Hashimoto to keep the threads and news bulletins alive with his big mouth stumbles. People like him, Ishihara, Aso are jokes and the media should ignore these senile loons. Why anyone takes these old farts seriously is so way beyond me.

They take it seriously because they are people in extremely important positions in charge of lives and vast amounts of tax-payer money (including the huge amount of Japanese tax-payers who are forbidden to vote because of their race)

and that is not a dig at you... just pointing it out.

I wonder if the reverse had happened in a systematic way to the women of Japan if these matters would be 'rationalised' away

I wonder if the reverse had happened in a systematic way to the women of Japan if these matters would be 'rationalised' away

Have you actually read any of the posts here on this thread so far? It happened. There were Japanese comfort women, and their stories are rarely if ever heard or discussed.

Why you ask? Because of the stigma of defeat, because they had no other options to LIVE. Because the Japanese people treated their own like dogs or worse, because "their" military did it, the government at the time figured that the US military would do or want the same, and to protect the "upper" class women from being raped or worse, they created military brothels for the US to use.

The Japanese were also brutal during the war with the slaughter of 20 million in China alone.

20 million?

but the Allied Forces observed the Geneva Conventions which Germany and Japan did not.

Generally speaking that is! But not 100% mind you.

To Westerners the male sex drive is something that can be sublimated, transcended, banished to be replaced only by consensual 'love'. In Japan it is more like other drives, or forces of nature, so without a legal, consensual outlet, likely to find release in more tragic, violent ways. Which view is more realistic?

TimTak - Your usual western self-loathing is one thing, but excusing and denying the forcible rape of thousands of women is beyond disgusting

Wow, today must be a great day for Anti-Japanist! Certainly, our little boy, Hashimoto slipped dumb phrase...I guess he doesn't know such enthusiasm over him has gone a long time ago. Poor man..

Regarding "comfort women," yes, there are much confusion and mis-understanding around the subject. But to say sadly, this kind of fuss will never cease unless thorough research is intensively done by an truly reliable international team.

Ugh. This guy is digusting and how can he even try to defend sexual slavery.

Another mayor expounding on foreign policy issues, which are not within his mandate as a municipal politician. Stick to managing traffic and sewage, Hashimoto, especially since the latter seems to be spewing from your mouth.

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?

Currently USA Military forces are all over im Middle East engaged in wars. US Military men and women. I never heard they use comfort women or comfort men, In Hashimoto's logic, CONFORT MEN for female American soldiers must be necessary. Why I never head COMFORT MEN?

Japanese Govt froced Japanese young girls to were drafted to Joshi Teishintai. It was the time when Japanese females were considered less human beings. After WW II, Gen, MacArthur had hard time to improve and failed tp change fully.

Regarding "comfort women," yes, there are much confusion and mis-understanding around the subject. But to say sadly, this kind of fuss will never cease unless thorough research is intensively done by an truly reliable international team.

keroyan52 - Wow, I guess "thorough" research hadn't occurred to anyone yet? A very naive statement which is just another in the long, sad line of history denial.

He shoved his foot so far in his mouth I wouldn't be surprised if it shows up at the other end so he can kick himself with it.

So what went wrong. If the Imperialist troops were provided with comfort women why did they still rape and murder tens of thousands of women and young children?

I have doubts about your numbers but the system in of itself did not condone such actions as referenced by the many regulations imposed by the government (age verification, medical check up) but there is no doubt that there were some military units who did not abide by the rules. In terms of forced recruitment, this was mostly done by private operators who recruited these women under false pretenses.

At that time, lucky girls went girls' middle schools and other girls went 7th and 8th grade schools. I heard that These girls were ordered to become Joshi Teishintais. Japan was a discriminatory country then, Even though we did not have to worry to fail to enter girls' middle school because of our family heritage status, teachers recommended we study hard to ensure we would not be in such fate. We were brat girls but we had to behave then. Scary rime for young girls.

Is this the real Japan.This Govt is getting more despicable by the day.

I'm not suggesting that the America, British and Allied troops didn't rape and even atrocities, but the Allied Forces observed the Geneva Conventions which Germany and Japan did not.

I guess you missed

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/特殊慰安施設協会

where there were reported 14000 rapes by US soldiers in European theatre, 10000 rapes in Okinawa, and 1336 rapes in Kanagawa in the first ten days of occupation.

It cites,

Taken by Force: Rape and American GIs in Europe during World War II J Robert Lilly. ISBN 978-0-230-50647-3 p.12, Schrijvers, Peter (2002). The GI War Against Japan. New York City: New York University Press. p. 212. ISBN 0814798160

Bass4Funk,

Why anyone takes these old farts seriously is so way beyond me.

The problem is that Hashimoto is not an old fart, at 43, he's a relatively young fart.

AGAIN This Info is Mis Understanding Hashimoto's Opinion is NOT "SEX SLAVE is necessary" BUT "For AVOIDING such stupid troop's sexual criminal, Japanese Govt should have deliverd JAPANESE COMMERCIAL PROSTITUTE near war front. Its not only stupid troop's crime but also commander's Logistic Mistake"

zichi, although I think your JT posts are usually for your own personal attention/approval seeking needs, I have to admit I agree with you wholeheartedly on this. Lots of thumbs up from me!

Hashimoto also said the U.S. Military currently in Okinawa should visit local Sex Industry Establishments in order to reduce Rapes there. Maybe his Yakuza buddies in Okinawa will issue discount coupons to U.S. Military Personnel there as an inducement.

What a scumbag.

Too many misunderstandings are around concerning wartime prostitutes. I am afraid lots of people are completely missing the points. A: People in Korean peninsula were Japanese nationality at that time. What kind of stupid officials would kidnap the girls of his nationality? He would be prosecuted instantly. Because of this single point, Koreans claims are proved to be all white lies. B: There are too many too naive guys around. Dignity cannot help you survive. We are talking about wartime 70 years ago, when discrimination against skin colors and sex was present. Women had no other methods than working as prostitutes to make big money. It might have been necessary for her to save her family. Who could blame or disgrace her ? She was able to earn big money thanks to comfort stations. What's wrong with it ? It is a question of prostitute or death (of all family).

After this, I think the only ones who support this man are people who doesn't knows about the pain the sex slaves suffered or the people who doesnt's have daughters or sisters so they can't understand the magnitude of his careless comments, the fact that he considers the rape of women as something necessary on those times should be enough for him to resign.

@Nigel

The background of the establishment of RAA for US occupying forces were that there were reported 14000 rapes by US soldiers in European theatre, 10000 rapes in Okinawa, and 1336 rapes in Kanagawa in the first ten days of occupation. http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/特殊慰安施設協会

Now you want to quote Wikipedia? You are too funny.

@bertie

Oh! Yeah, right. But the man acts and thinks like man of these incompetent radical politicians. You'd think by now, he would learn from his previous inflammatory comments, but no.....

danalawton1,

Hashimoto also said the U.S. Military currently in Okinawa should visit local Sex Industry Establishments in order to reduce Rapes there.

They already do, don't they?

That industry will be the one that is hit hard when the US troops leave Okinawa.

Now you want to quote Wikipedia? You are too funny.

Read my post marked MAY. 14, 2013 - 10:48PM JST

After this, I think the only ones who support this man are people who doesn't knows about the pain the sex slaves suffered or the people who doesnt's have daughters or sisters so they can't understand the magnitude of his careless comments, the fact that he considers the rape of women as something necessary on those times should be enough for him to resign.

He won't resign because he didn't say that rape or sex slaves were necessary. I'm really surprised that this Japan focused website hasn't posted a translation of what he said and instead continues to rely on blatant mistranslations by the foreign media in Japan.

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

i am appalled by his statement. this is not going to help Japan improve their relationship with Asian countries. with so many issues around the North Asian Region, Politicians should be mindful what they say.

Row bow wrote: What can you expect from an ignorant son of a gangster, raised without morals? He is Hashimoto, not Hashishita to whom Asahi had to apologgize beside people who had been disctiminated for centuries.

So, far, there is no Comfort Men for American female soldiers in any war zone American have been involved. Is it necessary in War time? Did Hashimoto ever visited any war zones ?

RowBow: His mother, a widow, raised him. There was no record he is a son of a gangster/ Let talk about his terrible statement without a lie about his birth status.

This ridiculous remarks would spotlight him in many ways. He himself knows that his opinion is ridiculous. So he is just a conglomeration of the honor greed. Clever people should ignore his low brain opinions.