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Japan says it had S Korean input on 'comfort women' apology

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By Kiyoshi Takenaka and Elaine Lies

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Toshiaki HaginoyaJun. 22, 2014 - 03:59AM JST Americans should read “The Comfort Women” written by C. Sarah Soh of San Francisco State University before you >open your mouth and say anything. This is the most precise English account by far I have met. The rest of books ever >published were just pulp fiction.

You are right. It is written by a native Korean and examines the issue objectively. Something in which most posters here have no interest,

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

justbcuzisay,

The issue is about rape, not prostitution.

Above is your comment. From this comment, I thought that, 1) you think that comfort women were raped, not engaged in prostitution, and 2) therefore you are accusing Japan. Am I misunderstanding you?

Well, it obviously seems that English is not native language either for you or me. If you think you are friend of Japan and try to organize or straighten all the information, please write your opinion clearly. I will try that way too.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

This is pointless. I keep telling you I don't accuse Japan, and you keep telling me I accuse Japan. I would advise you too not treat friends of Japan as enemies, because it does not help your cause. This has gotten too far from my original point, I am sure the moderators will start deleting posts soon. Cheers.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

You ARE missing my point, and again I apologize if it is my fault.

The main thing you keep missing is I said: the accusations being investigated are

NOT What I accuse Japan of

0 ( +0 / -0 )

justbcuzisay,

No, I am not missing your point.

The accusations being investigated are that women were kidnapped/coerced/forced into acts without their consent. The buildings might have been established as 'legal brothels' but if women were tricked or brought there against their wills, the legality of brothels no longer factors into this conversation. My opinions of prostitution has nothing to do with this conversation. No one has accused anyone of illegal prostitution. The claims are of sexual slavery. The matter needing resolved is whether these women were forced against their will and if so by whom.

You are accusing Japan because you think that those women were "kidnapped/coerced/forced" to become comfort women.

To make it clear, i want to categorize what "coerce" or "forcibility" means:

Category1: physically/violently forced - this implies that a soldier broke into a house suddenly and kidnapped a women. However, there is no effective proof or official evidence or records from either SK side or Japan side, or even from any other countries including the U.S. (If you do have any , I strongly recommend you should submit it to the SK government.)

Category 2: psychologically forced- this implies that a women become a comfort women unwillingly or reluctantly. This include various cases of women who ; a) were sold by parents ( in this case, her parents knew the fact),or b) were cheated by local agent. They were the victims of human trafficking, but not "slaves".

Category 3: not forced- This word applied to women who applied for the job voluntarily for money for any reason such as poverty, debt, or simply because that was the best money-making job for her.

As for category 1, as I mentioned above, there is no proof of "physical forcibility". You may say that there are many oral testimonies from comfort women, but I think it is already known to you, those testimonies were later found that the women were sold by their parents (which supposed to belong category 2) or the women mistook the memory of WWII for that of Korean War which is nothing to do with Japan.

If you claim that more oral testimonies of comfort women should be heard, I think that oral testimonies from Japanese soldiers should also be heard. Just to be fair.

As for category 2, although those parents who sold their daughter and those local agent who cheated the women should be also accused, Japan is still responsible for exploiting the brothels where many of poor women were working reluctantly. Japan admitted this fact. Therefore, Japan apologized and paid compensation.

You are making the issue of " the consent from the woman" . I don't think that all of the comfort women gave their consent, but as someone said above

So many girls had to choose prostitution business because of poverty in the past all over the world, including Japanese girls. I'm sorry for them, but I'm not going to disgrace them. They had to survive through difficult times.

Finally, it seems to me that those women who belong categorize 3 are looked down and disdained unfairly, especially in SK. I am totally against it. No one should look down on them. They applied the job by their own will, because they had to choose it in order to survive. Have SK people EVER paid any respect to those women who tried to survive the wartime on her own? They had to do so in order to support her family and herself. Or you do not pay any respect unless they are victims of rape or kidnap? If so, that is the root of the whole issue.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

justbcuzisay, Please stop trying to twist my words. I am not twisting your words; I am asking you a question. Look. This is very important. How a person/country thinks about legally permitted prostitution (or should I say, whether a prostitution should be legally permitted or not) is a key to resolve any prostitution issues which is currently happening or will happen in the future. You are not obliged to answer me, but think about it.

You might not be twisting my words, but you are greatly missing my point, and I do apologise if I can't express myself eloquently.

The accusations being investigated are that women were kidnapped/coerced/forced into acts without their consent. The buildings might have been established as 'legal brothels' but if women were tricked or brought there against their wills, the legality of brothels no longer factors into this conversation. My opinions of prostitution has nothing to do with this conversation. No one has accused anyone of illegal prostitution. The claims are of sexual slavery. The matter needing resolved is whether these women were forced against their will and if so by whom.

Please also note that I have not said that I have any answers to what happened then, I have only been simply commenting on people who use the meaning of the word 'comfort women' to mean 'prostitute' instead of 'sexual slave' as their proof that no crime was committed. (by the way, this was only one or two people. but I was shocked to be accused of 'extreme views about Japan' which the original poster virgo98 has yet to explain to me)

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Let's face it. We all know what's going on here. Koreans do not want to lose the victim card, so they will go on spreading their side of history no matter what Japan says. That's how it started and that's how it's going to be. Given the fact that ROK has no willingness to settle this matter through the diplomatic approach as civilized nation, Japan should take the issue up to the international court if Japan is really interested in solving this problem. The last thing Koreans want is for the world to start evaluating what "Comfort Woman" is all about. That is why they keep bringing up irrelevant subjects to manipulate the world with their fundamental message "Japan is the absolute evil and it's morally wrong to even question why so".

1 ( +1 / -0 )

justbcuzisay,

Please stop trying to twist my words.

I am not twisting your words; I am asking you a question. Look. This is very important. How a person/country thinks about legally permitted prostitution (or should I say, whether a prostitution should be legally permitted or not) is a key to resolve any prostitution issues which is currently happening or will happen in the future. You are not obliged to answer me, but think about it.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Even in this review NOT to review, clearly Japan is trying to make Korea look bad for "collaborating" on the Kono Statement..................FAIL again!!

How can Korea look bad at aiding in the drafting of a sincere acknowledgement by Japan in its role in perpetuating sex slavery?

Another embarrassing day to be a gaijin in Japan, the country that is unable to learn the truth about WWII, for shame!

Does that embarrasment include privileges that come with living in Japan ( your house, car, income etc)?

Please, please stay as far away as possible. For once.

Believe me, when Pyongyang shells Seoul most Japanese would wish their country was on the far side of the Pacific but...

The review of the Kono Statement comes at a delicate time for Abe’s security agenda, as he pushes to end a ban on sending Japan’s military to aid a friendly country under attack - a major shift in defense policy likely to upset Seoul and Beijing.

It seems the South Koreans don't want Japan's aid military aid when the North attacks. Why does Abe bother to nose in on other countries' civil wars? It's really selfish for Japan to reject a DPRK that extends all the way to Busan.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Fifty posts of people missing the point of the article. No surprise really.

“Our government had maintained the stance that finding out the truth is not a subject for negotiation between the two countries and only presented opinions informally upon repeated requests from Japan.”

In this quote (to which no one in the ROK Foreign Ministry was brave enough to put their name) everything is clear. Japan thoughtfully asked ROK for their input on the wording of the statement (knowing full well that any statement they made would surely be criticized for not being worded properly in the same way all previous statements had been criticized). Since ROK gave their opinions (informally, mind you) it is beyond unrealistic for them to later continue repeating the falsehood that "Japan has never been sufficiently remorseful".

Face it, the Koreans had their chance at the war crimes trials, then they had another chance when the 1965 treaty was negotiated and signed in good faith, then they had another chance when the Asian Women's Fund was in operation for nearly a decade and they had yet another chance when they were asked to contribute their thoughts towards the wording of the Kono statement.

How many chances do these people need?

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Do you mean that prostitution will be allowed if the men treated them in a courteous manner?

Please stop trying to twist my words.

You are not emotional, but you are falling into a self-contradiction.

I mistyped the quote 'Your emotional statement with extreme views on Japan'

I did not state anything about 'Japan'

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

justbcuzisay,

The issue is about rape, not prostitution. By saying that prostitution was legal, it seems that you are saying that if women are prostitutes than men can treat them like animals. I am questioning this misogynistic thinking , I have made no 'emotional statement' against Japan.

Do you mean that prostitution will be allowed if the men treated them in a courteous manner?

If "yes", it means that you are approving the idea that women will sell their sex if treated well.

If "no", then all the world must immediately stop the business of any and all brothels, especially SK which is the biggest exporter of prostitutes (incl. both voluntarily and involuntarily) today.

You also must ask to yourself and those prostitute in SK that buying sex of a woman who became a prostitute unwillingly for money (due to poverty, or debt, or simply no other job available) is a rape or a commercial practice as sex industry.

You are not emotional, but you are falling into a self-contradiction.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

I'm sorry to say this, but you should see the reality. We are not talking about an issue of these days. So many girls had to choose prostitution business because of poverty in the past all over the world, including Japanese girls. I'm sorry for them, but I'm not going to disgrace them. They had to survive through difficult times. Of course I denounce the violence against women in wartime. But it should be discussed as a universal issue. Your emotional statement with extreme views on Japan would not bear anything, but just trivializing the issue.

The issue is about rape, not prostitution. By saying that prostitution was legal, it seems that you are saying that if women are prostitutes than men can treat them like animals. I am questioning this misogynistic thinking , I have made no 'emotional statement' against Japan.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

About 2.71 million Japanese visited South Korea in 2013, a 22.4 percent drop from the previous year. The drop was only due to the yen value and the rising cost of travel.

South Korea tours are very cheap from Japan. Travels to not-anti-Japan countries are increasing.

http://www.jnto.go.jp/jpn/reference/tourism_data/pdf/marketingdata_overseas_taravelers140603.pdf

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

I think the comfort women statues in the US should be called "Statue of Yan Kon Shu or Yanggongju, victims of Korean War". Then it would make sense.

It might make sense to those Japanese who hate Koreans. Why not let the Koreans decide for themselves? The modern debauchery of the Korean peninsula started with Japan's subjugation of it in 1910. They taught the Koreans to look upon their daughters as an asset to be sold for sexual favors, as an artless commodity. (This in contrast to a geisha-type system that existed in Korea before, but not reduced to the crassness that the Japanese introduced.)

Of course I denounce the violence against women in wartime. But it should be discussed as a universal issue.

It can be discussed as a universal issue. But it must also be discussed when victims come forward to point out egregious violations. The Germans could not try to hide behind a recommendation to discuss antisemitism as a universal issue. The world must not allow Japan to hide. The problem has been and continues to be lack of genuine repentance on Japan's part.

Americans should read “The Comfort Women” written by C. Sarah Soh of San Francisco State University before you open your mouth and say anything. This is the most precise English account by far I have met.

I seriously doubt that you have read it yourself. Chunghee Sarah Soh describes a system where Japanese annexation corrupted the Korean patriarchy. From the ordinary Korean woman's point of view, Prof. Soh agrees that most were tricked or forced into prostitution. Her main "twist" is that she holds Korean male elites as bearing a lot of responsibility. But for anyone claiming the women were not compelled into sexual slavery, Soh's book will refute their claims. Are you sure you want to go there?

2 ( +8 / -6 )

Americans should read “The Comfort Women” written by C. Sarah Soh of San Francisco State University before you open your mouth and say anything. This is the most precise English account by far I have met. The rest of books ever published were just pulp fiction.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

"Japan says the matter of compensation for the women forced to work in the brothels was settled under a 1965 treaty establishing diplomatic ties. In 1995, Japan set up a fund to make payments to the women from private contributions, but South Korea says that was not official and so not enough."

Of course, it's neeever enough for the SK government and anti Japan crowd.

How convenient when faced with the truth.

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

Wading through the rabid froth on this thread I've come to the conclusion that the Japanese soldiers were solely to blame for what happened to the women. Doesn't seem to matter that KOREAN agents seduced/lured/ensnared... (whatever you want to call it) the women to work in the brothels... the soldiers who had sex with them (raped or with consent) are the ones solely to blame.

Yes it was wrong, yes it was evil... but the Koreans need to look at themselves, and ask which of their countrymen took the women. Who has a dark secret they are hiding? In war there will always be collaborators, just as there will always be women prepared to sell themselves if it means they can feed themselves, or just to have a more pleasant life in an occupied country. Don't say it never happened, I'm certain some Korean women were only too happy to sell themselves for a cushy life, just as there were many for whom it wasn't so cushy.

Nothing is black and white.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Japan wants to "stay as far away as possible" from Korea? LOL. That must be why Japan invaded Korea three times and is encroaching on Dokdo again now (just like one hundred years ago before colonizing all of Korea)...

It's so hard to understand the Japanese psyche... They invade other countries and then say they want "peace". They say they've changed, but can't admit to what they did wrong to want to change.

Please, please stay as far away as possible. For once.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Japanese had to get Korean input. language barriers. Korean politicians, many can read, write and even can speak a foreign language - Japanese. Are there Japanese politicians who can read and write Korean language? Can they communicate with Korean counterparts? But, just keep Kono apology and stop trying to create a new apology that Japanese politicians can not talk in Korean language.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Of course I denounce the violence against women in wartime. But it should be discussed as a universal issue. Your emotional statement with extreme views on Japan would not bear anything, but just trivializing the issue.

Please inform me of my 'extreme views on Japan?

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

justbcuzisayJun. 21, 2014 - 05:58PM JST @virgo (and others who have brought up this point) Have you forgotten that the prostitution business was not illegal at that time? This has nothing to do with the 'comfort women' issue, and it is scary you think it does. Do you think that a young girl, or any woman, would willing have sex with hundreds of men a day? It seems that even Abe and friends acknowledge that what happened at 'comfort stations' was not prostitution, but violence against women. Debate the issues of recruitment, government involvement and atonement all you want, but this has nothing to do with legal prostitution

I'm sorry to say this, but you should see the reality. We are not talking about an issue of these days. So many girls had to choose prostitution business because of poverty in the past all over the world, including Japanese girls. I'm sorry for them, but I'm not going to disgrace them. They had to survive through difficult times.

Of course I denounce the violence against women in wartime. But it should be discussed as a universal issue. Your emotional statement with extreme views on Japan would not bear anything, but just trivializing the issue.

Or, are you supporting retrospective laws? Like Korean law to redeem pro-Japanese collaborators' property?

If you still insist on your view, I'm sure you would include the following as well.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostitutes_in_South_Korea_for_the_U.S._military

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/08/world/asia/08korea.html?_r=1&

I think the comfort women statues in the US should be called "Statue of Yan Kon Shu or Yanggongju, victims of Korean War". Then it would make sense. Because their customers were UN soldiers, including Americans, Europeans as well as Korean soldiers, In this case, there are many evidences of violence against them as well as kidnapping.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

GWJun. 21, 2014 - 12:24PM JST Ossan, Do you know who was raping these sex slaves???? Hint in case you haven't figured it out yet, Japanese military etc, end of story, time to fess up & man up!!

We call this talking to a brick wall. NOT ALL Comfort Women were raped. Some undoubtedly were, but he majority were paid and lived, in some cases, better than the soldiers they serviced. Read the US Army Report No.46. As to WHO was making use of the Comfort Women services, Japanese soldiers, Korean soldiers and Chinese civilians. There was a rate system whereby the customers would pay a higher price, in that order. In addition there is a comment made by a Comfort Women regarding Indian troops in the US Army Report No.46 which suggest that others may have made use of the system. It is you who is unable to "man up" to actually examine the existing evidence t reach an objective conclusion. This "end of story" very much reflects the South Korean position that their version is the truth and is not subject to any kind of a review. In the civilized world, EVERYTHING is open for review.

0 ( +6 / -6 )

Japanese are very tired of this and have no energy or desire to do anything with SK anymore. We just want to stay as far away as possible from that country.

-3 ( +4 / -7 )

@virgo (and others who have brought up this point)

Have you forgotten that the prostitution business was not illegal at that time?

This has nothing to do with the 'comfort women' issue, and it is scary you think it does. Do you think that a young girl, or any woman, would willing have sex with hundreds of men a day? It seems that even Abe and friends acknowledge that what happened at 'comfort stations' was not prostitution, but violence against women. Debate the issues of recruitment, government involvement and atonement all you want, but this has nothing to do with legal prostitution.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

StrangerlandJun. 21, 2014 - 08:36AM JST If the girls were there against their wishes, they were being raped by the Japanese military. That's the end of it. How they got there - irrelevant. Who kidnapped them - irrelevant. All that is relevant is the fact that they were getting raped multiple times every day by the Japanese military. Anyone trying to suggest otherwise is promoting institutionalized rape.

Of course "How they got there" and "Who kidnapped them" are important. They are the key points. If they are irrevant, why has Japan been blamed for years? Have you forgotten that the point of isse was the coercion by the Japanese military in the first place? Have you forgotten that the prostitution business was not illegal at that time?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNr5PJCFBE8

Coercing? They were kidnapped and forced to work in state run brothels and if they refused they were killed. Man up Japan and stop trying to twist and sugar-coat the events that took place!

Where did you get this story? Please give us convincing evidences. Oral testimonies are not called firm evidences by the way.

I'll give you the links to show the daily life of comfort women. "Diary written by Korean worker at comfort stations in Burma, Singapore found"

http://archive.today/1jcC4

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/08/13/national/koreans-war-brothel-diaries-offer-new-details/#.U6U7oLmKA5t

BARENZAME619Jun. 21, 2014 - 03:42PM JST Japan and Japanese people NEVER denied that there were comfort women for Japanese soldiers. We admitted. Therefore Japan has apologized many times and paid a lot of compensation. What Japanese deny today is all the exaggeration and false information which are fabricated by Korean and Chinese for their propaganda. We admitted what we actually have done, HOWEVER we have to deny what we actually have not done. This is what Japan is trying to do now. Don't misunderstand. If SK does not like the review, they have to organize research group consisting of historians from both Japan and SK OR submit the issue to the international court, in order to find the truth. Japan is ready for this. Do you SK say that Japan should leave you alone and not rub salt into the wound of comfort women? No! Japan left you alone and try not to touch the wound for the sake of comfort women's pride/honor for long long time. But then SK started to spread all the false information and exaggerated story to disgrace Japan. Do not say "don't reveal the truth" or "don't tell the secrets we promised to the world."

I totally agree with you. What a good point of the investigation this time is that "Japanese people" are now well aware of the incredibility of Kono Danwa.

2 ( +7 / -5 )

Everyhting has been said about this.

This subject has been done to death many many times, the japanese govt has officially appologised and has paid compensation to Korea, the Korean govt accepted the apology and the compensation at that time, the whole thing should have been put to rest then, But the koreans keep dragging it up at every slight, turn and drop of a hat or when ever they think they want to play the victim card to gain sympathy.

I do not condone what japan did but seriously if some one has appologised and compensated you and you keep banging on and on about the event pretty soon the other party is going to loose its patients and tolerance, I can understand how japan must feel now with this continuous whine coming out of korea. The stuck record approach leads to resentment eventually and does nothing to move the two nations forward and beyond the regretful events of japans occupation.

Korea really needs to accept the fact, and move forward. They never will though as korean people have issues that cannot ever be resolved unfortunately, the inferiority complex lil cousin syndrome.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

Japan and Japanese people NEVER denied that there were comfort women for Japanese soldiers. We admitted. Therefore Japan has apologized many times and paid a lot of compensation.

What Japanese deny today is all the exaggeration and false information which are fabricated by Korean and Chinese for their propaganda.

We admitted what we actually have done, HOWEVER we have to deny what we actually have not done. This is what Japan is trying to do now. Don't misunderstand.

If SK does not like the review, they have to organize research group consisting of historians from both Japan and SK OR submit the issue to the international court, in order to find the truth. Japan is ready for this.

Do you SK say that Japan should leave you alone and not rub salt into the wound of comfort women? No! Japan left you alone and try not to touch the wound for the sake of comfort women's pride/honor for long long time. But then SK started to spread all the false information and exaggerated story to disgrace Japan. Do not say "don't reveal the truth" or "don't tell the secrets we promised to the world."

2 ( +8 / -6 )

"Japan says it had S Korean input on 'comfort women' apology." What's you next plan? Deny that you had a sneak attack on Pearl Harbor.

"The more Japan denies its historical truth, the more it will be isolated from the international community." The wisdom desperately needed by Japanese. They need to stop whining, and move on. Just face the facts; Japanese Imperial Army was an organized gang of savages.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

Ikuhiko Hata, menmber of The Study Team on the Drafting Process of the Kono Statement

Ikuhiko Hata is a leading historian on the subject of the comfort women who served in the Japanese Army in the 1930's and 1940's[38] and is credited with being the first to expose as fraudulent the testimony of Seiji Yoshida, who claimed to have kidnapped Korean women for the Japanese military.[39] Hata, who argues that the comfort women were not sex slaves but largely willing prostitutes and supports the retraction of the Kono Statement, summed up his views on the issue with,

"There were at most 20,000 comfort women. None of them were forcibly recruited. Forty percent of them were from Japan, the most heavily represented nation. Many were sold to brokers by their parents. Some responded willingly to brokers' offers; others were deceived. I would add that, on the average, living conditions in the comfort stations were practically identical to those in brothels set up for American troops during the Vietnam War."

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

Nice to see that PM Abe chose at least one expert pertaining to comfort women to this study team! It seems his background is quite extensive in regards to this issue as well as the Nanking Massacre which he has written about extensively on both issues. But upon time constrained inspection Mr. Hata seems like the last person Abe would want on this panel if he would like to bring credibility to the committee's report and to use it to convince skeptics that the report was done with impartiality and a desire to seek the truth as Mr. Hata is clearly biased and is the least impartial person on the subject of comfort women with extremely one-sided views on the matter.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Interesting that Suga should make it a point that there was 'Korean input'. they couldn't very well have done so without Koreans sharing their stories. But by raising the issue now are they suggesting there was 'foreign meddling'? Seems like a way to deflect to me...

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Zichi,

They are named in the released report which is linked by Nigelboy.

http://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/files/000042169.pdf

Thank you Zichi for bringing Nigelboy's link to my attention and correcting my ignorance.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Personally, I'm loving this. Way to go, Japan, and don't ever stop! LOL

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

@GW: “Not all “ means “A majority of”. Since only Japanese milita men wee thee, not Japanese civilians or women, must be Japanese military men.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Ossan,

Do you know who was raping these sex slaves????

Hint in case you haven't figured it out yet, Japanese military etc, end of story, time to fess up & man up!!

2 ( +7 / -5 )

DisillusionedJun. 21, 2014 - 08:55AM JST So, ossanamerica is stating that these women weren't kidnapped or force to work in brothels? Are you suggesting >they volunteered? Really?

I am suggesting that NOT ALL of the women enlisted willingly and NOT ALL of the women were deceived into employment, and NOT ALL of the women were kidnapped, and NOT ALL of the women were sold off by their families or Brothels. Japanese soldiers did NOT break down doors in the middle of the night to kidnap women, there were local Agents, who happen to be Koreans in Korea, who "recruited" the women and supplied them. In other words your absolutist view that all of them were kidnapped and forced to work is wrong. Not only is it physically impossible to implement but it would be impossible to run a military brothel system as you envisage. Korea despite being a colony of Japan in those times was still an orderly place with Korean policemen. Everything I have stated is supported by evidence but ignored by those with extremist views such as yours. The picture you paint is the result of "testimony" given by a number of former comfort women. 40 such women including those who testified were interrogated in South Korea in 1993 and the conclusion was that theirt testimony was "not credible". Until people of all sides of the issue are willing to look at the facts, the truth, there will be no resolution.

-2 ( +9 / -11 )

It really is getting lame about all these posters who demand "documents" in order to prove something, Japan continues to make itself look bad. Even in this review NOT to review, clearly Japan is trying to make Korea look bad for "collaborating" on the Kono Statement..................FAIL again!!

Another embarrassing day to be a gaijin in Japan, the country that is unable to learn the truth about WWII, for shame!

4 ( +8 / -4 )

SCPAP65 spot on

1 ( +7 / -6 )

Japan is completely clueless about the most basic elements of mature adult dialogue and discussion. These people at the top levels of Japanese government are worse than blind deaf and dumb people when it comes to communicating with non-Japanese. In Japan they can use all of their keigo and power and prestige to bullshit the Japanese public, but this crap does not work in the big wide world outside, which much to their astonishment and bafflement is not filled with compliant, passive Japanese obedient citizens, who do and say as they are told.

Japan has a long, long way to go until it can join international society as an accepted member. It will just remain an outcast as long as such clueless old men are in charge.

7 ( +15 / -8 )

Japan got input from South Korea on the sensitive wording of a landmark apology in 1993

and compensation was paid by Japan.

But now SA want more and say the apology was not enough.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

I don't understand what the big deal is. Check history and you will see that every invading force looted and plundered local resources, that includes humans.

I'm confused aasti what south Korea wants. More cash? Paperwork that says the government and military ordered this? Most of the people involved are dead so the cost thing would not be huge. Saying in black and white they did something wrong, would not hold my breath. The Japanese are simply too proud.

0 ( +8 / -8 )

@ichi: Suga found Japanese written documents in JSDF Library quite a while ago after he and one diet member heatedly argued about comfort woman existence during WW II in a Diet session, Suga yelled he would find documents against that Diet member. Written in Japanese language. The documents that include proud military officials comments of 'We found how those useless females can be used to war causes" I don;t know if these were Asahi or Mainichi or other documents but had to be Japanese language written documents. (Not English, Korean or Chinese, Not Hindu, I'd bet. ) We throw names like conservative to all politicians including Ishihara and Abe, /Suga, but what is Japanese conservative politicians?

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

I guess most of you reader missed the important part:

"In a responding statement, South Korea’s foreign ministry said: “Our government had maintained the stance that finding out the truth is not a subject for negotiation between the two countries and only presented opinions informally upon repeated requests from Japan.”

In otherwords, S.Korea doesn't want to find out the truth, but rather wishes to screw Japan out of more money.

"In negotiations, the South Korean government initially demanded $364 million in compensation for Koreans forced by into labor and military service during the Japanese occupation; $200 per survivor, $1,650 per death and $2,000 per injured person. In the final agreement Tokyo provided an $800 million aid and low-interest loan package over 10 years. In 1994, the Japanese government set up the Asian Women's Fund (AWF) to distribute additional compensation to South Korea, the Philippines, Taiwan, the Netherlands, and Indonesia. Sixty Korean, Taiwanese, Filipino, and 79 Dutch former comfort women were provided with a signed apology from the then prime minister Tomiichi Murayama, stating "As Prime Minister of Japan, I thus extend anew my most sincere apologies and remorse to all the women who underwent immeasurable and painful experiences and suffered incurable physical and psychological wounds as comfort women." However, many former Korean comfort women rejected the compensations because of pressure from a non-government organization known as the Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan, or "Chongdaehyop", and because of media pressure. Eventually, 60 former Korean comfort women accepted funds from the AWF along with the signed apology, while 142 others received funds from the government of Korea.The fund was dissolved on March 31, 2007."

3 ( +9 / -6 )

So, ossanamerica is stating that these women weren't kidnapped or force to work in brothels? Are you suggesting they volunteered? Really?

-1 ( +7 / -8 )

Chenchan: "No wonder they're pissed when they can't provide any documents. LOOL"

China has documents and wants UNESCO to recognize them as well as documents that prove the Rape of Nanjing happened. More and more nations and pressing Japan to sincerely own up to the issue and stop this nonsense of 'reviewing' the apology, with certain states in the US putting up monuments and recognizing Japan's role in sexual slavery, so now the Japanese government is panicking. Abe has promised not to change the apology SOLELY because of such pressure, though as one poster above mentioned he'll do everything in his power to discredit it, Hashimoto is saying other nations did it so it's okay that Japan did, and idiots like Suga say, "It's so painful... b-b-b-b-but", and all the while under the thumb of a man who has gone out of his way in the past to erase the issue -- and brag about it.

-4 ( +9 / -13 )

I think it's too late. Japan has no intention to do anything with Japan South Korea relations. Japan doesn't care anymore and won't listen to what they have to say.

Among us Japanese we are already talking about not allowing USFJ to deploy to Korea in case of DPRK invation to SK because our allowing US forces to go to Korea will give DPRK reason to nuke us. Why do we help Koreans by risking another nuke attack on Japan, that's unthinkable.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

If the girls were there against their wishes, they were being raped by the Japanese military. That's the end of it. How they got there - irrelevant. Who kidnapped them - irrelevant. All that is relevant is the fact that they were getting raped multiple times every day by the Japanese military.

Anyone trying to suggest otherwise is promoting institutionalized rape.

0 ( +9 / -9 )

The outcome and statement is nothing more than what I had expected when the PM Abe

You mean the actual state of things from the historian perspective. Then yes, that's what Abe aimed knowing that it's all fraud it seems from the documents.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

"South Korea’s foreign ministry said: “Our government had maintained the stance that finding out the truth is not a subject for negotiation between the two countries and only presented opinions informally upon repeated requests from Japan.”

What exactly does this mean?

Disillusioned Jun. 21, 2014 - 07:22AM JST Coercing? They were kidnapped and forced to work in state run brothels and if they refused they were killed. Man up >Japan and stop trying to twist and sugar-coat the events that took place!

Nonsense. The only verified case of kidnapping was in Indonesia and that was tried and prosecuted at the Tokyo Trials. The women were recruited by Agents, locals who supplied the military. Some joined willingly, others were deceived, or coerced by these Agents. Some may have been kidnapped. As they were recruits on the military payroll they were not "killed" if hey refused to work.

A notice written on 4 March 1938 by the adjutants to the Chiefs of Staff of the North China Army and Central China expeditionary Army titled “Concerning the Recruitment of Women for Military Comfort Stations.: "Many agents should have required special attention. Some of them accentuated the name of the armies as much as they might hurt the credibility of the armies and cause misunderstanding among the public, others recruited women without control through war correspondents or entertainers, and others selected the wrong agents who took a kidnapping approach to recruit women so that the polices arrested them. In the future, the armies in the field should control recruiting and select the agencies circumspectly and properly, and should build up a closer connection with the local polices and the local military polices in the implementation of recruiting. Take special care not to have problems which have the potential to damage the armies' credibility or are not acceptable to social standards." On page 8 of the document the following was written: “There have been a lot of cases as above reported, therefore, from now on, the dispatch force will carry out screening for the brokers carefully and adequately and will corporate with the police and kenpei in regulating the recruitment so that it won’t cause the social problem and it won’t damage the prestige of the military”

Where do you get your view that the Comfort Women were all kidnaped "sex-slaves" receiving no compensation and constantly raped? The US ARmy report No.46 from 1944 shows no evidence of this.

-4 ( +14 / -18 )

@Disillusioned

Political solutions to the problems of Japan-South Korea relations will continue to fail as long as each country’s identity is framed against the other. Japan has its own victim complex from defeat of WWII, the atomic bombing, and a sense of being discriminated against in the postwar of their actions, making it difficult for Japan to perceive itself as an aggressor. There are many similarities between the two countries that reinforce their differences. Japan and South Korea political leaders are protecting their approval ratings by domestic politics. Both leaders need to address the past not simply as a legal issue between the two governments, but in a way that also addresses the lingering hurt of colonization at a personal and political level. Ultimately, South Korea will have to determine precisely what actions it will accept from Japan as expressions of remorse that would then enable the two countries to move their relations forward.

-3 ( +4 / -7 )

Sfjp30 - I fail to see what any of your post has to do with my comment. I am not disputing anything about the agreement or compensation. I commented that Japan continues to downplay the severity of these events.

0 ( +8 / -8 )

And they wonder why South Koreans are always pissed off. LOOL

No wonder they're pissed when they can't provide any documents. LOOL

0 ( +10 / -10 )

Japan should sincerely apologize with a sense of guilt for the unheard of crimes committed during the war. Abe (Japan) cannot duck its responsibility. Japan has never properly repented for its brutalities during the war and its 1910-1945 colonization, during which tens of thousands of Koreans were forced into prostitution.

-1 ( +8 / -9 )

Abe has questioned the Kono Statement in the past and in what many saw as a nod to his conservative base, the government asked five experts to review it. But mindful of potential diplomatic fallout, Abe has also said he would not revise it.

Abe and Jiminto may not revise the Kono statement but they surely won't stop until they completely discredit every aspect and angle of it through supposedly expert review and this will not be the last we here from this administration about it.

I wonder if these five experts, who by the way are not named nor are their credentials released, who were tasked with reviewing the Kono Statement received any input from the Abe administration. Are we really to believe that Abe didn't directly guide this panel with how he handpicked it and how he has stacked every committee he has had a chance to replace members on in the past? Maybe the media could investigate this supposedly expert panel handpicked by Abe and what their relationship with Abe is and find out what their expert credentials really are. But something tells me the media isn't interested in any of these legitimate questions.

My guess is these supposed experts are in fact Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his deputy advisors.

2 ( +8 / -6 )

Disillusioned Jun. 21, 2014 - 07:22AM JST Coercing? They were kidnapped and forced to work in state run brothels and if they refused they were killed. Man up Japan and stop trying to twist and sugar-coat the events that took place!

It would be adviseable for you to read the facts of 1965 agreement. Have you read the 1200 pages of agreement between Japan and Korea? After the payment was made by Japan to settle the entire issue with Korea, the 1965 documents reveals that the South Korean government claimed that it would handle individual compensation to its citizens who suffered during Japan's colonial rule while rejecting Japan's proposal to directly compensate individual victims and receiving the whole amount of grants on the behalf of victims. South Korean government should bear responsibility to pay for those victims.

1 ( +11 / -10 )

acknowledged Japanese authorities’ involvement in coercing the women to work in the brothels.

Coercing? They were kidnapped and forced to work in state run brothels and if they refused they were killed. Man up Japan and stop trying to twist and sugar-coat the events that took place!

-2 ( +10 / -12 )

The review can be found in English here

http://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/files/000042169.pdf

In summary, the years long investigation by the government found no evidence of direct coersion by the military but the South Korean government insisted that such language should be included to "appease" their population and their new leadership.

1 ( +14 / -13 )

Seems like much ado about nothing.... I'm talking about this review of course. The conservatives who continue to voice their doubt need to be shut up or booted out.

7 ( +10 / -3 )

Smith

Good point. There is always the chance of the Nixon Going to China thing. Doubtful that will happen now, but in a few years, who knows...

1 ( +3 / -2 )

And they wonder why South Koreans are always pissed off. LOOL

-9 ( +7 / -16 )

"Many Japanese conservatives, however, say there is no proof of authorities’ involvement - a stance adopted by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s first 2006-2007 administration - and that other countries also sexually exploited women during wartime."

And that's one reason why he'll never be taken seriously on this issue and Japan will constantly be questioned in terms of sincerity.

8 ( +22 / -14 )

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