politics

S Korea calls for talks on sex slave issue

41 Comments

South Korea on Thursday proposed holding talks with Japan over wartime sex slaves, an issue that has long proved an irritant in relations between the two countries, according to Yonhap news agency.

The Foreign Ministry called in Nobukatsu Kanehara, Japan's deputy chief of mission in Seoul, and delivered the proposal to the Japanese government, ministry spokesman Cho Byung-jae said.

Yonhap said the move comes after the Constitutional Court ruled late last month that it is unconstitutional for Seoul to not take any action over the dispute between the victims, who were forced to serve Japan's military, and Tokyo, which refuses to compensate them.

Historians say more than 200,000 women from Korea and other countries were forced to work as “comfort women” in military brothels used by Japanese troops during the war.

Japan has apologized for the military’s involvement in crimes against the women but insists the offenses were committed privately rather than on behalf of the state.

Tokyo has claimed that all issues regarding the colonial rule have been settled in a compensation deal in 1965 when the two countries agreed to normalize relations.

Cho was quoted by Yonhap as saying, "For the time being, we will focus on making diplomatic efforts to arrange the bilateral consultations."

© 2011 AFP

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41 Comments
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Since it was settled in 1965, call our special phone number 0120 tuf luck.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

There are also those that claim that the vast majority of the women were not forced. What is the evidence that they were forced? There is some individual testimony. The fact that the Japanese put adverts in Korean newspapers advertising for "Comfort Women Wanted" (you can see the newspaper cuttings on the wikipedia page) rather than placing adverts for "Prostitutes Wanted", is seen as being proof that the Korean women were duped - thus forced - in to sexual slavery. I have no doubt that some of the 200,000 women did think that they were to be verbally comforting troops, or holding their hands, and that others were physically forced into sexual slavery. But this article by the AFP seems to be taking the point of view that all the women, including those that responded to the adverts for "comfort women", during war time, did not realise that the adverts were for prostitutes, and that seems extreme and not a point of view that I would present as historical fact.

Having said that, that any women were forced into sexual slavery, or that anyone was forced into slavery, is tragic and deserves to be remembered.

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The advert also show the wage which was 20 time the average wage of Korean males, the average amount paid at brothels. They knew perfectly well what they were getting into.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

The Japanese politicians and rightists calls those suffered ladies were 'Prostitutes'! It was a terrible insulting without being condemned! All the countries who has this issue must bringing Japan's confessions of mass rapes and kidnapping during WW2! It was far from over and the compensation was not just money buta sincerely apology from the state!

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SamuraiBlue: "The advert also show the wage which was 20 time the average wage of Korean males, the average amount paid at brothels. They knew perfectly well what they were getting into."

You sound like a government apologist. This is the kind of thing Abe was arguing when he wanted to retract the former PM's apology, and he was utterly embarrassed for it... as you should be. I

YuriOtani: "Since it was settled in 1965, call our special phone number 0120 tuf luck."

Yeah! And why are there still some people complaining about those pesky atomic bombs and trying to get money from the government when who qualified for what was already settled?? The NERVE of people who claim to have suffered being denied by people born well after the fact, and many with silver spoons in their mouths due to the subjugation of said complainers!

It's quite disgusting to see not only how eagerly many Japanese politicians and people in general are eager to cover this up, but how they actually want to pin it on the victims and act as though the troops forced them to do whatever were actually doing them favours.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

smithinjapanSep. 16, 2011 - 03:28PM JST; t's quite disgusting to see not only how eagerly many Japanese politicians and people in general are eager to cover this up, but how they actually want to pin it on the victims and act as though the troops forced them to do whatever were actually doing them favours.

Cover what up might ask. I believe it more like people like you who are trying to blow it out of proportions to point the finger at Japan. You should also know that a lot of Koreans also participated in the Brothel industry like the people who acted as the middle men and owners of the brothel which no Koreans would like to admit nor dare speak out. As I have been saying the brothels were legal at those times and the military had very little if any at all to do with it. The service men were customers which included both Japanese as well as Koreans who were in the military. If there was any issue to this it's not able nations it's about genders.

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SamuraiBlue: "I believe it more like people like you who are trying to blow it out of proportions to point the finger at Japan."

Ummm... point the finger at Japan for forcing women into sexual slavery during the Japanese colonization of the Korean Peninsula as opposed to whom, may I ask?

" You should also know that a lot of Koreans also participated in the Brothel industry like the people who acted as the middle men and owners of the brothel which no Koreans would like to admit nor dare speak out."

Well, shame on them. I'm glad you can at least admit with your 'ALSO PARTICIPATED' that Japan did wrong. Good on you -- that's progress. You'll still deny it, and probably try to twist what you said, but it's progress all the same that you let it slip out.

"As I have been saying the brothels were legal at those times and the military had very little if any at all to do with it."

And you know this because you weren't there, while the women who WERE there are liars? Again, I always find this amusing.

" If there was any issue to this it's not able nations it's about genders."

This doesn't make sense. I'll assume you mean it's a gender issue. So what's the issue then? The a dozen or so poor Imperial Soldiers were raped and abused by one sex-slave a day?

One of the most interesting things about this is when former Imperial troops step forward in their old age and confess to the horrors and atrocities they committed, such as with raping and massacring people in SK or Nanjing, China, people who were born well, well after the fact and deny it ever happened will just say there is no proof and the old people have 'foggy memories'. When the proof is given they will say it was doctored by the Chinese or Koreans. When further proof is given they will just clam up and start revising the next year's textbooks, while right wingers like SamuraiBlue will look for ways to blame the victims, and blame the old soldiers. And yet, when said former Imperial troops go to offer their sincere apologies (for which the government VERY quickly says it is not an official government apology and they do not support the person who is confessing) and talk to the people about their experiences, the victims are genuinely receptive and welcoming, and will even thank the person for coming forward. The government in Japan will then just call it 'utter nonsense' and claim it never happened.

So much could be done towards good if people would just admit what happened and try to make amends; but people like SamuraiBlue will claim to be baffled why Japan is being 'victimized' by other Asian nations that he looks down on and claims were the instigators of their own rape or what have you. Is it ever any wonder why no progress is ever made?

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You can see such confessions by former troops, by the way, with former unit 731 members coming forward. The government has done its best, for a long time, to deny it and destroy evidence, with people born long after saying the former troops are lying and it never happened, etc. It's EXACTLY the same with the sex-slave issue and the usual BS the J-government puts forward on the issue.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

smithinjapan, the way soldiers in wars have always used prostitutes (and still do) does not differ much from the situation of Japan in WWII. Rape is rape, and it has always been part of wars due to the limited emotional ability of many men. This is the reason why this issue should no longer be discussed in a political way - the problem needs to be solved within our lifetime for all wars, for all countries. Whether Japan specifically is a country that tries to cover it up is not important - it even distracts the world froom looking at sexual violence in wars in the right way. The state is not someone that rapes, men do. They do it everywhere, a lot in Korea too. We should now change this to become a discussion on whether there is any underlying cause that may still need attention today; Do Japanese men abuse women more than other nationalities? If so, what can be done to reduce this, and also create knowledge for stopping it elsewhere. In short, get operational, get on with an issue that exists. Any mistreated woman will thne be empowered to step forward and make her case. The issue here has become political due to the nature of the contries involved and that the South Korean economy is going south fast now - they need any cash they can find lying around. Do not waste everyone's time running a some state's agenda, please. (Unless your are an employee of that state - you need to provide for your family of course). We should however, in these times, all be able to rise above the old nation state way of thinking.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Without the military involvement why in the world should the government or Japan in general be pointed responsible? The military had no involvement in recruitment and they certainly did not run the establishments. For the XX th time they were private establishments which was perfectly legal at the time. If you want a crusade find the owner and/or the middlemen who were directly involved like the Jews who hunted down the ones directly responsible and not generalize the story.

A person can give you a glimpse of their version of history which may or may not be the truth and will never be able to give you the whole account of what had happened.

If you can't separate the chaff from the wheat then stop making sweeping generalization of it all.

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CityView: "smithinjapan, the way soldiers in wars have always used prostitutes (and still do) does not differ much from the situation of Japan in WWII."

I'm not disagreeing with you. What I disagree with is the denial by many Japanese revisionists and nationalists that it ever happened. You are saying it did, as is the case in a lot of war. I agree. The J-government seems to think its soldiers were squeaky-clean and free of wrong doing. Look at SamuraiBlue trying to claim that the rape was a form of employment even.

(samuraiblue): "The military had no involvement in recruitment and they certainly did not run the establishments."

Sure, Samurai... they Imperial troops were just victims who stumbled into the young ladies, literally, time and time again.

"If you can't separate the chaff from the wheat then stop making sweeping generalization of it all."

But I can -- apologists bad, and people who deny even worse.

"A person can give you a glimpse of their version of history which may or may not be the truth and will never be able to give you the whole account of what had happened."

And yet you claim the people who lived it are wrong, while you are correct. Nice.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

According to US Military Intelligence operatives in North Burma during the war, it was reported that these so called "comfort women" were making 1,000-2,000 yen a month when the soldier was only making 15-25 yen a month. There was a court case in 1992 in Japan where this Korean "comfort woman" came to Japan to cash out her Japanese Postal savings account of 26,145 yen. She lost her case but in monetary value at the time, it was worth 40-50 million yen. She was able to save this amount in just three years.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

YuriOtani

Since it was settled in 1965, call our special phone number 0120 tuf luck.

Interesting comment, maybe you should also call this number before your constant complaining about US presence in Okinawa, not to mention when you get upset about the invasion of Okinawa, and the bombing of Japan.

What was that number again, you may need to memorise it because going forward every time you complain about these things l will be sure to remind you of your comment.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

SamuraiBlue

Without the military involvement why in the world should the government or Japan in general be pointed responsible?

YOU WHAT!!!! No military involvement. As l have already shown you on the other thread the Jap military ran, recruited, and even had military doctors working in these establishments. But if thats not good enough lets approach it from this angle. If the Jap army didnt go around attacking and occupying countries then there would be no need for brothels to service the sex starved soldiers true.

The military had no involvement in recruitment and they certainly did not run the establishments.

SORRY!!!! No involvement. What are you on about, a lot of the women (thousands) came from camps run by the military. So how can the military have no involvement when the women come from military run prisons, how can the military not have any involvement when many military personal where convicted for their actions

For the XX th time they were private establishments which was perfectly legal at the time. If you want a crusade find the owner and/or the middlemen who were directly involved like the Jews who hunted down the ones directly responsible and not generalize the story.

Um you do realise as pointed of XXXX many times yes there where private brothels and there where military brothels. And after 43 the military actually shut down most of the private ones due to the rise of STD's. I have already explained this and given you the proof on the other tread so you are either a nationalist who doesnt believe the truth, or just like to stir the pot. As no sane person could be so daft

A person can give you a glimpse of their version of history which may or may not be the truth and will never be able to give you the whole account of what had happened.

If you can't separate the chaff from the wheat then stop making sweeping generalization of it all.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Spidapig24Sep. 16, 2011 - 08:27PM JST;

As l have already shown you on the other thread the Jap military ran, recruited, and even had military doctors working in these establishments. But if thats not good enough lets approach it from this angle. If the Jap army didnt go around attacking and occupying countries then there would be no need for brothels to service the sex starved soldiers true.

One case of renegade and suddenly the whole military involved which you yourself admit was shut down by the Japanese military.Give it a break. As for occupying other people's territories, I believe the Europeans done that first enslaving the indigenous population forcing sex which can be seen with the number of mixed blooded population at that time.

SORRY!!!! No involvement. What are you on about, a lot of the women (thousands) came from camps run by the military. So how can the military have no involvement when the women come from military run prisons, how can the military not have any involvement when many military personal where convicted for their actions

Again a sweeping generalization and exaggeration, thousands of females came from camps? Try being more specific in details would you which case, what thousand of females from which camps? If your are talking about the same story, you said it yourself it was thirty something dutch females which were returned in which they were returned and the brothels shut down.

Um you do realise as pointed of XXXX many times yes there where private brothels and there where military brothels. And after 43 the military actually shut down most of the private ones due to the rise of STD's. I have already explained this and given you the proof on the other tread so you are either a nationalist who doesnt believe the truth, or just like to stir the pot. As no sane person could be so daft

Before introduction of Penicillin AFTER THE WAR, STD was a common disease which one out of ten or one out of thirty carried which is really is not the fault of the military or Japan. Brothels were legal at that time which I believe is still legal in Australia and New Zealand.

As I said if you want to go on a crusade get the actual people who were directly involved and not make any sweeping generalization to satisfy whatever crooked desire you may have.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I find it amazing that there are actual apologists on this site for this type of war crime. Unbelievable. On par with holocaust deniers.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

SamuraiBlue

One case of renegade and suddenly the whole military involved which you yourself admit was shut down by the Japanese military.Give it a break.

I gave one example of one incident in a war that spanned half the globe with hundreds of these establishments. You think that was an isolated incident. There is plenty of documentation of others if your willing to look which you arnt. As for renegade give me a break, yes it was shut down on orders from Tokyo. But as l said yesterday was promptly reopened.

As for occupying other people's territories, I believe the Europeans done that first enslaving the indigenous population forcing sex which can be seen with the number of mixed blooded population at that time.

Yeah yeah so japan is just the innocent party. I dont remember Britain killing millions in the space of 10 years. But whatever you think l guess its clear you cant accept responsibility for your actions after all you probably believe like the government of the 30's and 40's that Japanese where supreme to all other races.

Again a sweeping generalization and exaggeration, thousands of females came from camps? Try being more specific in details would you which case, what thousand of females from which camps? If your are talking about the same story, you said it yourself it was thirty something dutch females which were returned in which they were returned and the brothels shut down.

I am not talking about the same 30+ women l am talking about the 200,000 who where used in these facilities, it well documented if you care to research it. I mean beyond the Japanese history books afterall they deny even Nanking so enough said.

Before introduction of Penicillin AFTER THE WAR, STD was a common disease which one out of ten or one out of thirty carried which is really is not the fault of the military or Japan. Brothels were legal at that time which I believe is still legal in Australia and New Zealand.

So brothels are legal in Aus and NZ, but we dont go around occupying countries and forcing women into prostitution at the point of a bayonet unlike your brave forefathers, by the way you compare AUS, NZ to Japan how many countries have they invaded?

As I said if you want to go on a crusade get the actual people who were directly involved and not make any sweeping generalization to satisfy whatever crooked desire you may have.

Funny statement coming from a guy who openly supports war criminals and their lies while blaming the victims. Guess you Japanese want a monopoly on being the victim.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Korea was just one of the victims of the Japanese Empire. We must not forget about the Filipinos, Guamanians, Chinese, Dutch etc..many American POWs also were forced into slave labor and died in that horrible Bataan Death March, sorry not too sure of the spelling but I think it was in the Philippines??

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Spidapig24

Give it a break, the numbers ranges from 30,000 to 200,000 which are all deduction by many people of various field not documented fact. For the XXth time the Japanese military was not directly involved in the operation of brothels which were private institutions so the military doesn't have any figures.

The brothels that were opened hired locals not the Dutch and why do I or the Japanese government need to take responsibilities to events that neither were directly involved? Are you taking personal responsibilities to the seizure of property from the indigenous population in colonizing your country? I know the Dutch haven't as late as the year 2000 when the president of Indonesia demanded a apology from the Dutch government which they flatly refused. Japan on the other hand issued various apologies to various nations and paid compensation to all which almost bankrupted the government.

Your the one constantly trying to paint Japan in bad light with a VERY large brush, I am just pointing out inconvenient truth to you cause.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Spidapig24, Korea was part of Japan at the time. There will be no compensation paid. Their is no legal reason to pay them. They need to ask the Korean Government for the money.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

I am not talking about the same 30+ women l am talking about the 200,000 who where used in these facilities, it well documented if you care to research it. I

Spidapig24

Since you stated that the number is "well documented", could you care to cite where the 200,000 came from and how he/she arrived at that number?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

it's amazing how Koreans do not get tired of trying to somehow had the money or any benefit of the Japanese people, always the same rhetoric, we are victims, we are victims, we are victims, why not talk about or Takeshima scandals of Fuji TV and the media Japanese in general other things.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

It "wasn't" settled in 1965.

The Korean government of 1965 was an illegitimate one. It was neither democratically elected nor was it recognized by foreign governments until years after it was formed. The government at the time was run by a general turned military dictator who willingly served in the Imperial Japanese army a few years back. The Korean people were left out of the decision entirely. In fact there were mass riots in 1965 against Dictator Parks decision to normalize relations with Japan.

Park did not care in the least about these women; he propped up his own coffers as well as those of his cronies with the tiny amount of money Japan gave. This issue was never resolved in the eyes of many Koreans or by a democratically elected Korean government.

What the Korean government of 2011 wants to do is set up a panel with the DPJ to investigate and conclude the comfort women issue. Is this too much to ask? Japan paid peanuts for what it did to Korea during colonization.

The advert also show the wage which was 20 time the average wage of Korean males, the average amount paid at brothels. They knew perfectly well what they were getting into.

A large number of those comfort women never saw pay(slavery), an even larger amount didn’t even know what they were getting themselves into. The adverts used the term “comfort women”. In the year 2011, comfort woman and sex slave are synonymous. +65 years ago however, your average farm girl assumed comfort women to be something else entirely- cooking, cleaning, serving drinks and singing songs for soldiers. In fact, that’s what most surviving comfort women attest to.

Its rather humorous(in a grim manner) that Japanese politicians believe thousands of ex-comfort women are all liars and that the comfort women issue is one giant conspiracy theory against the squeaky clean image of Japan(sarcasm if you haven’t noticed). These women serve as primary evidence, they personally witnessed the events as it unfolded and participated in them. They are the source as to what happened during those times. They are far more credible then some right wing Japanese bigot/historian who believes what he wants to believe.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

YuriOtani

Spidapig24, Korea was part of Japan at the time. There will be no compensation paid. Their is no legal reason to pay them. They need to ask the Korean Government for the money.

Yuri, great post thank you for that insight. So your argument was that Korea was part of Japan when the incidents occurred so there is no responsibility to be had on the Japanese part. Fair enough, l am just wondering though as Korea was part of Japan (according to you, most people believe it was an occupied country) and therefore the Japanese actions are excused how do you then make a statement like this:

you are defending the actions of barbarians. Killing the civilians to force someone to surrender.

Or this

well excuse me me, my family is not Japanese and the people of Okinawa never did give their consent to be a part of the Japanese Empire. 1/3 of the Okinawa people were slaughtered to meet the hate of the them American people.

Or this

I am from Okinawa and not Japanese. My ancestors were farmers and fishermen.Again what the Japanese solders did was not right but wrong. Your supporting of the killing of so many innocents is just wrong.

These are all comments you made stating how Okinawa is not part of Japan and therefore didnt deserve to be attacked by the US during the war. But by your logic on Korea, your prefecture is part of Japan and therefore you have nothing to complain about. And as you say your people where slaughtered to meet the hate of the US, well the Koreans where slaughtered and forced into prostitution to meet the hate of the Japanese. And as an Okinawan by your own logic your parents and grandparents where part of this as Japanese citizens.

Its funny also that you accuse others of supporting the killing of innocents and say their opinions are wrong. Yet here you are defending murderers and rapists. So it seems when it comes to other races you tolerate them being killed and raped by Japanese. But if its a Japanese on the receiving end its wrong. Great outlook there, l think that would almost fit the definition of racism and xenophobia.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Spidapig24, Korea got off easy in the war and became independent from Japan. Then the Russians started a civil war. As for being part of Japan, it is often used against the gentle people of Okinawa but somehow Koreans are different. So I am just using your argument against you. In any event the people of Korea were treated a lot better than the people of Okinawa. We lost a third of our population something that did not happen in Korea. The Okinawa people were mistreated by both the Americans and Japanese. Again I was using your argument against you. In any case it was the Japanese ancestors and they settled with the legal government of Korea at the time.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

vg866, it was the legal government of Korea at the time. A government recognized by the majority of the governments in the world. Throwing away agreements by previous governments makes agreements pointless. Why should Japan make any agreements with the current Korean government when they are likely not to be honored by a successor government? Do you see how self defeating your argument is to negotiating with Korea? Oh FYI the Japanese government set up "comfort" stations for the Americans when they occupied Japan. They did not care about the women and it made no difference what ethic group they belonged. I do not for a moment that the Empire was innocent but this was settled government to government and I do not want my tax money to go into an endless black hole of compensation.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

YuriOtani

Spidapig24, Korea got off easy in the war and became independent from Japan.

Really! 35 years of occupation by a foreign power, an estimated 450,000 died in Japan after being bought here as forced labour, the estimated 200,000 used as comfort women, the cultural genocide, and massacres by Japanese troops (for example the 7000 protesters killed in 1919). And you say they got off easy. OK!

As for being part of Japan, it is often used against the gentle people of Okinawa but somehow Koreans are different.

Sorry but you made that statement, just in case you forgot you said "Korea was part of Japan at the time.". Just as Okinawa is and was part of Japan. So if in your eyes its good enough for the Koreans to suffer at the hands of the Japanese, then by your same logic its good enough for the Okinawans to suffer for being part of Japan too.

So I am just using your argument against you.

I understand your english skills may not be too good, because YOU made the statements and now you are backtracking and trying to blame me for YOUR words. You made the statements Yuri not me. You are the one that said as part of Japan the Koreans cant complain. So as part of Japan your people also are in the same position.

In any event the people of Korea were treated a lot better than the people of Okinawa. We lost a third of our population something that did not happen in Korea.

YAWN, How long do you persist in this falsehood. It was 1/4 not 1/3 big difference. It is 1/3 if you include the Okinawans who fought in the IJA. Even the officials in Okinawa say 1/4. So you lost a bit over 100,000 that is sad. Korea lost over 400,000 and they where just those forced into slave labour. That is not counting those murdered by the occupying forces. So at a minimum they lost 4 times as many as Okinawa and you claim they got off better.

The Okinawa people were mistreated by both the Americans and Japanese.

Yes they where mistreated by the Japanese, but as Japanese citizens you were at the time the enemy and treated accordingly by US forces. All in all you faired a lot better than those in countries occupied by the Japanese.

Again I was using your argument against you.

Um no you didnt you just proved that you cant read or understand that your initial comment about Korea being part of Japan flies in the face of your earlier comments and just highlights your racist views of other nationalities.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Spidapig24, it does matters not that they were Korean or Japanese. The agreement was signed with the legal government of South Korea. There is no need for more talks it is a done thing. Racists, you do not know a thing. Am not a "yamato" person and from Okinawa. Our culture is not Japanese, not at all like it. We have a common language, Japanese but it was forced upon us. My teacher use to smack us when speaking our native language. I do not defend what the Japanese did but again the Republic of Korea signed an agreement to accept damages from Japan and drop all new claims. Thus I consider it finished, no new claims can be filed.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

YuriOtani

Spidapig24, it does matters not that they were Korean or Japanese. Am not a "yamato" person and from Okinawa. Our culture is not Japanese, not at all like it. We have a common language, Japanese but it was forced upon us. My teacher use to smack us when speaking our native language.

Funny but to use your own words "you are part of Japan" whether you are from Okinawa or mainland Japan. As you said Korea was occupied by Japan therefore part of Japan as is Okinawa. I am merely using your words Yuri!

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

vg866, it was the legal government of Korea at the time.

A military coup that overthrew the previously elected government by illegal means is not legitimate. A dictatorship does not represent the common folk. If Park wanted to represent the people, he should have ran for president.

A government recognized by the majority of the governments in the world.

Most of the world did not recognize Parks government early on. Did you know that Japan did not normalize relations/recognize Parks legitimacy until 1965? In fact the 1965 treaty was where it all began.

Throwing away agreements by previous governments makes agreements pointless. Why should Japan make any agreements with the current Korean government when they are likely not to be honored by a successor government?>Do you see how self defeating your argument is to negotiating with Korea?

Because the current Korean government is a legitimate one and is willing to set up a panel with Japan to conclude the comfort women issue. The current government came to power by popular vote. Dictator Park came to power by shooting and threatening anyone who got in the way. See the difference?

Oh FYI the Japanese government set up "comfort" stations for the Americans when they occupied Japan. They did not care about the women and it made no difference what ethic group they belonged. I do not for a moment that the Empire was innocent but this was settled government to government and I do not want my tax money to go into an endless black hole of compensation.

I could care less what the hell goes on in Japan, Japans problems are Japans responsibility. Comfort women outside of asia were never paid, some were forced into servitude as slaves, others were promised jobs in cooking, cleaning and singing only to be sold into sexual slavery.

Korea is not asking for money on this issue, they want to set up a panel to investigate and conclude this issue. Its rather sad that you as a Japanese person feel victimized by this. As if Korea was somehow bullying Japan. Ironic isn't it that Japan always feel victimized.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

South Korea needs to stop playing the victim.

Modern Japanese are not responsible for the crimes of their grandparents.

Get over it!

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

It was a long time ago, people were different back then. Well a lot of people have changed with time. vg866, you miss my point. If successor governments throw away previous government agreements, it makes agreements they sign worthless. So how much of the 1965 agreement is being throw away? Just the parts the current government does not like cherry picking only what they want? Who said Japan is a victim? The women were compensated but the South Korean government stole the money. The South Korean government is obligated as the successor government for the debts of the previous governments. Otherwise the current Japanese government would of not been liable for the empire since they took power by force. However the Japanese government negotiated with the victim governments and paid compensation to them as is right and proper. It is then the job of the governments to pay the victims.

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vg866, what do the women want if not money?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

It was a long time ago, people were different back then.

Sexual slavery, manipulation and refusal to pay were considered awful things back then as it is today.

Well a lot of people have changed with time. vg866, you miss my point. If successor governments throw away previous government agreements, it makes agreements they sign worthless. So how much of the 1965 agreement is being throw away?

You dont seem to understand what the 1965 was about. The 1965 treaty was towards normalizing relations with Japan by giving Park Chung Hee a few million dollars. Said millions were considered chump change back then but Park didn’t care. All the money was going to him. Park wasnt a democratically elected leader, he was a general who came to power by shooting anyone that got in the way. Despite this, Korea is not throwing away that ridiculously unfair treaty. The Korean government simply wants to investigate and conclude the comfort women issue with Japan. You in your eternal victim complex believes this is about money even though the Korean government has made no such requests.

Just the parts the current government does not like cherry picking only what they want?

The current government had nothing to do with signing the document.

Who said Japan is a victim?

You certainly act like Japan is the victim, what with you incessantly whining about Japan having to pay an imaginary compensation.

The women were compensated but the South Korean government stole the money.

The Korean government to this day compensates these women with taxpayer money rather then Parks vanishing millions. That said, do you honestly think this is about money? The Korean government wants to set up an investigative panel. Read the darned news article for once and quit acting like a giant victim. It makes you look petty.

The South Korean government is obligated as the successor government for the debts of the previous governments.

And that’s why the Korean government is requesting an investigative panel be set up rather than compensation. What’s so difficult to understand?

Otherwise the current Japanese government would of not been liable for the empire since they took power by force.

Did you just compare a single un-elected dictator signing an unfair document without the peoples consent to the entire Imperial Japanese government sending off millions of brainwashed Japanese all across asia in order to murder, maim, loot and rape? Are you being sarcastic, I hope you are.

However the Japanese government negotiated with the victim governments and paid compensation to them as is right and proper. It is then the job of the governments to pay the victims.

Again and again with the compensation. Learn to read.

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vg866, what do the women want if not money?

Recognition, acknowledgment and an actual apology rather then a half assed "regret" comment that is overturned minutes later by another denial. Japanese politicians still to this day deny that the entire event took place. Relatively recently, Shinzo Abe openly an denied the issue altogether when he was Prime Minister. This wasn't some idiotic van driver, he was the Prime Minister of Japan at the time.

Thats why the Korean government wants to set up an investigative panel with Japan and a third party country in order to conclude this issue with overwhelming historical and primary evidence. Something Japan seems to be scared and has yet to agree to. Whats their to lose other then Japan finally acknowledging events that the rest of the world recognized decades ago?

Do these women want to be compensated? Im sure they do, but they are not the focus of this panel. This panel is between governments and has nothing to do with compensation.

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vg866, Did you just compare a single un-elected dictator signing an unfair document without the peoples consent to the entire Imperial Japanese government sending off millions of brainwashed Japanese all across asia in order to murder, maim, loot and rape? Are you being sarcastic, I hope you are.

The people of Japan did not consent to the government. Like in Korea the military used force to install itself. Japan did not have a Democracy when they emerged from a feudal nation to a modern nation. The democratic movement was literally killed off. The military ran Japan by the time of the 30's. So all Korea wants is for the Japanese Government to admit they ran the brothels and apologize?

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"Japan... insists the offenses ( rapes, hentai BS, enslavement, etc ) were committed privately rather than on behalf of the state"

Oh good grief, so the responsibility lies with the individual soldiers, the military government had no part in it, lol.

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Serrano, will defend lots of things and the Japanese Imperial Government is not one of them. Yes I believe the military set up brothels and did whatever it took to staff them. What happened to these women was inexcusable.

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vg866Sep. 17, 2011 - 03:08PM JST;

A military coup that overthrew the previously elected government by illegal means is not legitimate. A dictatorship does not represent the common folk. If Park wanted to represent the people, he should have ran for president.

You dont seem to understand what the 1965 was about. The 1965 treaty was towards normalizing relations with Japan by giving Park Chung Hee a few million dollars. Said millions were considered chump change back then but Park didn’t care. All the money was going to him. Park wasnt a democratically elected leader, he was a general who came to power by shooting anyone that got in the way. Despite this, Korea is not throwing away that ridiculously unfair treaty.

If you use this logic then the then Japanese government was not a legitimate government due to a coup since the cabinet were not properly elected officials either. Does that mean the post-war Japanese government is exempt from responsibility?

Sorry but relationship between nations doesn't work that way.

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SamuraiBlue as far as I know all of the victims countries have been compensated. No just because the Imperial government were a group of thugs does not excuse the current government. However Japan has done the right thing but it is never enough. Any member of the Imperial government has died. Even those alive are dying at an ever increasing rate. Our new PM was not even alive during the war. While remembering the past it is up to the other countries to forgive Japans trespasses of the past and work on a new future.

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The advertisements on the newspapers on the wikipedia clearly stated that the place of work was at the comfort station of such and such military unit, and that the ad on the right side showed that monthly income would be more than 300 yen. Seeing as in those days the starting salary for a Seoul University graduate was about 75 yen, I believe applicants knew what sort of work it was. Besides 慰安婦 "ianfu" or 위안부 (wianbu) was a generally used word already therefore not being a delusive name. But the wikipeda also carries news articles about an arrested Korean human traffic syndicate that kidnapped young girls and sold them to Chinese dealers and about Korean brokers who duped more than 100 young women in rural districts into brothels, not specifically comfort stations. Such cases, the news article said, were rampant in those days on the peninsula. And any evidence that showed the Japanese military involvement was directives that forbade such actions. If Koreans propose holding talks with Japan over comfort women and pursue the issue of responsibility, they might at least look at things in their whole perspective.

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