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Hundreds gather near Japan's embassy in Seoul to mourn S Korean 'comfort woman'

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By Kim Tong-Hyung

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What a joke!

why don’t you just admit you are headed towards totalitarianism and catering toward your right wing government who’s also doing China’s bidding now.

This is a political game, not anything to do with real victims or historical problems. It’s right wing.

The North Koreans, South Koreans, and now Chinese have more and more of common ideology. Blaming Japan for their problems and getting their populations motivated by hate and revenge.

33 ( +45 / -12 )

Its a huge loss for women's rights around the world and her legacy of pushing for Japan to acknowledge it isn't going to be forgotten. Of course she deserves a heros funeral.

Japan has atoned for it, and at this point can't really do much more than it's already doing. It's apologized countless times, provided almost 1 billion dollars in economic aid (which was supposed to be divided up for the survivors anyways).

What SK is trying to do is akin to someone making a deal, walking off with the benefits of the deal, and then coming back to the table to demand more. That's not how relationships between neighbors work, you don't constantly try to milk the situation like a spoiled brat.

You don't see people making a rile about what Germany did in WWII and demanding more compensation from Germany. Let history be history, acknowledgement that it happened and a pledge to mutually cooperate on the international stage should be enough. SK can't seem to let anything go. Its like a vindictive little kid.

The sad part, is that the general population of SK is so brainwashed that they just follow it. In my opinion, SK is scarier than China. At least in China you know the government is trying to use you and mold your way of thinking. In SK everything is done under the facade of democracy and free thinking and its the complete opposite...

27 ( +37 / -10 )

There is no excuse for the abuse of women but Japan has already assumed its responsibility, let the story be history and learn from the bad so as not to repeat it again.

28 ( +38 / -10 )

Japanese leaders have previously offered apologies or expressions of remorse, but many of the women and their supporters want reparations from Tokyo and a fuller apology. 

Korea does not want an apology. What it wants is for Japan to be its sempiternal ideological punching bag, to have it prostrate itself before it ad infinitum. A country demanding such things cannot be taken seriously and must be disregarded.

President Moon Jae-in crediting her relentless advocacy for giving South Koreans the "braveness to face the truth."

That is a joke coming from a country which has yet to account for its own complicity and zeal in furthering Japanese imperial ambitions, to say nothing of its role in the contemporary global sex trade. Not only can they not face up to their own war crimes in Vietnam, they also pardoned nearly all Koreans convicted of war crimes in the Tokyo War Tribunal. If I recall correctly, the two they refused a pardon for had served in Korea itself. Which goes to show you that Koreans think it is perfectly fine to commit such acts so long as you do them abroad.

“She can shout no more and she never received a formal apology."

But her and the rest of her cohorts received them at least twice, as well as several expressions of remorse. What more do they want?

1991-1993 Japanese government investigation concluded that many of the women were recruited against their will, leading to a landmark Japanese apology, although the investigation found no written proof in official documents

But this contradicts the article’s statements directly contradicts the previous quote about this woman never having received a “formal apology”. My memory is a little fuzzy on this subject at the moment, but did Abe not pen individual letters of apologies to the surviving prostitutes or am I misremembering that?

Many in South Korea believed that Seoul's previous conservative government settled for far too less in a deal where Tokyo agreed to fund the foundation with 1 billion yen ($9 million).

And many in Japan thought that Abe conceded too much in that same agreement. Such is the nature of political compromise—it is a basic principle.

Why even bother negotiating with the Koreans at this point? Nothing will ever make them happy. Ironically, even if Japan did not exist, they would have to invent it, so integral is Japan-hatred in the modern Korean national mythos. To hate Japan is the reason for Korea’s existence.

33 ( +42 / -9 )

@John

And Koreans in general are liars. South Koreans know it and admit it themselves : they cannot trust the lovey-dovey relation between Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong-un because as Koreans, they have a very strong tendency to lie.

Which reminds me of this delightful quote from founder and CEO of Foxconn, Terry Gou:

[I have] great esteem for Japanese [businessmen], especially those who are able to disagree with you in person and not stab you in the back, unlike the gāolì bàngzi [a racial slur for Koreans].

30 ( +37 / -7 )

So SK is pointing it's finger at Japan again to divert attention away from their domestic problems? And it's economy? Typical SK tactic... But hell they already declared war on Japan by locking onto a unarmed surveillance plane...

34 ( +40 / -6 )

This is a political game, not anything to do with real victims or historical problems. It’s right wing.

This is not left or right wing. China and North Korea are communist countries but socially conservative; are they right wing or left wing?

Kind of hard to get tho ha straight when we view politics on a continuum. The truth is, the political spectrum is an oval. Go too far to the left or right and they meet at the same place: utopian totalitarianism.

What South Korea is engaging in is just the usual grievance mongerinh to distract people there from their economic woes.

24 ( +27 / -3 )

I have been searching webs about Kim Bok-dong, and found many Japanese websites say her testimony is contradictory and not reliable.

I don't even know when she was born...

WIkipedia says

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Bok-dong#cite_note-:0-3

She was born in 19 April 1926. From age 14, she was kept in comfort stations for eight years across different countries in Asia.

1926+14=1940

So she was doing sex slave from 1940 to 1948 ?

But war2 ended at 1945.. WHat am I missing??

Paris on 20th September in 2013, Kim said,

she had suffered during the Korean War 

by the Japanese military.

https://arsmaki.exblog.jp/19926244/

Was she talking about sex slave for US military?

It mus be my work.... I feel dizzy,..

25 ( +33 / -8 )

The Korean govt and officials motives and those of the women who suffered may well not be on the same plain, but please don't start the obnoxious tack of attacking the individuals, in this case Kim Bok Dong.

What politicians manipulate and utilize for their own benefit should never be mistaken as symptoms of the true sufferers, the victims.

The same goes in any country - not the least Japan, where the whims of political leaders runs roughshod over the common folks time and time again.

And for the haters, if you watch Kims final interview, you'd know she never wanted money, just a remorseful, direct in person apology - without the after-the-event double takes to appease the domestic crowd here in Japan.

If the apologies were sincere, then the leaders here should decry any attempt by others - notably right wing nationalists - to demean the women and to disparage the narrative as a host of lies.

I've never heard Abe for example denounce the naysyers from his own party after apologizing.

Until this backstabbing of apologies ceases, then the furore will continue.

And I certainly don't like how Korean officials use this tragedy for their own political gain.

-16 ( +7 / -23 )

Saying sorry to bad history is a very admirable issue, only the mature mind can do this. Japan cannot go forward with it's Asian partners because the Japanese cannot say Sorry...............why because they are still people in a small island with an island mind. It is truly sad for the Japanese people who can be wise enough to say that we are sorry. Really sad.

-24 ( +5 / -29 )

Spot on, browny1!

Its not an apology when you go on to deny wrongdoing, and omit it from textbooks and the public narrative.

-20 ( +4 / -24 )

Why should todays generation have to apologise for others faults? I understand that it's the "states" responsibility to acknowledge such attrocious acts but they're a few decades too late for protests.

Like the first commentor said: this is purely a political move.

21 ( +25 / -4 )

I’m neither a citizen of China SK or NK for the record but was wondering is there anything wrong with apologizing more than once? Why not?

A Japanese colleague of mine is always apologizing profusely and apologizes even a few days later. If it were me I would apologize every single time a Korean says hello to me. Now paying compensation is a different matter.

Pay once but apologize a million times.

-18 ( +5 / -23 )

Quercetum

Im Japanese and I find that over apologizes sound insincere and are always doing it.

Your logic is if something occurs you should apologize a million times??? That’s not logical.

15 ( +20 / -5 )

I am so sorry for what people have had to suffer during war. It's terrible. As a Vietnam veteran, I still have bad dreams and feelings about that. So I know a little bit about some of these feelings. But, I agree with the majority of posters here. It's enough. And it seems the South Korea is using this politically as mentioned. Thepersoniamnow really said it well. And, this is not just South Korea, people in USA still blame others for their problems too. We've got to move forward.

16 ( +20 / -4 )

Another day, another anti-Japan rally. The Moon regime is encouraging this for political reasons. SK economy is on brink of depression, and a coup is coming. The comfort women has been settled in finality, it is no longer an issue.

The truth is, South Koreans are educated, brainwashed to have a hatred of Japanese from a very young age. Japan is being bullied. Enough is enough!

11 ( +18 / -7 )

Frankly a disgraceful charade. To turn Kim Bok-dong funeral into some public political march is a shameful betrayal to Kim Bok-dong memory.

15 ( +17 / -2 )

S. Korea has already been paid too much and apologies given too many times.

This is a rich country with a developed industry selling products worldwide and here we are paying them again in 2015 which many disagree and knew that S. Korea would go back out of its aggrement including myself.

Even China recently has been getting closer to Japan and improving relations and they don't ask for compensation, and what we did in China is the real atrocity.

Have good relations with countries that show the same respect and courtesy in return, S Korea will wake up during the next Korean War begging Japan or anyone willing to help like they did before.

13 ( +20 / -7 )

The head of the state of Japan must apologize and period. It is not too late. Proper compensation money is a secondary one and optional.

The last interview of Kim Bok-dong is still breaking my heart: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsT97ax_Xb0

I cite two comments from Japanese students at the linked YouTube video.

Nao Watanabe

2 months ago

As a japanese studying at international school in abroad, i've learnt and know what our ancestors did during WW2. But when i go back to japan and ask if any one of my friends know about anthing that japanese did to other asian country such as korea, china, or singapore, they just laughs at me and says 'that's not right, infact we the one who suffered because of the nuclear bomb'. Im literary pissed off and full of anger because japanese history education just hides the truth and it's such an important stuff to know.

Heloiza Masaoka

1 month ago

I was born, raised and still live in Japan. In history class we only learned that Koreans were enemies because they hated Japan. When asked why, the teachers would say the Koreans stole technology and copied Japan's ideas, but said it was originally theirs. Never, not even in one small part of textbooks, we learned that Japan did those horrible things to Korean people. For years I was confused but, thanks to the internet and strong women like this lady who are willing to give interviews now I know the true.

-16 ( +5 / -21 )

@SJ

And here's more evidence for what those users were saying:

What do Japanese people know about WW2? - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3rJSEwAyu4

Anti-Korean education in Japan: - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U88VoZ3YnkY

It's amazing how the Japanese who was completely brainwashed by anti-Korean education, and anti-Korean news and propaganda everywhere are pointing out the finger at Korea accusing THEM of having anti-Japanese education. What a twisted unvierse.

-18 ( +3 / -21 )

@IloveCoffee

It's amazing how the Japanese who was completely brainwashed by anti-Korean education, and anti-Korean news and propaganda everywhere are pointing out the finger at Korea accusing THEM of having anti-Japanese education. What a twisted unvierse.

Omission and distortion of history in Japan is not just confined to the modern history. Actually it dates back to the prehistory and the old-stone age, a ten thousand years ago.

*After World War II, it became common to use the term Japanese to mean all the inhabitants of the Islands, past and present. In his 1951 book Nihon Minzoku no Keisei (The Formation of the Japanese People), Toma Seita takes the basic approach that "The Japanese have inhabited this Japanese archipelago from the beginning" (Toma 1951, 1). Historian Inoue Kiyoshi (1963, 1) writes, "From as far back in our history as it is possible to go through until the present, we Japanese have lived as the same race (shuzoku) in the same region the present Japanese archipelago." The influence of this view in contemporary Japan is shown by Bornoff's (1991, 25) description of a small boy's visit to the 1988 Tokyo National Science Museum exhibition on Japanese origins:**

"Although we are Jomon people," [the boy] read aloud from a notice flanking the exhibit, "we can speak Japanese." When [one of the female attendants pretending to be a Jomonette] congratulated him effusively on his reading abilities, the little boy cried out "Yappari, Nihonjin-da!" with a mixture of surprise and relief: "I thought soshe's Japanese!" The thought that Jomon people might have been otherwise, even to a small boy, is disturbing.

cited from the book "Ruins of Identity: Ethnogenesis in the Japanese Islands" by Mark Hudson (1999).

It is amazing that a state can deny and distort their history consistently ranging from prehistoric archaeology to modern warfare, I mean covering more than 10,000 years of period. Here the comfort woman issue has been treated with the exactly same pattern in Japan.

-18 ( +2 / -20 )

All I can say now is that those women sadly wasted too much time of their lives.  People have to proactively change their lives for the better, instead of sticking to since long-gone wounds in order to die victims they shouldn't have been.  What did those women do or have they done since the war ended in 1945: over already over 70 years, people?!  They should have seized the 1965 Korea-Japan treaty as a positive turning point to remake their lives, or they have all along preferred to remain or have been made to remain victims until when or what conditions from Japan?  Not to mention how many other compensations and apologies from Japan. Oh, my God, they have had so many opportunities, both spiritual and materialistic, to rebuild their lives. Why didn't they?

So Korea: let it go what has been done far more than enough for you and instead do what you have never done but still owe so much!

13 ( +16 / -3 )

@vnexpresses

So Korea: let it go what has been done far more than enough for you and instead do what you have never done but still owe so much!

It is far more easier than you imagine. Just one sentence of sincere apology from the Japanese king, who officially represents Japan as the head of the state, will solve those problems persisted more than 70 years all at once. Why is it so difficult? It does not require even 1 yen.

-20 ( +3 / -23 )

There is only one way to check if an apology is sincere or not: what do the school books teach to the young generation?

Anyone with sufficient Japanese knowledge can answer this question?

-17 ( +1 / -18 )

@SJ

Just one sentence of sincere apology from the Japanese king, who officially represents Japan as the head of the state, will solve those problems persisted more than 70 years all at once. Why is it so difficult? It does not require even 1 yen.

Have you done any research?

I have no idea what you are talking about.

Here is a list of apologies about comfort woman by Japan from 1990s to 2010s.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_war_apology_statements_issued_by_Japan

Go to the site and try keyword "comfort".

January 1, 1992: Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa, in a press conference, said: "Concerning the comfort women, I apologize from the bottom of my heart and feel remorse for those people who suffered indescribable hardships".

January 17, 1992: Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa, at a policy speech on a visit to South Korea, said:. "What we should not forget about relationship between our nation and your nation is a fact that there was a certain period in the thousands of years of our company when we were the victimizer and you were the victim. I would like to once again express a heartfelt remorse and apology for the unbearable suffering and sorrow that you experienced during this period because of our nation's act." Recently the issue of the so-called 'wartime comfort women' is being brought up. I think that incidents like this are seriously heartbreaking, and I am truly sorry".[16]

July 6, 1992. Chief Cabinet Secretary Koichi Kato said: "" (Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Koichi Kato on the Issue of the so-called "Wartime Comfort Women" from the Korean Peninsula).[17]

August 4, 1993: Chief Cabinet Secretary Yōhei Kōno said: "Undeniably, this was an act, with the involvement of the military authorities of the day, that severely injured the honor and dignity of many women. The Government of Japan would like to take this opportunity once again to extend its sincere apologies and remorse to all those, irrespective of place of origin, who suffered immeasurable pain and incurable physical and psychological wounds as comfort women" (Statement by the Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono on the result of the study on the issue of "comfort women"),[18]

August 31, 1994: Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama said 

July 1995: Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama said in a statement:

:

:

2001: Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi 

March 1, 2007: Prime Minister Shinzō Abe 

December 28, 2015: Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida 

:

too much to paste!!!

16 ( +17 / -1 )

@Funko Toyoda

Japan has already assumed its responsibility

This is the part that Japanese in Japan don't understand due to poor reporting within Japan.

Abe san HAS NOT ACCEPTED that the Imperial Japan ordered the forced conscription of comfort women.

What Abe san has accepted is the moral responsibility of crimes taking place within territories of Imperial Japan, but the Imperial Japanese government did not order committing such crime.

learn from the bad so as not to repeat it again.

Indeed. However, history education on Imperial Japan's wartime atrocities have been wiped out under Abe san's tenure so this is why Japanese suffer from a collective amnesia.

@CrazyGaijin

Why should todays generation have to apologise for others faults?

For Japan's own sake.

Angela Merkel says Germany is forever responsible for the crimes of Nazis.

Same holds true of Japan, Japan is forever responsible for the crimes of Imperial Japan.

Japan is growing weaker and weaker each passing year while China and Korea are growing stronger and stronger, so that both are now militarily more powerful than Japan. For Japan's own security, Japan must make peace with its stronger neighbors.

@Ganbare Japan!

Japanese are not always asking for apologies and demanding compensation money for the war crimes committed by USA against Japanese in the War.

This is due to the unique Japanese culture of calling one's complete obedience to the higher up in social hierarchy, that might is always right and the weak must obey the strong unconditionally. This is why you never hear #MeToo in Japan, while #MeToo is all the rage in Korea with powerful men, even presidential candidates falling.

This is why Japan's neighbors see a war as the only solution for settling historical disputes with Japan, that a pecking order must be established.

-17 ( +4 / -21 )

The head of the state of Japan must apologize and period. It is not too late. Proper compensation money is a secondary one and optional.

You've got 50 years of apologies, SJ.

June 22, 1965: Minister of Foreign Affairs Shiina Etsusaburo said to the people of South Korea: "In our two countries' long history there have been unfortunate times, it is truly regrettable and we are deeply remorseful" (Signing of the Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and South Korea).

August 26, 1982: Chief Cabinet Secretary Kiichi Miyazawa said to the people of the Republic of Korea: "1. The Japanese Government and the Japanese people are deeply aware of the fact that acts by our country in the past caused tremendous suffering and damage to the peoples of Asian countries, including the Republic of Korea (ROK) and China, and have followed the path of a pacifist state with remorse and determination that such acts must never be repeated. Japan has recognized, in the Japan-ROK Joint Communique, of 1965, that the 'past relations are regrettable, and Japan feels deep remorse,' and in the Japan-China Joint Communique, that Japan is 'keenly conscious of the responsibility for the serious damage that Japan caused in the past to the Chinese people through war and deeply reproaches itself.' These statements confirm Japan's remorse and determination which I stated above and this recognition has not changed at all to this day. 2. This spirit in the Japan-ROK Joint Communique, and the Japan-China Joint Communique, naturally should also be respected in Japan's school education and textbook authorization.

April 18, 1990: Minister of Foreign Affairs Taro Nakayama said to the people of South Korea: "Japan is deeply sorry for the tragedy in which these (Korean) people were moved to Sakhalin not of their own free will but by the design of the Japanese government and had to remain there after the conclusion of the war" (188th National Diet Session Lower House Committee of Foreign Affairs).[12]

May 24, 1990: Emperor Akihito, in a meeting with President Roh Tae Woo, said: "Reflecting upon the suffering that your people underwent during this unfortunate period, which was brought about by our nation, I cannot but feel the deepest remorse" (Meeting with President Roh Tae Woo).[13]

May 25, 1990: Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu, in a meeting with President Roh Tae Woo, said: "I would like to take the opportunity here to humbly reflect upon how the people of the Korean Peninsula went through unbearable pain and sorrow as a result of our country's actions during a certain period in the past and to express that we are sorry" (Summit meeting with President Roh Tae Woo in Japan).[14]

January 1, 1992: Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa, in a press conference, said: "Concerning the comfort women, I apologize from the bottom of my heart and feel remorse for those people who suffered indescribable hardships".

January 16, 1992: Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa, in a speech at dinner with President Roh Tae Woo, said: "We the Japanese people, first and foremost, have to bear in our mind the fact that your people experienced unbearable suffering and sorrow during a certain period in the past because of our nation's act, and never forget the feeling of remorse. I, as a prime minister, would like to once again express a heartfelt remorse and apology to the people of your nation".[15]

January 17, 1992: Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa, at a policy speech on a visit to South Korea, said:. "What we should not forget about relationship between our nation and your nation is a fact that there was a certain period in the thousands of years of our company when we were the victimizer and you were the victim. I would like to once again express a heartfelt remorse and apology for the unbearable suffering and sorrow that you experienced during this period because of our nation's act." Recently the issue of the so-called 'wartime comfort women' is being brought up. I think that incidents like this are seriously heartbreaking, and I am truly sorry".[16]

July 6, 1992. Chief Cabinet Secretary Koichi Kato said: "The Government again would like to express its sincere apology and remorse to all those who have suffered indescribable hardship as so-called 'wartime comfort women,' irrespective of their nationality or place of birth. With profound remorse and determination that such a mistake must never be repeated, Japan will maintain its stance as a pacifist nation and will endeavor to build up new future-oriented relations with the Republic of Korea and with other countries and regions in Asia. As I listen to many people, I feel truly grieved for this issue. By listening to the opinions of people from various directions, I would like to consider sincerely in what way we can express our feelings to those who suffered such hardship" (Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Koichi Kato on the Issue of the so-called "Wartime Comfort Women" from the Korean Peninsula).[17]

October 15, 2001: Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said: "During the talks, President Kim highly appreciated the words of the Prime Minister Koizumi at Sodaemun Independence Park, in which he expressed remorse and apology for Japan's colonial domination" (Japanese prime minister visits South Korea).[37]

August 10, 2010: Prime Minister Naoto Kan expressed "deep regret over the suffering inflicted" during the Empire of Japan's colonial rule over Korea. Japan's Kyodo News also reported that Cabinet members endorsed the statement. In addition, Kan said that Japan will hand over precious cultural artifacts that South Korea has been demanding. Among them were records of an ancient Korean royal dynasty.[46]

December 28, 2015: Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se made an announcement at a joint press conference, which consisted of their respective statements on behalf of Japan and South Korea. Kishida stated, "The issue of comfort women, with an involvement of the Japanese military authorities at that time, was a grave affront to the honor and dignity of large numbers of women, and the Government of Japan is painfully aware of responsibilities from this perspective. As Prime Minister of Japan, Prime Minister Abe expresses anew his 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." The statement went on to explain that "the Government of Japan will now take measures to heal psychological wounds of all former comfort women through its budget" and that it had been decided that the South Korean government would "establish a foundation for the purpose of providing support for the former comfort women". In return, Yun stated that his government "acknowledges the fact that the Government of Japan is concerned about the statue built in front of the Embassy of Japan in Seoul from the viewpoint of preventing any disturbance of the peace of the mission or impairment of its dignity, and will strive to solve this issue in an appropriate manner". Both stated that this agreement will "finally and irreversibly" resolve the contentious issue and that "on the premise that the Government of Japan will steadily implement the measures it announced", both countries "will refrain from accusing or criticizing each other regarding this issue in the international community, including at the United Nations".[54]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_war_apology_statements_issued_by_Japan

I've checked the citations at the bottom.. They're valid.

16 ( +20 / -4 )

For Korea, it has nothing to do with Japan's repentance and everything to do with Korea's resentment. Japan's economic miracle and continued economic success in the world despite what was done nearly a century ago drives them insane.

16 ( +19 / -3 )

@CrucialS

You've got 50 years of apologies, SJ.

The context of apologies changed.

1993 Kono Statement admitted that the Imperial Japanese government ordered the forced conscription of comfort women.

2015 Abe statement denies that the Imperial Japanese government ordered the forced conscription of comfort women, that Japan is only morally responsible for allowing crimes to take place in its territory by private parties.

-16 ( +2 / -18 )

When Asian women Fund was set up in 1995, Chong Dae Hyup and those campaigners slandered the ones who accepted compensation with apology letter from Japanese PMs, by calling them "Real Prostitutes" , In 2015, 36 out of 47 old women accepted apology and compensation to rest peacefully and quietly during remaining periods of their lives. And yet, Chong Dae Hyup and those campaigners (minority) flipped the table over.

A group of comfort women actually sued Chong Dae Hyup in 2004 for trying to cut off sources of funds for the anti-Japan, disguised as human right-issue, activity and to stop Wednesday demonstration in front of Japan embassy.

The group who sued Chong Dae Hyup made their message clear that Chong Dae Hyup is not supporting ,just exploiting real victims and those campaigners in front of the embassy are all lying for Chong Dae Hyup.

See? even small kids can see through it and tell what have been actually going on.

14 ( +15 / -1 )

It is very hard for human beings not to deny wrong doings, understandable. However, it is very wrong to deny a wrong doing when it is known to public as fact, because the denial then becomes a lie and lie is not acceptable to very educated and honest Northeast Asians.

-9 ( +0 / -9 )

There is no official document or orders that Japanese government issued to kidnap and force woman for sex slave.

(There were individual cases where some military officers committed crime just like US in Okinawa militants committed crime.)

Comfort woman was paid job as advertisement shows. Some comfort women made a lot of money. Unfortunately, some women were kidnapped, deceived, or sold by Korean/Japanese BROKERS or Korean PARENTS who provided girls to Japanese military to make money. Japan apologized for not returning these poor women giving up the money Japanese military already paid.( I think US military should apology for that too.)

In fact, Japanese authorities were trying hard to help Korean girls.

In 1938 alone, Japanese police in Korea under Japan rule arrested 1709 criminals kidnapping or human trafficking and 1699 of them were KOREANS!

https://twitter.com/yukin_done/status/794841271076425728

See the list of newspaper articles about Japanese police arresting bad Korean brokers human trafficking Korean girls. (this was posted by Korean person)

http://www.ilbe.com/7278572520

I would say, Good Job Japan saving Korean girls!!

Finally, the Japanese officials ordered the issue about recruiting comfort woman.

Summary is, "There has been report about the case getting into trouble with police in recruiting comfort woman and damaging reputation of Japanese Imperial military, so recruit them more carefully and appropriately"

https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%BB%8D%E6%85%B0%E5%AE%89%E6%89%80%E5%BE%93%E6%A5%AD%E5%A9%A6%E7%AD%89%E5%8B%9F%E9%9B%86%E3%81%AB%E9%96%A2%E3%81%99%E3%82%8B%E4%BB%B6

So that is the truth and should be on text book in Korea and Japan as well. Japan apologized and paid compensation. I hope Korean do the same to Vietnam people, Lai Dai Han as well.

More detail

Comfort woman based on documents and research by scholars.

http://nadesiko-action.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Comfort-Women-Not-Sex-Slaves_FINAL_annex.pdf

14 ( +18 / -4 )

How many formal apologies and how many acts of financial compensation does it take for Korea and its people to keep their end of the bargain and let this issue rest? It's a never ending drama. Also, they should accept the fact that many of those women were already engaged in prostitution -- Korea wasn't and isn't a puritanical society when it comes to the sex trade. Enough is enough!

13 ( +16 / -3 )

I think Japan has come to terms with its wartime brutality; it's Korea that has not come to terms with the fact they lost.

Korea did not lose. They were liberated. They have since built a democracy far more superior to that of Japan.

-15 ( +2 / -17 )

"They have since built a democracy far more superior to that of Japan."

What a joke !!!! Both are Sheep in wolfs' clothing.

-6 ( +3 / -9 )

Mr. NoidallToday 02:21 am JST

I think Japan has come to terms with its wartime brutality; it's Korea that has not come to terms with the fact they lost.

I think Japan has come to terms with its wartime brutality; it's Korea that has not come to terms with the fact the entire world has moved on from 1945.

Not a bad post but I'd say it like this. Japan has acknowledge its mistakes and strives to move forward and nearly every county excluding the two Koreas and China have moved on and seek to work towards the future vice live in the past.

15 ( +17 / -2 )

Japan their is a famous saying out there "Insanity means doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results"

If you've tried compesation multiple times and dozens of apologies over a period of 50 years than is time to try something new!

All of this pampering to Korea has made them hate Japan even more! They consider Japan irrelevant and a country that can be a punching bag for it's politicians and citizens.

14 ( +15 / -1 )

This is the same every time.

Right-wingers say “we apologized and here are the times we said we were deeply remorseful for the indescribable suffering we caused” followed up with “we didn’t do anything wrong - shut up!”

if the neighbor raped your daughter and told her to stop whining because you said sorry , and gave her grandfather money , and anyway - it wasn’t rape - she asked for it so shut up!” - how would you feel?

”The North Koreans, South Koreans, and now Chinese have more and more of common .....”

but that should make you think !!

not only China, but North Korea. AND South Korea all say the same thing. Japan can’t get in with its neighbors.

There are women in other countries saying the same thing. They just aren’t organized , and know that right wingers run Japan and are nuts?

in what other country do people drive around in trucks blaring wartime music.

Japanese say they’re over it - but every weekend since I’ve come here “tough guys” drive around playing war music - you’d think they’d be embarassed. Guys - you lost. You were the bad guys (remember - your prime Ministers apologized) do why drive around like idiots as if you want to start again?

Shameful.

Nobody tells Jews to shut up. And the world keeps making documentaries about the holocaust.

They still hunt down war criminals too!

Japanese still don’t get it.

Except the old ones who know what they did!

Show some understanding and read about the suffering of others. Then you might get it.

-14 ( +5 / -19 )

"Sandakan Brothel No.8: Journey into the History of Lower-class Japanese Women"

All anyone would need to know regarding this issue will be revealed to them by this classic written by Tomoko Yamazaki. She is a good writer and her translator here, Karen F. Colligan-Taylor, is well up to the task. And the indictment we see is not just of the fat, incompetent Japanese generals whose apparent hatred of youth created both the "Comfort Women" and the "Kamikaze", but of all of us who claim to be Human. If the mods do not consider it "OFF TOPIC", I might also suggest a day trip to Etajima to the museum at the Naval training station there. On the second floor , there, is a large gallery of glass cases which contain the last photographs and letters of some of the most beautiful young people you will ever see sent out by monsters in defenseless aircraft to their useless deaths in a last demonstration of how mindless greed, mindless generals, and mindless war can destroy the FUTURE of a country as we see these wasted young people, literally boys and girls, imprisoned in desperation, moral destitution, and murder that abused the courage. of young trust and love of country. I sob when I remember the faces I've seen there. It's different when you can see who they really were. It's VERY different.

https://www.amazon.com/Sandakan-Brothel-No-8-Lower-class-Japanese/dp/0765603543/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1549056638&sr=8-1&keywords=sandakan+brothel+no.+8

https://www.japanvisitor.com/japan-museums-art-galleries/museum-naval-history-etajima

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Far from over! Lacking sincerely  apologies were totally unacceptable !

-10 ( +1 / -11 )

hachikou - you have included well hashed links to support your claims. Important to show details. Good.

But - that is only one side of the story. Please expand your reading to include other accounts, descriptions and opinions. Tons exist and I mean tons.

You can find material in Japanese, English, Korean, Chinese, Filipino, Indonesian and I'm sure other languages too.

Seek and you shall find. Good Luck.

-13 ( +0 / -13 )

Hachikou- I guess you read my post coz it's attracting a bit of minus attention (nyuk, nyuk).

Just wondering how you're getting on with the search for alternative opinions. They're not too difficult to find.

Interested to continue the discussion.

Cheers.

-8 ( +0 / -8 )

Hachikou - if you have any further discussion points, please put them up. Let's talk.

Tanuki hasn't got your tongue has it?

Don't be shy.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

@hachikou

Have you done any research?

I have no idea what you are talking about.

Here is a list of apologies about comfort woman by Japan from 1990s to 2010s.

It is marvelous that most Japaneses do not seem to know who is their head of state. Abe or other PMs are not your head of state, and can not officially represent Japan. Knowledge will set you free:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_heads_of_state_and_government

Your head of state, representing the state called Japan, never apologized to Koreans regarding various atrocities committed during the WWII. I know nobody teaches it in Japanese schools. That is the problem.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Your head of state, representing the state called Japan, never apologized to Koreans regarding various atrocities committed during the WWII. I know nobody teaches it in Japanese schools. That is the problem.

Then why Chong Dae Hyup, Lee yong-soo and all other campaigners, Korean right-wingers keep calling the name " Abe Abe Abe Abe!!" ??

3 ( +3 / -0 )

@showchinmono

Then why Chong Dae Hyup, Lee yong-soo and all other campaigners, Korean right-wingers keep calling the name " Abe Abe Abe Abe!!" ??

They are a kind of Korean version of the ultra-right wing groups in Japan. They utilize it just for their livelihood. They share many common features with the Japanese counterparts. While they can not represent the overall Korean people, the Japanese counterparts may do.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

I pity the victims, but this is getting old. Maybe a change of strategy and discussing the ultimate solution  would be better. Doing this again and again just to pester Japan and show "loyalty" everytime somebody new is elected is tiring, unfair, and a total disrespect to the real victims.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Your head of state, representing the state called Japan, never apologized to Koreans regarding various atrocities committed during the WWII. I know nobody teaches it in Japanese schools. That is the problem.

*You just don't know Akihito has been sincerely apologizing.** S.K has not been broadcasting it on purpose.*

Akihito did, at least, much clearer and more sincerely than what S.K netizens claim former S.K presidents have done to Vietnam.

http://news.livedoor.com/article/detail/15977987/

*They are a kind of Korean version of the ultra-right wing groups in Japan. *They utilize it just for their livelihood. 

Yes. They're activists cowardly utilizing the issues between 2 countries. It is to get rid of Chong Dae Hyup, lying campaigners, monster claimers and all other exploiters including Korean media that S.K must do first if , and only if she wishes to normalize relationship with Japan.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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