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Women forced into prostitution in WW2 hope for apology from Japan

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By Jack Kim and Kim Kyung-Hoon

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Given the spectrum of reasons for women of that hideous era to be prostitutes, and given the number of women reported to have served military forces everywhere, I have to believe within that population there were many who were forced to be sex slaves. I have to believe the IJA forced some - argue the percent based on your bias - to be sex slaves. I strongly believe these women forced to be sex slaves deserve an apology. An apology with no buts. If there is an apology, it should not include the ‘everyone does bad things in war’ and moral relativity defenses. The women forced to be sex slaves have lived with shame all their lives. They deserve to be shown decency. Sincere apologies are not signs of weakness.

8 ( +11 / -3 )

There's a misprint in the headline. It should say "Women forced into prostitution in WW2 hope for another apology from Japan"

4 ( +14 / -10 )

This constant back and forth with Korea and China the erosion of Japan's public diplomatic relations that results, will continue as long as Japan's political leadership follows Abe's and his LDP rightwing nationalist path of denying the obvious and paying homage at Yasukuni.

As Haruki Murakami has said, apologies should be made whenever called upon. It is just an acknowledgment that what happened was wrong. As long as this isn't done, Japan cannot move on.

If Abe really wants to move this country toward a more "complete" foreign policy actor with the ability to extend its military force for the cause of good, he of all people should have realized long ago that gong to Yasukuni and diverting statements about what happened in the War would only continue to foster distrust and ill will toward anything but a totally pacifist and powerless Japan.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

There's a misprint in the headline. It should say "Women forced into prostitution in WW2 hope for another apology from Japan"

I agree, but you have it wrong too. It should read "Women forced into prostitution in WWII hope for a SINCERE and HONEST apology from Japan"

BUT to have it be sincere and honest it has to be backed up by actions. Education!

1 ( +8 / -7 )

If Japan had properly faced up to its history there would be no need for multiple pseudo- apologies and whitewashing of their heinous deeds.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

"We are sorry and it is highly regrettable BUT..." that will be the apology to Japan's shame.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

The trouble is that some Japanese politicians will continue to question whether the women were forced. Surely, it must have been the case of serving the superior Japanese race that the Japanese colonials must have have rushed to volunteer and lay on their backs .....they think.....

Any apology is quickly tarnished by the above misconception

1 ( +4 / -3 )

The trouble is that some Japanese politicians will continue to question whether the women were forced.

What % were forced and what % were volunteers?

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

There's a misprint in the headline. It should say "Women forced into prostitution in WW2 hope for another apology from Japan"

Exactly. And it won't be last. If another apology is given, that will be forgotten and in a few years it will all come back again just like the previous apologies have been forgotten now. Those that say "ooh japan is hiding and denying the truth, has not face faced up to history, whitewashing... blah blah" to you I say look up the reparations and apologies made in the past before jumping on the bandwagon like sheep.

3 ( +10 / -6 )

Those that say "ooh japan is hiding and denying the truth, has not face faced up to history, whitewashing... blah blah" to you I say look up the reparations and apologies made in the past before jumping on the bandwagon like sheep.

And put your money where your mouth is and do a little research yourself on just where the money paid in repatriations went before you jump on the bandwagon like a sheeple.

The Japanese government paid to the Korean government and not the women themselves. Plus the quasi-government fund set up to pay the women directly was not used by the women BECAUSE it was a third party association that passed out the funds and there was no apology or recognition directly from the government either.

So....

2 ( +6 / -4 )

And put your money where your mouth is and do a little research yourself on just where the money paid in repatriations went before you jump on the bandwagon like a sheeple.

you are the accuser, do your own homework. Yes they did pay the Korean government who's job it was to dispense the money to those affected - where did the money go? Perhaps some of the victims should ask their government about this also.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

If the dreaded & deceitful "comfort women" phrase comes out, even once, consider Abe's apology null & void. Let's not doctor the facts...

1 ( +2 / -1 )

It is alien to Japanese culture, or any severely conservative culture for that matter, to apologize. They simply do not do it. Oh, they will bow and 'sumimasen' all over the place. But, a simple, honest apology from the heart? Never. Been here 24 years, large Japanese family, have never seen it. Never. They don't do self-reflection, they don't see the point, Western philosophy is alien to them, they have an order of magnitude less scientific achievement per capita than any other industrialized nation because looking deeply within and thinking deeply is just so utterly alien to the Japanese cultural mind. So, don't hold your breath.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

I wish the media would stop reporting this over and over again it was 70 years ago!! Time to lay it to rest now and stop asking over and over again for apologies and compensation when this has been done many times over!!

-1 ( +7 / -8 )

Lied to? I very much doubt that. More like paid to.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Oh well. Forced rostitution. Just tell the truth to your grandsons that all of you were going to work in Japan just doing chores. Haha

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

you are the accuser, do your own homework. Yes they did pay the Korean government who's job it was to dispense the money to those affected

You found the problem in your answer here, but you missed it I am sure. The WOMEN are the one's who want the apology and compensation, they received neither from the Japanese government.

They have a right to at least have their suffering acknowledged officially.

Quit trying to obfuscate the issue.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

Japanese conservatives, including Abe, say there is no evidence of direct involvement of the country’s military or government in kidnapping the girls.

This is where they whole problem lays. There was even one of the Japanese O'yajis stating the women volunteered for sex slavery. If the Japanese would 'man up' and accept their wrongs with no exceptions to the truth this issue could be buried, but as long as these old twits keep trying to downplay and change the events of their imperial rule there will be no settlement ever!

2 ( +7 / -5 )

Step one: all print and online media in Japan and overseas STOP using the very uncomfortable euphemism of "comfort women ". They were not comforting anyone.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

prostitutes sold by their own country...and when war was over. they served the ameican brothels...right sex slaves by their own govt, why not owe it up South Korea and apologize to your own people

-1 ( +6 / -7 )

erbaviva: They will not apologize to their own people because the truth for them hurts, and they can get a lot more kicks out of breaking canolis on the Japanese.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

I think the issue of forced, or by choice are used as a straw man argument to avoid the issue.

Forced, forced by locals, forced by invaders, forced by situation, coerced, lied to, even misguided choice, these women ended up in a terrible situation being treated as disposible objects for use rather than independent humans with rights... This even if you don't agree with how they ended up there this treatment of other humans is worthy of sincere apology in my opinion.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

"prostitution" means sex for payment. this was more like sexual slavery.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

I think war is disgusting and almost every country has had their share of atrocities. The solution is not just the apology but how they do it that counts. From the beginning of time rape, murder and other atrocities have been committed by various countries around the world here's a list! No Gun Ri, Korea My Lai, Vietnam Abu Ghraib, Iraq Hiditha, Iraq Atomic boming of Japan American Prison Camps used against Asian Americans German Prison camps used against the Jews The Crusades The Spanish Inquisitions The Armenian Genoside The North American Genocide The Ku Klux Klan Murders The 30 Years war Northern Ireland Conflict The French war of Religion The Maya Sacrifice The Bosnian Genocide The Tasmanian Genocide North Korea If people were educated the right way there would be less hatred and conflicts that cause so many casualties. What do I mean by educated the right way? History has taught us to hate each other based on colour, religion and geography. To truly understand each other is our mission and if we cannot then we are all doomed! Waiting for the next war or conflict so that we can release the angel of hatred and death to do its evil. So it looks as if the world deserves an apology .

3 ( +3 / -0 )

@AnthonyMS History has taught us to hate each other based on colour, religion and geography

I take the point you're making, but I think it's our respective cultures and how they've presented history, among other things, that keep hate alive. All cultures have myth based premises that unite them, and in those myths are an underlying sense of there being an us, which ends up having a them.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I hope Japanese politicians have the guts to say as how Putin put it upon Estonian occupation, "What else can be said that would be more specific and clear? Or do you want us to do this every year? What else do you think has to be said? We consider this question closed. That's it. We will not return to this again. We said it once and that's enough." Enough is enough, Japan should simply igonre those endless beggers.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Kim was 14 when a Japanese police officer and a soldier came to her rural home

14 is way too young. The fact that so many were this young, younger coupled with japanese denial is only all the more incriminating.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

@Wc626, You seem to believe whatever Koreans say, not the Japanese. Your country US has investigated and said there were no evidence of these allegations.

http://www.sankei.com/world/news/141127/wor1411270003-n1.html

-3 ( +5 / -8 )

@tina. I don't care if US investigated. Irrelevant. What is relevant is that ALL of these women (& not ONLY koreans) cannot be wrong. Did you not see Kim Bak-Dong's drawing featured in the photo? Sadly, pictures do say a thousand words.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

Gosh!!! Not again!! They're really after a slice of Japan. This kind of Korean and Chinese attitude are best seen in the factory where I work. They've got that air as if they own Japan when in fact their grand moms were having their day during the war as plenty of provisions inside the camps and thus lived to a grand old age this day while the rest of their country men have long been dead like rats. She said she was held in camps in China , Indonesia and Singapore. She was a sex slave and she was able to go to different countries? Come on, there must be some missing facts being withheld by her which might undauntedly miss the word sex slave. I still believe that they just went with the tide for survival then and for their own survival now as some of them have nothing with them. They just keep on harping the word sex slave because in the present context it is very inhuman and most degrading while they're leaving the fact that they might have had a grand time then. I still can't get over with the smiling face of one former "sex slave" as she was being interviewed in one of her interviews outside of her home country. They must be having a grand time and who knows what else they receive everytime they ask for an apology! Enough is enough!! @Moon1, so true. Just remember that piece of land in Tokyo given by Japan to the Phil govt as part of reparation which according to the rumor was being sold during the time of Arroyo. Not sure if it went through, though.

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

I definitely believe the J-government is correct in saying that there was a legal framework for this wartime prostitution and that that women were paid. I also believe this system broke down as the war went on, leading to terrible acts against women who were not "free" to choose (or whose parents sold them into that life for money, which was a thing). So, Japan should officially apologize.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

In other news, survivors of Germany's Nazi Death camps likewise hope for an apology from Germany...

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

A city in Austraila Strathfield voted down yesterday on erecting comfort women statue proposed by its Korean community. I hope this decision will influence other cities who are deliverating the same move.

Thank you Australia for being objective and neutral! Let's improve the tie between Australia and Japan.

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

We should fund the erection of statues around the world of Comfort Women, least we forget!

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

Statues of Comfort Women? Despicable as the system might have been and as deserving of apology and sympathy as the women might be, surely not a statue. what about statues of all the Polish and German and other Eastern European women raped by the Red Army on its rampage to Berlin? how about a statue for the victims of the Cultural Revolution? The famine in the Ukraine? fact is war is =terrible, which doesn't excuse this but erecting statues to all the victims of war would be a never ending process. anyway, who would be the model that could adequately depict the thousand and millions of such victims?

5 ( +6 / -1 )

The author of article are Koreans...

By Jack Kim and Kim Kyung-Hoon

This is not a fair assessment of what had happened in WW2.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

If this will be the case continuously over and over again then i would say it is ALSO and ONLY fair for our Filipino women to want and wish for THE SAME apologies; admittance of atrocities; compensations etc.. etc.. NOT ONLY from the Japanese who colonized our country for merely 3 years. But and Then, also it is only morally right to ask the same demands of apologies et'al from the Spaniards of Spain - whom for more than 300 years have abused, raped our women, took our lands and completely ruled over us, tortured and killed our men, and silenced and murdered our Filipino Heroes from mid-15th century that went on until the late of the 18th century.

Over the years i find it very hard to comprehend that not one in the old past or present among the Filipinos have asked the Spaniards the same as they did with the Japanese in present time. Maybe the Spain, colonizing Philippines happened too long ago yes, but personally it is the same logic as what most wanted from the Japanese. Is it because ONLY THE JAPANESE actually took action and repent from their sins for several times and infact legally paid compensations in many-a-cases? Is it because only Japan have been bothered by repeated demands of paying their WWII abuses of women?

" I think war is disgusting and almost every country has had their share of atrocities. The solution is not just the apology but how they do it that counts. From the beginning of time rape, murder and other atrocities have been committed by various countries around the world.."

I couldn't agree more. I share the same thoughts.

70 years after, still the Koreans haven't gotten over this yet.. after so many demands Japan has entertained from this country i still don't know until when will the Japanese have to pay for their ancestors's wrong doings.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Kim, 90, is one of South Korea’s 47 surviving “comfort women”

Let's change that to sex slaves shall we? Not too difficult.

The famine in the Ukraine? fact is war is =terrible, which doesn't excuse this but erecting statues to all the victims of war would be a never ending process. anyway, who would be the model that could adequately depict the thousand and millions of such victims?

Yes, yes, many bad things happened in the world. But the topic at hand is the sex slaves.

Is it because ONLY THE JAPANESE actually took action and repent from their sins for several times and infact legally paid compensations in many-a-cases?

Paid blood money, and only reluctantly. Repent? Why isn't what Japan has "repented" for in textbooks? Why do Abe and Hashimoto go around denying everything if Japan has repented?

In other news, survivors of Germany's Nazi Death camps likewise hope for an apology from Germany..

There won't be one, because Japan has 1, shown extraordinary remorse. 2, gone out their way to compensate victims, 3, banned revisionism, and has exhaustively taught about Nazi brutality in its schools

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

Upgrayed:

" What % were forced and what % were volunteers? "

Nobody knows exactly, and nobody will ever know. But obviously, both existed.

Just apologize, and apologize again, until the Korean politicians get tired of wielding this old club.

Isn`t it ironic that within Japanese society, people apologize profoundly for anything and everything, with or without reason, but getting an apology out of a politician is like root canal?

0 ( +3 / -3 )

overchan: "Just tell the truth to your grandsons that all of you were going to work in Japan just doing chores. Haha"

So you think the women's suffering, their rape, coercion, and murder in many cases, is a joke, eh? I think that pretty much sums up the attitude of a lot of Japanese on this and issues related to Japan's brutalization of Asia leading up to and during WWII, and why they will always be scorned while Germany is praised, and likewise cry found and pretend to be the victims. I wonder how you'd feel if people laughed about those who made snide remarks about the people who died in or suffered for life from the atomic bombings? Maybe you could laugh about YuriOtani's family who suffered and died in Okinawa thanks to the Japanese government or the many other families, including those of the people forced to commit suicide on the Otoman cliffs (and which the government denies) and see how she feels?

It's no laughing matter, overchan, and no joke. These women were cheated, raped, and in many cases robbed of life. Bayonetted if they got pregnant, etc. Shame on you!

In any case, they'll never get the apology while the grandchildren of men who helped commit such war crimes sit on 'the throne' and wish for a return to 'beautiful Japan'. Abe is such a scumbag that he helped have references to what happened to these women removed from the textbooks, and BRAGS about it!! He's only going to make things worse with his 'forward thinking' statement tomorrow.

-4 ( +4 / -8 )

Repent? Why isn't what Japan has "repented" for in textbooks? Why do Abe and Hashimoto go around denying everything if Japan has repented

Yeah. And why did they approach US textbook publishers asking them to remove the whole issue? What's next? Asking them to remove the Nanjing massacre too?

Thank you- US scholars for being objective and neutral.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Day after tomorrow, but agree with the rest. Hope Abe does the right thing by these women, but I have no intention of holding my breath

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Buttons10: "I wish the media would stop reporting this over and over again it was 70 years ago!!"

Funny... I didn't see you on the threads marking the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, or about the internment camps for Japanese, saying this? Why should we only forget Japan's atrocities and 'move on', but commemorate the events in which many Japanese suffered?

0 ( +6 / -6 )

Exactly. Forget the past, but remember the atom bombs. Um.....not happening

0 ( +4 / -4 )

A Korean lawmaker says there are 50,000 Korean prostitues working in Japan now. Why don't they help them? I don't want them to accuse Japan 70 years later that they have been kidnapped and sex slaves.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Christopher Glen: "Exactly. Forget the past, but remember the atom bombs. Um.....not happening"

Brainwashing, plain and simple. Teach your child it's like this, tell them anything to contrary is a lie, and ask others not to bring up some things, but to 'remember all for the sake of peace' for others. They ask these old women, who suffered immensely, to 'forget about it and move on' when they cannot possibly understand, then themselves act as victims if you call them up on the hypocrisy, claiming, as MyTimeIsYourTime did yesterday, "You cannot possibly understand the feelings of remorse and apology" in reference to Japan having 'apologized' in the past about atrocities and that Germany has never apologized, etc. etc. Utter nonsense and hypocrisy.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

This has been under-reported by the English-language media, but on July 28 a report on the comfort women issue was submitted to Abe by the LDP's "special committee to restore Japan's honor and trust." (「日本の名誉と信頼を回復するための特命委員会」 headed by former foreign minister Hirofumi Nakasone): http://www.kantei.go.jp/jp/97_abe/actions/201507/28moshiire.html)

In part, the report concluded:

It is a fact that private business operators recruited the [comfort] women (「女性を民間業者が働かせたことは事実」) — in short, the Abe government does not acknowledge that any women were recruited by the IJA, and; the 1993 Kono Statement is largely to blame for the widespread belief overseas that women were forcefully taken [to the comfort stations], which is a major problem." — in other words, the LDP committee does not acknowledge that any women were taken to the comfort stations by force. (1993年の河野洋平官房長官談話は「強制連行があったかのような事実に反する認識を国際社会に広めた大きな原因になった。重大な問題だ」)

Japanese article: http://mainichi.jp/select/news/20150729k0000m010119000c.html

One strange thing is, although the government denies IJA involvement in recruiting or forcing girls to act as comfort women, they implicitly admit that they were "attached" to the military in that they are often referred by the government as "jugun (military) ianfu (comfort women)" (従軍慰安婦), with the "jugun" roughly meaning "serving the military".

2 ( +2 / -0 )

No, you tried to minimize speaking about their brutality.

No idea about comfort women. Just to clarify, you are referring to the sex slaves, aren't you?

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Japanese conservatives, including Abe, say "there is no evidence of direct involvement of the country’s military or government in kidnapping the girls". well there would not be since they burned all of the records! No records so thats the end of it, job done!.........Abe san grow a pair of b**** and just admit the the Japanese government has got it wrong and do the right thing, and say were sorry!

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Sensato: Good points! And thanks for the links. Not surprised to hear Abe doing a 180 again on his previous 180. He was called up on this during his first run as PM, not long before he ran away, actually. He had constantly and publicly asserted the IJA had nothing to do with sex slaves, but later had to backtrack, after being pressured by the US Senate, and say that the IJA did, in fact, engage in sexual slavery (but then later tried to justify it by saying they were not coerced into slavery). Now he's back to the "the IJA had nothing to do with it" angle, and he thinks that will "restore honor"? Why not just a few stars to the flag they are forced to stand up to and call the country "The People's Japan" already?

0 ( +5 / -5 )

Sensato:

" in other words, the LDP committee does not acknowledge that any women were taken to the comfort stations by force. "

But that matches the interviews that I have read. Typically they said that they signed up for something like kitchen work, caring for wounded soldiers, and some such. And once they were on location they found out the actual job was quite different. So no, I do not think in most cases women were "taken by force".

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Buttons

I wish the media would stop reporting this over and over again it was 70 years ago!! Time to lay it to rest now and stop asking over and over again for apologies and compensation when this has been done many times over!!

This is part of the History already, you cannot erase it. this is the baggage that Japan will have to carry for losing the war. the More Japan would not talk about it and run away, the more they will be blamed for the atrocities of their old empire. Saying sorry is not enough, educating your youth and reminding them to not do it again is what Japan should do.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

@williB. Feel free to make your assertions about the sex slaves outside the Japanese embassy in Seoul. I wish you well

0 ( +3 / -3 )

WilliB: "Typically they said that they signed up for something like kitchen work, caring for wounded soldiers, and some such. And once they were on location they found out the actual job was quite different."

Even if that's 'typically' the case, it is coercion, which Abe has clearly stated Japan did not engage in, and cannot in the LEAST be called volunteering any more than you volunteering to give blood gives the yakuza or something the right to harvest all your organs and throw your body in the river and say you opted to have it done.

And former IJA troops have confessed to having gone around villages or towns and forced women into sexual slavery -- but according to Abe and co, if even addressed, these men have 'foggy memories' and cannot be relied upon to tell the facts like the politicians and 'historians' who were not alive or involved can. Dutch, British, Filipinas, and even at least one Japanese women have attested to being forced as well, so it's not just Korean and Chinese.

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

One should be forgiven for thinking that to Japanese were celestially ordained - by the devil- to defile humanity on his - the devil's- behalf. I do identify with these sex slaves due to first hand experience of the unbridled impish evil they mete out on me with devastating results. Neither them nor I can tell the reason, just pure un- adulterated evil- just for evils sake. The sex slaves should stop asking for apologies, for, it's incumbent upon the evil- doer to find it in his own heart to express remorse, otherwise expect some sham- poo apology.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

Generally when you dig into these "accounts" you find they are littered with so many inconsistencies and change every time they re-tell the story.

For example, like the famous one Kim Hak-sun, the so called "first comfort women to come out", who it turns out was sold by parents to a Korean brothel owner and not tricked by Japanese at all.

Frankly, it would be in the best interest of these old women if they were not made to re-live their experiences over again and again, and encouraged by the compensation groups to exaggerate them.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

''smithinjapan Funny... I didn't see you on the threads marking the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, or about the internment camps for Japanese, saying this? Why should we only forget Japan's atrocities and 'move on', but commemorate the events in which many Japanese suffered?''

I think you'll find that you didn't see me saying that on the threads because I didn't see that article!! What a stupid comment to make. Besides why do I have to make a comment on every single article to satisfy you?! That is a pathetic comment!!

I am really sick of reading about Comfort Women/ Sex Slaves whatever you want to call them! If you check your facts you will find that Japan has made many apologies and paid compensation. If the Korean government choose not to pay those women then it is their government they should be asking for recompense from, not Japan!! Also, if you want to talk about sex slaves what about the Jewish women who were called the Joy Division, what about the Vietnamese when the Americans invade. This topic goes on and on and it never ends!!! Compensation has been paid more than once and so have apologies - and I don't believe that here hasn't been at least one sincere and honest apology out of all the ones that have been given already!! What a load of nonsense!!

Plus, I also agree with all those who say then if Korea can keep asking for apologies then so should everyone else...so does that mean that UK can ask for apologies from France for being invaded and conquered by William the Conquer in 1066?! How about even before that by the Vikings and Saxons? What about all the terrible things that UK and USA have done to people over the centuries. I never hear of USA apologising for things look at the Native Americans the poor treatment they had and still have now!! UK is not any better!! How far back can we go and how long can we keep asking? Can we go back to Romans who invaded loads of countries and the Mongolians with Genghis Kahn? What about the Eygyptians who kept the Israelites as slaves?

It was 70 years ago and people need to move forward and stop harping on this subject! How can people move past the bitterness if they keep on bringing this up? Plus, this subject might be related to the Korean 'Comfort Women' but it comes up every couple of months and then you see those statues popping up all over the world because it would seem that their issue is the only one that matters - so in other words we should forget all the losses and hardships experienced by every other country because Korea is the most important and we should all have it shoved in our face every few months to make sure that we NEVER forget!!!

Very sad that this subject cannot be laid to rest!!!!!!!!!

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Very sad that this subject cannot be laid to rest!!!!!!!!!

Sadder, is that these poor comfort women had to endure this kind of treatment. (Some even as young as 12yrs. old). Taking on japanese soldiers, one after another & left for dead. So sickening.

No wonder why japan still caters to 'sex crazed' men who patronize Soaplands. Worse- enjokusai (compensated dates w/ high school girls). No wonder why these young girls are never carded for I.D. @ japan's infamous (love hotels) when they enter those poorly lit lobbies- "pick your exotic room".

Rest ¥2,500, Stay ¥8,500. . . . .

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Generally when you dig into these "accounts" you find they are littered with so many inconsistencies and change every time they re-tell the story

True. Even Kim Bok-dong, who challenged Hashimoto to an oral debate but later ran away, slipped when she stated "During Korean War".

Frankly, it would be in the best interest of these old women if they were not made to re-live their experiences over again and again, and encouraged by the compensation groups to exaggerate them.

As Prof. Pak Yun Ha alluded to in her book,

"..She also told me that women there didn't appreciate being coached by Chong Dae Hyup to give false testimonies but had to obey Chong Dae Hyup's order. .."

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

"As many as 200,000 Korean women were forced to work in Japanese military brothels during World War Two"

And Korean men not only just watched but helped recruit the women and made use of the Comfort Stations.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

And by 1950, 1 million were "forced" to serve the US military too. Forced by the same people. Clue, Japan had left the peninsula.

Yes, and survivors are try to sue the Korean government for forcing them too.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

No doubt Abe is hoping to save face by waiting as long as possible so that these irritating old women die. Political cowardice of the worst order on his part. Apologise and be done with it; the rest of the world and many of your fellow citizens will think more of you!

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

@Sensato

What you "in short"ed may be inaccurate.

In part, the report concluded: 1. It is a fact that private business operators recruited the [comfort] women (「女性を民間業者が働かせたことは事実」) — in short, the Abe government does not acknowledge that any women were recruited by the IJA,

Abe government does not acknowledge the direct involvement of recruiting process by IJA because IJA mostly rely on the private business operators (Korean Agents) to recruite Comfort Women.

and; 2. the 1993 Kono Statement is largely to blame for the widespread belief overseas that women were forcefully taken [to the comfort stations], which is a major problem." — in other words, the LDP committee does not acknowledge that any women were taken to the comfort stations by force. (1993年の河野洋平官房長官談話は「強制連行があったかのような事実に反する認識を国際社会に広めた大きな原因になった。重大な問題だ」)

The implication here is that LDP committee is casting blame on Kono Statement to penetrate the false impression across the world as if IJA was mobilizing Comfort Women by force, but it doesn't necessarily mean that LDP committee doesn't acknowledge some women were taken to comfort stations against their will and that is why Abe government made a statement to continue sustaining Kono Statement.

One strange thing is, although the government denies IJA involvement in recruiting or forcing girls to act as comfort women, they implicitly admit that they were "attached" to the military in that they are often referred by the government as "jugun (military) ianfu (comfort women)" (従軍慰安婦), with the "jugun" roughly meaning "serving the military".

No one in Japan is denying the existance of Comfort Women (prostitute or "professional camp follower" attached to the Japanese Army for the benefit of the soldiers). Also, the word "Jugun Ianfu" is not a historical terminology, there is no such words during WW2 just like propagandist term "Sex Slaves".

2 ( +2 / -0 )

@tictactogo

The Kono statement was a direct reference to the case of the few Dutch women which had just arisen at the time he made it. In that case, the men responsible had already punished and it was not part of the army's policy.

Some activist have tried to exaggerate this to cover all women in the prostitution system but that is both inaccurate and morally wrong.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

No doubt Abe is hoping to save face by waiting as long as possible so that these irritating old women die.

Comfort women's testimonies are so inconsistent that their existences are in fact beneficial to Japan.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Comfort women's testimonies are so inconsistent that their existences are in fact beneficial to Japan.

And yet they are consistent in the fact that they were raped. The one point you white-washers try to ignore.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

And some were taken from their families, some as young and younger than 14 years old, and kept as sex slaves.

Where is evidence?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

It's not quite so simple and black and white as you paint Strangerland.

Many were willing prostitutes, were unwilling prostitutes to the extent that they would not have chosen prostitution had there been other alternatives but the simple matter is, there were not. And that is just a true for Japan at that time, and today in places like Laos, Cambodia, North Korea, Nepal etc.

If you are poor, landless and female, particularly if you were the youngest of more than one daughters, or a widow etc, the simple fact is - in all developing society or economies - the choice is either between prostitution or death by starvation.

There most certainly were also plainly criminal battlefield rapes, I would not deny that, but you would be wrong to confuse the comfort women system with that.

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@newyorknewyork

The Kono statement was a direct reference to the case of the few Dutch women which had just arisen at the time he made it.

Kono statement was established in order to cope with Korean demand alone. I would suggest you to read following link.

http://www.mofa.go.jp/files/000042171.pdf

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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