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Hashimoto says allied soldiers raped women after D-Day

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the victors of war can never go wrong Hashimoto, get use to it

-45 ( +14 / -58 )

'Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto, who was once seen as a future prime minister,'

Now he's just seen as an attention-seeking waste of oxygen by anyone with a shred of decency or half a brain. A pathetic, unpleasant little man.

73 ( +82 / -11 )

Honestly.. the best thing most Japanese politicians could do is to just not open their mouths..

64 ( +71 / -7 )

“After landing in Normandy, allied soldiers raped French women. ‘Comfort stations’ were built after things became too much,” he said in the speech"

Checking.... no, that's not correct, Hashimoto.

51 ( +54 / -4 )

Can Hashimoto provide proof of his claims? 'Comfort stations'? Really?

35 ( +43 / -8 )

"We were wrong, but you were wrong as well," Hashimoto said in the speech

I think this is a bit of false equivalency when you consider the sheer number of rapes perpetrated by each side. It should also be noted that there were also hundreds of American soldiers who were actually tried and convicted for rape after D-day. Also, I don't think anyone (western governments/textbook publishers) are denying or trying to sweep this part of history under the rug.

41 ( +44 / -3 )

This is a Japanese apology. Point at others' wrongdoing.

71 ( +75 / -6 )

Allied Solider definitely raped French woman. Most occupations have rape crimes unfortunately. Him and most conservatives think there being unfairly singled out for atrocities in WW2. To be honest Japan needs to apologize and let it go. Even America apologized for its use of the Atom bomb on japan. Japan should stop this already.

7 ( +18 / -11 )

There were low-lives on both sides, including plenty of British, and American soldiers. Their crimes shouldn't be forgotten just because the Allies won the war. He's not totally wrong, either. There were tons of rapes by allied soldiers, especially during the occupation of Japan.

But this guys really gotta stop with defending "comfort women." I love Japan, and maybe more objective research is required for this issue. For the love of all things holy, please stop. Accept it, and focus on building a stronger Japan.

There is no reason to feel culturally humiliated, or feel that cultural identity is at risk. Japan has a long and awesome distinct history and culture. This one issue does not need to define new, or old, Japan.

0 ( +15 / -15 )

Wow, just... wow. Unlike this spokes-idiot, the US and other Allied nations punished those that they found doing these types of things, didn't sweep it under the rug nor deny atrocities committed by their own soldiers and they sure as didn't condone or attempt to justify their actions like this fool. What a freaking idiot.

29 ( +30 / -1 )

It is possible that individual soldiers committed crimes such as rape in France following the D Day invasion but there is no evidence of a military policy of forced prostitution. Mayor Hashimoto's comments simply place the very serious and substantiated evidence of Japanese wrongdoing in an even harsher light. If Hashimoto has some real evidence to support his claim then he should produce it. Otherwise he should be quiet.

24 ( +25 / -1 )

Read this, people http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/422860/D-Day-GIs-raped-and-killed-their-French-allies-while-US-army-generals-turned-a-blind-eye

Quote from the ling I posted

The all-conquering GI was soon viewed with suspicion in France after US forces were accused of thousands of rapes, intimidation and having sex in daylight in parks, cemeteries and among the rubble of destroyed houses.

There is article in Life magazine , pages 19/20. printed 10 Dec 1945 http://books.google.ba/books?id=ukgEAAAAMBAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false from US soldier that were in France in that time , talking about mentality US soldiers had in France, quote

The general opinion all along the lines was that France was a tremendous brothel inhabited by 40,000,000 hedonists who spent all their time eating, drinking and making love

And also, from that article , quote

All of this adds up to the riots in Le Havre where citizens are organizing vigilante committees to protect their women. It adds up to Paris where holdups, shootings and fights involving GIs are becoming so common that officials are contemplating putting on a 1 o'clock curfew. It adds up to a Reims where American soldiers have broken into respectable homes at night demanding to "see the dames "

Also on wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rape_during_the_liberation_of_France

-24 ( +16 / -39 )

“However, historians agree that while there were rapes by allied soldiers in Normandy, there is no generally accepted evidence of officially-sanctioned sex attacks by any military during World War II, other than the Japanese.”

There might be some crime of rapes commited by allied soldier during World War II, but those war-time crimes should not give Japan an excuse for its own atrocious sex slavery. In addition, no country on the earth employed such magnitudes and methodical sex slavery system yet tried to find lame excuses to hide its evil past.

World War II ended 70 years ago, yet many ultra-nationalists and revisionists such as Hashimoto in today’s Japan still make attempts to glorify war criminals and whitewash Japan's atrocities. That is offensive and unacceptable.

Nevertheless, the international community surely knows what to do with Japan’s denial and dilution. For instance, last week, UN heritage org. rejected Japanese request to preserve letters of kamikaze pilots. (Strangely enough, UN’s rejection was completely off the radar screen of Japanese media outlets, such news was conveniently “omitted” in Japan.)

19 ( +22 / -3 )

@Nenad Jovanović

No one denies the existence of pervy GIs. The accusation by Hashimoto is that allied governments organized brothels in Western Europe for their GIs. The consensus among historians is absolutely NOT. (with the exception of France earlier in the war)

13 ( +14 / -2 )

To be honest Japan needs to apologize and let it go. Even America apologized for its use of the Atom bomb on japan. Japan should stop this already.

Please read up on your history. America has never apologized for the a bomb despite the apology it received from Japan for Pearl harbor. Japan has apologized for sex slaves and paid compensation which was supposed to have officially closed the matter. And you say Japan needs to let it go? Japan would like nothing more than to move on if it's neighbors would let it.

-25 ( +8 / -31 )

Any remaining shred of credibility Mr Hashimoto had left before saying this, has now finally flew out the window!!

16 ( +17 / -1 )

Sad thing is, 99% of Japanese people will probably believe him.

13 ( +23 / -10 )

“Europeans and Americans say ‘Japanese used sex slaves.’

Well, such a statement is rarely, if ever, an initiating one. Usually, an American like myself uses it when confronted with Japanese who are bashing Chinese (for praising the German contrition) or bashing Koreans (for erecting memorials to their comfort women). OR, when we witness attempts by the historical revisionists to sweep Japan's wartime criminal actions under the rug.

The incidences of wartime rapes by American G.I.s in France are a fact of history. Americans have not tried to whitewash it. A number of US soldiers were tried, convicted and executed for rape. To what extent, I would ask, does that history still cloud French-U.S. relations? (Not AT ALL.) I can assert that if the U.S. had tried to excuse or deny the rapes -- there would indeed be a black mark remaining against us. There were no U.S. leaders anywhere claiming that the French women were all actually willing participants.

It is really a great shame to Japan what these right-wing politicians carry onto the world stage. As much as they might like their words to be "for Japanese only," many in the world are keenly listening.

13 ( +16 / -3 )

You don't make a public apology while at the same time taking aim at other nations' wrongdoing. I'm sorry but a prefectural mayor is in no position to speak on this topic. Especially Hashimoto.

19 ( +19 / -0 )

“After landing in Normandy, allied soldiers raped French women. ‘Comfort stations’ were built after things became too much,” he said in the speech, using a euphemism for brothels, according to the newspaper.

Funny how he doesn't mention the rapes committed by the Red Army (USSR) as they moved westward into Europe and Germany. How women fled in hopes of reaching the US and British lines to at least not become victim to the Red Army. but I guess going after a country like Russia would be a bit too much for him to do.

15 ( +15 / -0 )

Why you people don't remember what kind of world was in those days ? And you think he mentioned this accidentally ? If US troops were like this in Allied zone, imagine how they were in areas like occupied Japan .

-31 ( +5 / -36 )

Well, its good to see how nearly everyone here recognizes Hashimoto's lies for what they are:

lies attempt at false equivalency.

Its the old, "I didn't do it, and even if I did, you did the same thing, so you can't blame me for what I did."

So far, so good, I am sure. But, and there always is a but, what some of our fellow posters here won't recognize is how this, and Japan's 're-examaning the "comfort women issue". and Yasukuni are all wrapped up in the Japanese right's historical revisionism.

So, for those of you here who bridle at Hashimoto's lies, and think Yasukuni is just fine and dandy, well, you are part of the problem.

16 ( +17 / -1 )

@bilderberg2015

Sad thing is, 99% of Japanese people will probably believe him.

I think the "sad thing" is the fact that most posters here either outright refuse to believe that allied soldiers committed rape or are willing to sweep it under the rug. Just a few bad apples, and all that.

-26 ( +7 / -31 )

Conservative mind: two wrongs make a right.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto, who was once seen as a future prime minister, argued in a weekend speech that Japan must admit its own historical wrongdoings while also pointing out the mistakes of others, the Mainichi Shimbun said.

In other words "I'm only saying I'm sorry in relation to others who did the same thing, not because I feel any real remorse for my actions". But isn't that the essence of a shame-driven culture rather than a guilt-driven one? Right and wrong are only defined relative to what others do, and whether you get caught or not.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

When is this idiot going to shut his mouth and just disappear?

19 ( +22 / -3 )

Japan has apologized for sex slaves and paid compensation which was supposed to have officially closed the matter. And you say Japan needs to let it go? Japan would like nothing more than to move on if it's neighbors would let it.

Many of the right-wing Japanese politicians who run the country and influential people like them would like nothing more than to revise or retract the apologies that have been made. If these people really wanted to let the issue go they would shut up about it.

10 ( +13 / -3 )

Hokkaidogy

The claim is not "allied soldiers committed rape." No one denies allied soldiers raped.

Hashimoto (and your_ claim is Allied soldiers raped widely and "‘Comfort stations’ were built after things became too much,”

The material point here is

How common was the rape Were "Comfort Stations

You offer no proof of either claim.

Here is some data:

Historian Olivier Wieviorka, a specialist the French Resistance and 20th Century French History, in his 2010 "Normandy: From the Landings to the Liberation of Paris" that U.S. troops committed 208 rapes and about 30 murders in the department of Manche.

Manche is the most westerly part of Normandy. It comprises about 1/5 the size of Normandy. I do not know the relative population of Manch v Normandy as a whole. Assuming the population reflect the proportion in size, the estimated number of rapes throughout Normandy would be under 1000.

During the Rape of Nanjing, The International Military Tribunal for the Far East estimated that Imperial Japanese Solders raped 20,000 women. That's quite a bit larger than the estimate above for Normandy. No doubt, the difference can be attributed to the systematized and militarily sanctioned process where soldiers would search door-to-door for young girls, with many women taken captive and gang raped. Especially when you take into account that 4 Infantry dIvisions attacked and occupies Nanjing, and 15 Allied infantry division invaded Normandy.

Do the math, and you'll see the numbers simply do not add up in Hashimoto's and your favor.

The reason for the discrepancy is as clear as the conclusion to be drawn is unavoidable.

Whereas the Imperial Army was a disorganized one that encouraged and facilitated rape and plunder, the US and British forces were disciplines ones that discouraged raped and plunder. The difference here is material:

rape and plunder is incident to war. Imperial Japan promoted and institutionalized both. The US discouraged rape, and turned a blind-eye the plundering.

And that is why there is NO EVIDENCE that allied forces set up "comfort stations" in Normandy. You and Hashimoto defame the US and British troops, and that is all I have to say to you.

15 ( +18 / -3 )

For Gods sake. Someone has to shut up this guy (Hashimoto). I've never hard something more stupid than that.

How can he be the Mayor of Osaka with a mind like this?

17 ( +19 / -2 )

And that makes everything OK!? Typical example of false logic I see get used all the time. Education system here is good for math basic subject but there is no critical thinking.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

I personally think this guy Hashimoto is a total DBag and Japan is better off without him rising to national level office. However I also know that our troops raped a lot of women on Okinawa and during the occupation. The Soviet Red Army are said to have raped as many as 2,000,000 German women (and girls) during their offensive into Germany. So if his "point" is that that these such factual events excuse Imperial Japan for their brothel system, then he is dead wrong. But if his point is that Japan is being unfairly singled out (by South Korea and China) as if it was the only country to have that sort of history, then DB or not, he is correct. I doubt any of the posters here can be objective enough to see that though.

-8 ( +16 / -24 )

Is it politically incorrect to declare soldiers dehumanized killing raping machines? Admitting my limited learning, I nevertheless would welcome a police state preventing and targeting more accurately. Better than sweeping overkill by military. Policing and spying lawfully humanely regulated preferable. If one can plead ignorance, no malice and circumstances beyond one's control, and be assured of leniency.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

This whole argument, from both sides, is so clouded by tricky little tactics of propaganda and nuance that I feel the women who were victimized by this-- and I mean women in EVERY country where there was sexual predation, not just Korea or France --should feel even more insulted and disgusted!!! I have researched this quite thoroughly. Did sexual predation happen in many countries during and immediately after WW2? Absolutely yes, and absolutely inexcusable. This is a crime against humanity. Was any of it "officially" sanctioned by the government of the troops committing these atrocities? NO! It appears not, despite all the emotional rhetoric. There are no government memos in ANY country (including Japan, by the way) that says: "government policy: rape the locals." So looking for "official sanction" is a red herring, a waste of time, and an insult to the victims. (Sorry, I can't seem to get my hands on Red Army documents, so I might need to stand corrected someday--and if anyone has documents to prove me wrong, I would welcome knowing so, because I've been unable to find them in official archives. I would be willing to adjust my conclusions based on that).

This stuff is crimes against humanity and should be treated as such--for all nations. But there was no national policy memorandum people....it was local soldiers who did it and local commanders who should have castrated or executed the perps, but let it go on, which makes them just as guilty (Note, I am talking about Japanese soldiers AND Allied soldiers). Anyone who has actually been in combat in a war zone will know what I'm talking about.

This does not in any way diminish the crime, or the fact, as someone has pointed out, that Japan has not yet prosecuted those who participated, or even tried to find out who they were. They must do so for this to end in closure. Apologies are words, but some things require actions. Some countries have prosecuted their soldier rapists for WW2, because the issue is on the table and in open debate. But WW2 was not the only war to take place since 1945, so I suspect this goes on still now.....an endless chain of atrocity that might come to light in debate years or decades later. Humanity are pretty slow learners.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Ironically, Hashimoto is only contributing to a sentiment to accept China's current application to have documents pertaining to Nanjing Massacre recognized by UNESCO, essentially settling the matter on the broad international stage. In turn, this will only add to the "comfort women" activists' confidence to pursue the matter to similar end. Well done Mr. Hashimoto. Insert other foot, now.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Demilitarization only possible if nations respect international law. Impose fines and ostracize those who won't play by the rules. An end to beating and killing vicious cycle.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

There's a world of difference between rape and state sponsored sex slavery. why does insane crazy guy still hold the hearts of the people of Osaka. I love Osaka, please vote this joke out of office!

19 ( +19 / -0 )

@OssanAmerica

But if his point is that Japan is being unfairly singled out (by South Korea and China) as if it was the only country to have that sort of history, then DB or not, he is correct. I doubt any of the posters here can be objective enough to see that though.

I take your point but I don't think it is unreasonable for a rape victim to specifically single out their rapist for criticism right? Of course South Korea and China aren't particularly concerened with rapes perpetrated by other forces elsewhere.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

But if his point is that Japan is being unfairly singled out (by South Korea and China) as if it was the only country to have that sort of history, then DB or not, he is correct.

Ossan -- nonsense. Your logic is as flawed as his. How can Japan argue they are "unfairly singled out by South Korea and China" when they are the ONLY ONES who colonized those countries and committed the atrocities. Do you think it makes a person in either of those two countries, especially a woman who was one of the victims, feel better if they know the U.S. or Russians may or may not have done the same things elsewhere? That is just twisted grade-school logic/rationalization. Quit clutching at straws, like he is.

12 ( +20 / -8 )

Isn't USA going along with South Korea bashing Japan all the time?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Don't believe a salesman that talk bad about the other products, as that only says he has nothing good to say about his own.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

Demilitarization only possible if nations respect international law. Impose fines and ostracize those who won't play by the rules. An end to beating and killing vicious cycle.

It will never happen. If so, then before nations loose armies, then the local police forces would be the first to go simply because nations are made of people, some who will do the right thing and some who will not. Just a matter of human nature.

As others have pointed out, this guy refuses to accept the facts as they are. Did the Japanease military have comfort women, yes they did. I once erad a book about the Occupation of Japan and it was the J-gov at the time who urged the "pan-pan" girls to work in the brothels that serviced the GI's in order to "protect the honor of the Japanese women" and how these same pan-pan girls were looked down upon in public, but the J-gov needed them because they were a direct link to hte Black market and it's economy.

The bottom line, Japan did have comfort women and sad to say it was a part of their war effort. Not a pretty picture but one thta occured, and Japan and others jus tneed to learn to deal with it.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Hashimoto is factually correct that the allied soldiers (primarily U.S. soldiers) raped French women, and then later set up brothels (one was called "Blue and Gray Corral" set up by Major General Gerhardt). There is also plenty of evidence of rapes and murders in Germany and mass murders and rapes in Okinawa in Japan by the U.S. troops... with the irony in this case being that the U.S. servicemen raped anyone who looked Asian, which resulted in them brutally raping may of the Korean "comfort women" who had been bought along by the Japanese army. ... which is something we never hear about.

The U.S. has never apologised for these crimes, and denies them despite a massive number of eyewitness testimonies that have been well documented by credible academics.

Does this excuse Japan's actions? No. Has Japan apologised? Yes, repeatedly. Has Japan paid compensation? Yes. Has Japan really repented? ... I suspect not.

What do allied rapes have to do with anything? Hashimoto is just pointing out that Japan has apologised, paid compensation and tried to make amends, but continues to be beaten up about this issue. The U.S. on the other hand has not apologised, has denied compensation and has officially denied it ever did anything wrong... and nobody says a word about them.

Judging by the number of thumbs-downs that people pointing this out are getting I think that the U.S. deserves the government it has, one that lies to them about everything, because clearly people from the U.S. don't want to know, they want to see themselves as the good guys, even when there's clear evidence that the U.S. is as evil as the darkest villains in their propaganda.

-17 ( +9 / -26 )

Mainichi Shimbun is known as an anti-Japan news paper.

-23 ( +2 / -25 )

I'm pretty sure Hashimoto heard about the book "What Soldiers Do: Sex and the American G.I. in World War II France" by Mary Louise Roberts. Note that the author of that book is a female. I doubt she's thrilled that the elected mayor of Osaka is now using research from her book to basically argue that what Japanese soldiers did during World War II wasn't uniquely awful. I get his point, sort of, but last time I checked the mayor of America's 3rd most populous city (Rahm Emanuel, of Chicago) wasn't insisting on anything equivalent (e.g. Iraqis tortured American POWs too, or something stupid like that).

The mayoralty of Osaka has been turned into a joke by Hashimoto. I think the only big-city mayor in a wealthy country who is a bigger embarrassment is Rob Ford of Toronto.

10 ( +11 / -1 )

For Japanese ulta-nationalistic politicians such as Toru Hashimoto, shintaro ishihara, shinzo abe, Nariaki Nakayama, Taro Aso… it is not accidents for them to reach predominate national petitions in Japan political landscapes.

The fact of matter is that Japan has this rich ecosystem to breed this type of right-wingers with unprecedented tolerance and reward from a society which somehow collectively wants to gloss over its war past. Can you imagine if Toru Hashimoto type of politicians would be able survive in today’s Germany or the US for just one day ?

The bottom line is that there is a well-organized and funded system that supports Hashimoto and alike. So when we denounce Hashimoto’s outrageous remarks, don’t forget how they got this far.

11 ( +13 / -2 )

But if his point is that Japan is being unfairly singled out (by South Korea and China) as if it was the only country to have that sort of history, then DB or not, he is correct. I doubt any of the posters here can be objective enough to see that though.

If that is his point, then Japan is the only country actively trying to make false moral equivalencies over wartime crimes it supposedly apologized for. I seriously doubt the revisionists have the brains to see that for what it is. The Japanese are not "unfairly singled out" for crimes committed by Japan. It's just that the victims are proven credible in their claims that the Japanese haven't really been sincere with their apologies when there are so many right-wingers who are so ready, willing and able to undermine them with their remarks.

Seriously, when dealing with Japan, who knows who or what to believe? -- and so the overall impression is one that creates distrust with its neighbors.

12 ( +15 / -3 )

This guy is living proof of the fact that meatheads are everywhere in the world.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Nightshade

So looking for "official sanction" is a red herring, a waste of time

Not at all. Those nations that organize the rape of then women of conquered territories inflict an injury, quite literally, an order of magnitude greater on the populace. Further, the callousness with which such a conquering force does not limit itself to the virtue of the females: it extends across the entire invasion. Robbery, theft and plunder are an order of magnitude greater. Murder is an order of magnitude greater.

Finally, the rampant disregard for decency extends into the occupation. The cruelty, the rape, the murder and oppression.

It is not a matter of all conquerors are equal. There is a difference.

Imperial Japan was materially worse.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Mainichi Shimbun is known as an anti-Japan news paper. no its actually doing what is called "freedom of the press" run stories that are free of outside political influence. something very rare in Japan

11 ( +13 / -2 )

Was not born during the war but from recent news in my own country where in the southern part Muslim separatist and or the npa, even in present times do commit rape and looting once they occupy a certain village. At times they even rape and kill. There is no such thing as magnanimity. The psyche is beastlike survival of oneself and propagation of their beliefs. During the comfort women time, I just wonder if how many comfort women were raped and killed right after. The Jpeople are really softhearted. so much so that when a group of obaachans cried rape , the Jpoliticians then, never cross examine nor verify the veracity of their claims. I just can not help but remember the Pinay named Nicole who cried rape against a good looking US GI and at the end was given a US visa just to retract her claim. Some people just give in to avoid scandal which in reality is a mere baloney. Let the truth prevail Hail to Hashimoto San

-10 ( +3 / -13 )

Baka's grandstanding with his "facts" demonstrates his weak grasp on reality. I wonder if he could enlighten us on how many Japanese soldiers were punished for rape, or were their crimes ignored? Soldiers on both sides committed crimes but if one side does nothing about it it's tantamount to sanctioning the crime.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

@Frungy

and then later set up brothels (One was called "Blue and Gray Corral" set up by Major General Gerhardt)

This brothel is infamous, but only because it was shut down by US authorities on the same day it opened.

http://m.ahr.oxfordjournals.org/content/115/4/1002.full

14 ( +14 / -0 )

Is nothing there guy won't do to grab a headline? Whether the D Day 'comfort stations' are fact or fiction is totally irrelevant to the Japanese issue. Hashimoto, must shut the hell up!

5 ( +6 / -1 )

MGigante said

There were low-lives on both sides, including plenty of British, and American soldiers. Their crimes shouldn't be forgotten just because the Allies won the war. He's not totally wrong, either. There were tons of rapes by allied soldiers, especially during the occupation of Japan.

But this guys really gotta stop with defending "comfort women." I love Japan, and maybe more objective research is required for this issue. For the love of all things holy, please stop. Accept it, and focus on building a stronger Japan.

There is no reason to feel culturally humiliated, or feel that cultural identity is at risk. Japan has a long and awesome distinct history and culture. This one issue does not need to define new, or old, Japan.

A good appraisal and well written comment.

Now Frungy said (among other things, no offence, hey?)

Has Japan really repented? ... I suspect not.

Well, where do I start? Without spending copious amounts of time because today is busy - there are plenty of Japanese who are appalled at what happened in WW2. By the way, this link might be food for thought. (Yeah, I know it's Cracked)

http://www.cracked.com/blog/5-reasons-youre-picturing-nazis-wrong/

In any case, tragic events shouldn't be used for political games.

Also, am I wrong to be more concerned with what's happening in Iraq and the Ukraine right now? As well as East Asia?

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

Frungy

Once again demonstrating that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

It is very likely that Maj. Gen. Charles H. Gerhardt set up The Blue and Gray Corral in the wake of the Normandy invasion. The historian who writes about this is Mary Roberts, in “What Soldiers Do.” And she also points out that "It was shut down after a mere five hours."

So, there you go.

9 ( +11 / -2 )

massiou81Jun. 17, 2014 - 10:14AM JST

Rapes that occurred in France at that time were due to support troops (average age: 20) that arrived later one to organize supplies for combating troops. Of the 1.5 million and more stationed troops in Normandy, less than a 1,000 rapes were unfortunately committed.

Would you tell me where you get those numbers?

-4 ( +4 / -8 )

Comfort stations were not set up by the allies. Maisons de Tolerance (aka Brothels) were set up by Napoleon and were an accepted part of the noble French way of life. The Maisons de Tolerance were enjoyed by the Wehrmacht throughout the occupation, and the Allies similarly basked in the glories of French culture upon their arrival.

So, point 1: Comfort stations were not set up by the allies. Hashimoto is, as always, taking out of his ringpiece.

7 ( +9 / -2 )

Sorry, but it was Germany and Japan who opened the gates to the second war, so they are responsible for all deaths and rapes committed by both sides. Had the Axis Powers not started the war, then the allied soldiers would never been thrust into a wartime environment where their humanity was pushed to extreme limits, or broken altogether. Were it not for Germany, Japan, and Italy, these young men would have remained at home where they belonged; working, farming, and taking care of their families.

Hashimoto is not worthy to hold office, and it is a shame that those such as he have any voice in public policy when they have such a poor knowledge of cause and effect. No wonder Japan is as bad off as it is.

1 ( +7 / -6 )

Did the Germans after WWII come out and say "well you guys were committing atrocities too". No they didn't. They owned up to their guilt and did their best to make up for it. But for some reason the Japanese mentality just can't do that. Its like a 5 year old saying "well Tommy was doing it too". These politicians are acting just like children when they really should grow up and accept responsibility for their actions alone.

10 ( +13 / -3 )

‘We were wrong, but you were wrong as well,’...

All the logic of an child, there. This wouldn't be so bad if this wasn't how the majority of the Japanese argue. But they do. Just make me sad to see how truly insecure this country's people are.

5 ( +10 / -5 )

Sangetsu by your statement then

the real responsible for the 9.11 attacks and death are the CIA then and thus the US then....

-6 ( +3 / -9 )

Pure idiocy, Frungy.

set up brothels (one was called "Blue and Gray Corral" set up by Major General Gerhardt

You can name one because there was only one -- and it was open for a total of five hours before it was ordered closed. Your omitting that important fact taints your comments.

The U.S. has never apologised for these crimes, and denies them despite a massive number of eyewitness testimonies that have been well documented by credible academics.

Who has asked that the U.S. apologize? The Roberts' book characterizes the misdeeds as coming amid thousands of acts of heroism and sacrifice. Roberts also got a lot of her material from courts-martial transcripts, indicating there was a system in place for punishing those who committed crimes. While most went unpunished, this is still a far cry from the wanton murder and rape that occurred during Japan's invasion of China.

Most importantly, there has not been any person of note in the U.S. coming out with revisionist stories against, or denials of, Roberts' research. We openly admit even today that sexual abuse among our armed forces is a problem, so your claims of the US denying them are utterly false.

12 ( +16 / -4 )

Knox

Less than 25% of eligible voter participated in the snap March election for Mayor of Osaka. Of that, Hashimoto got percent of the vote. The next highest was _____. As in, they left the ballot blank.

The people of Osaka are not insecure. They are overwhelmingly pathetic. Of those who bothered to vote, most are either angry right wing idiots, or feel deeply skeptical about the political system.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

It is just cultural: here in Japan, you may touch and play toy with ladies quite easily, and they don't much complain as they have in return a high level standard of living, thanks to men.

Most Japanese are totally unable to project themselves outside their system. Is it genetic? I still am unsure (checking that with my kids...)

0 ( +2 / -2 )

woops

sorry for the typos. Should read, Hashimoto got the largest percent of the vote..... They are overwhelmingly apathetic.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Imperial army is bad.

2 ( +7 / -5 )

it was Germany and Japan who opened the gates to the second war, so they are responsible for all deaths and rapes committed by both sides.

That is precisely the reasoning the Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany used to justify, and I use that term advisedly, their murderous predations.

That don't play in Peoria. And that is why the US is better, warts and all.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

But US President criticized Japan over comfort women when he visited South Korea the other day. And Mrs Clinton criticized Japan over shrine visit a few days ago in a interview with Nikkei shimbun.

-12 ( +3 / -15 )

Get over it Hashimoto. You weren't even a thought back in WWII. Same goes to every other politician trying to use the atrocities committed during the war for their own political agendas.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

tinawatanabe- you realize by making that argument you are employing the exact same childish "he said she said" tactic right? What non point are you trying to make?

8 ( +10 / -2 )

Someone end this utterly stupid topic please. =.=; It happened such a long time ago and the younger generations have nothing to do with it and frankly they probably don't even care about it. Half of the people raising a fuss are way too sympathetic. Do the current generation of Japanese have to deal with this topic? No. "Did the Japanese commit those atrocities?" Yes. So? The Japanese should, instead of denying it, just forget it and answer "I don't know, and who cares? Nothing to do with me." Too sympathetic, easily spurred by propaganda. There are too many problems with society nowadays...

-5 ( +5 / -10 )

Gotta hand it to LDP politicians that are very creative to come up with different way to lose the credibility and drag the reputation of Japan down.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Brian Martin wrote: "Even America apologized for its use of the Atom bomb on japan."

wut?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

It is at least good that he admits Japan's atrocities.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

I am sure there was evil committed by members on both sides of the war. The difference here is that the Allied forces never had an official policy of raping women, nor did such heinous acts receive legislative, or royal approval.

The wrongdoings of one group do not mitigate, or justify the wrongdoings by others. Instead of trying to minimize, or distort the actions of the imperial army, the government should be honest, and apologize. These weren't "regrettable" "incidents"-they were inhuman, barbaric practices advanced by sadistic, power-mad dictators.

12 ( +13 / -1 )

How can he be the Mayor of Osaka with a mind like this?

Because people in Osaka, or Japanese people in general, are as stupid as this guy.

-2 ( +6 / -9 )

I suppose this is why every veteran of the European Theatre of war I've ever known and spoken to talked about how the French greeted the allies with flowers, songs, and praises and thanks to them for liberating them and their land form the Germans? This is naught more than a Japanese political hack trying to maked the allies look bad --- once again --- in Japanese eyes. Funny how the British, the Poles, the Belgians, the Dutch, the Norwegians, nor the free French NEVER made such claims against U.S. Soldiers in the aftermath of D-Day and vice-versa.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

Hashimoto's 'immoral equivalency' for actions in WWII is nothing new. A great numbers of Americans continue to excuse/justify the A-bombs with Japan's role in the Rape of Nanking that has a similar death toll.

It should also be noted that there were also hundreds of American soldiers who were actually tried and convicted for rape after D-day.

Where is the source of this information?. How come we never heard of these trials or the fact that American soldiers rape people for that matter?

-13 ( +1 / -14 )

Thanks Nenad Jovanović How you can be downvoted -- other than by people who do not want to know the truth -- I do not know.

In the article that you linked to there was this

To the outrage of the French, GIs were issued with more condoms to solve the problem. The Germans had a different approach, establishing official brothels where prostitutes were subject to regular medical checks and a data bank was kept of their sexual health.

-15 ( +3 / -18 )

This guy is an idiot, read your history!

During World War II, Dr Edith Sumerskill raised the issue of Maisons Tolérée in Parliament to Secretary of State for War Anthony Eden after the intervention of the British Expeditionary Force.[25] Further questions were raised in Parliament after the D-Day invasion, to ensure such local practises and medical precautions were continued.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostitution_in_France#World_War_II

There were ALREADY there and the soldiers used them!

1 ( +3 / -2 )

I am sure there was evil committed by members on both sides of the war. The difference here is that the Allied forces never had an official policy of raping women, nor did such heinous acts receive legislative, or royal approval.

I'm sure the Allies didn't have an official policy. They were perhaps just complacent about the activity, just like how the Koreans are claiming the Japanese government were during the war.

The wrongdoings of one group do not mitigate, or justify the wrongdoings by others. Instead of trying to minimize, or distort the actions of the imperial army

How do you distort the actions of your own by pointing out similar actions of others? How can you think of something like that, unless you have a prejudicial assumption of moral superiority i.e. the belief that my country that was part of the Allies could have never held negative traits like the filthy Axis.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

yabitsJun. 17, 2014 - 10:41AM JST

set up brothels (one was called "Blue and Gray Corral" set up by Major General Gerhardt

You can name one because there was only one -- and it was open for a total of five hours before it was ordered closed. Your omitting that important fact taints your comments.

That isn't the important fact. The important fact was that the U.S. army was aware of the rapes, and a VERY senior officer thought that a legitimise solution was setting up a brothel. That's precisely the logic the Japanese army used.

You also omit that rapes regularly took place in the streets of France, but that the REASON for closing down the brothel and refusing to open other brothels was that it would look bad back home... in other words the U.S. army was more concerned with its public image back home than with stopping the rapes in France.

The U.S. army was aware of the problem. They refused to take action, and instead rounded up African-Americans and blamed the rapes on them in an attempt to label the problem as a "black" problem.

Go U.S.A.! Their solution to an abuse of human rights was to abuse the human rights of another group of people.

Yet you conclude:

Most importantly, there has not been any person of note in the U.S. coming out with revisionist stories against, or denials of, Roberts' research.

Robert's research IS the revisionist history, because the U.S. official version of history has always been that the U.S. forces were welcomed as liberating forces. You just can't seem to grasp that up until Roberts' research came out the official version taught to school children in textbooks across the U.S. was a fabrication. These are OFFICIAL versions.

In other words, every person of note in the U.S. for the last 70 years has been denying these events by their silence, a silence sanctioned by the U.S. government.

We openly admit even today that sexual abuse among our armed forces is a problem, so your claims of the US denying them are utterly false.We openly admit even today that sexual abuse among our armed forces is a problem, so your claims of the US denying them are utterly false.

.... and this must be the most backwards logic I've seen in a while. You admit contemporary problems of sexual abuse, so logically you must admit all previous problems??? You have to be kidding. The U.S. has denied the extent of the rapes in France, Germany and Japan for decades. They never appear in a single school textbook - Which is where we come back to this article.

The U.S. is supporting Korea's requests that Japan include references to the rapes by Japanese forces in their school textbooks... while simultaneously remaining in denial about their sordid past. That's hypocrisy.

-8 ( +4 / -12 )

the people who are claiming nanking accident happened should show how to curb the chinese and the Russian with their democracy and without inflicting a serious damage to civilian and they should suggest another method than the behaviour of Imperial army or they don't have to talk about democracy power again

I am from morocco and I have a chinese friend and a japanese one , the chinese told me that most of the alleged rape that happened there were framed by foreigner like that one happened in the ME , Iraq and libya false rape accident

So either suggest a method to curb both countries and when that happen ,japanese toru hashimoto will have to deliver a serious apology if those allied forces could ever curb those power ( I guess not )

thanks for posting my comment

-8 ( +0 / -8 )

Oh boy, field day in America for sure against this politician and Japan in general.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Too bad Hashimoto isn't posting his comments here on JT:

(Mr. Hashimoto) this story (comfort women) is about Japan. What people do in other countries is irrelevant. Please get back on topic.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

What non point are you trying to make?

My point is Japanese are sick and tired of and angry at being criticized every day by SK/China/USA over something that happened more than 70 years ago.

-13 ( +4 / -17 )

I suppose this is why every veteran of the European Theatre of war I've ever known and spoken to talked about how the French greeted the allies with flowers, songs, and praises and thanks to them for liberating them and their land form the Germans?

his is naught more than a Japanese political hack trying to maked the allies look bad --- once again --- in Japanese eyes. Funny how the British, the Poles, the Belgians, the Dutch, the Norwegians, nor the free French NEVER made such claims against U.S. Soldiers in the aftermath of D-Day and vice-versa

The Chinese and Koreans didn't make much of a fuss about Japanese war crimes on the international stage from 1945 until the turn of the 21st century when Junichio Koizumi visited Yasukuni shrine. Just because complaints go unnoticed for so long, it doesn't make the incident any less credible or non-existent.

I know that a great many of women don't raise complaints because of their perceived 'shame' of being such a victim. Your assumption that no claim=no rape is very insensitive to rape victims in general.

every veteran of the European Theatre

I suppose that most Soviet veterans you have talked to said that every women of the towns they liberated greeted them with opened legs.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

tinawatanabe- again fingers in ears refusing to listen to anything else like bratty spoiled kindergarten children. That goes for Japan, Korea and China, mind you. Thank you for confirming my suspicions.

7 ( +10 / -3 )

Gotta hand it to LDP politicians that are very creative to come up with different way to lose the credibility and drag the reputation of Japan down.

Hashimoto is NOT LDP. He heads his own party, the Japanese Restoration Party, or 日本維新の会.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

jerseyboyJun. 17, 2014 - 09:30AM JST "But if his point is that Japan is being unfairly singled out (by South Korea and China) as if it was the only country to have that sort of history, then DB or not, he is correct. Ossan -- nonsense. Your logic is as flawed as his. How can Japan argue they are "unfairly singled out by South Korea >and China" when they are the ONLY ONES who colonized those countries and committed the atrocities.

I suggest you actually read the article before commenting. Japan is NOT the only country to have set up brothels or had its soldiers involved in rape. That is the whole point this guy is bringing up. And here you are repeating exactly what he says some people are doing and proving him correct. Good job.

-10 ( +6 / -16 )

Probie: "When is this idiot going to shut his mouth and just disappear?"

Probably never, sadly. Whenever he feels sad and needs some attention, he knows quite well that this kind of remark will bring him back into the limelight. His pathetic attempt at a political career is in squanders, and he needs to pander to the radical right to get back into their good graces. No doubt he'll be forming some new political party soon and demanding this and that if he doesn't get his way.

0 ( +7 / -7 )

tinawatanabe- again fingers in ears refusing to listen to anything else like bratty spoiled kindergarten children. That goes for Japan, Korea and China, mind you. Thank you for confirming my suspicions.

What is that the Koreans and the Chinese are not listening, and how do you know the Americans are listening at all?

To me the Chinese and Koreans in general are trying to find dignity and respect as human beings in the aftermath of Japan's murderous charade of "pretend to be great white-European colonial power superior to Asians" while the Americans try to sidestep the issue.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

I never said they were NeoJamal, they probably aren't either.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

NO one is saying the rapists weren't wrong at that time.

We are saying you Japanese people, Japanese politicians, Japanese leaders, Japanese businessmen/person of power, and partly, Japan the nation itself are wrong for STILL disputing the sex slaves/comfort women issues as well as Rape of Nanjing and countless other mass raping/murderous actions against civilians in different regions/nations.

Some of you are still saying those sex slaves were in fact, paid prostitutes or volunteers that knew what they were getting into. Really? They just love it when you rape them and kill them after? Or do 40-50 guys a day and put on a smile each time because they enjoyed the sex with dozens of strangers each and every day of their pathetic lives?

So long as Japan has people in power who continue to distort and neglect the truths of these horrific crimes, Japan is in no place to defend itself in this subject or criticize others. Japan created a system to abuse these women. Japan created a culture that Rape of Nanjing was OK during wartime. The only others that did that were the Nazi and Pol Pot. And both are eternally subjugated to criticism. Japan could've avoided that by being honest with itself, its citizens, its future generations and its nation's conscience. But Japan didn't with citizens electing leaders and politicians who are utterly disgusting on distorting these horrific crimes against humanity.

So long as there are Japanese who thinks or sympathize with Hashimoto's comments, you deserve to be belittled upon. I belittle you who don't have a conscience and constantly trying to find excuses to excuse your actions. How about instead of saying He DID IT TOO, you simply say I was wrong, I take full responsibility and vow to educate my people with the truth, apologize in sincerity, meaning no contradiction and disputing the facts, and most importantly to codify in the legal code and constitution to outlaw the denial of such actions and claims and punish those who distort the truth and promote such distortions.

It really isn't that hard to do. Japan just doesn't have the will or conscience to do it. That's why with all the economic contribution and peace and niceties, you are still second rate in many of our minds.

5 ( +11 / -6 )

I'd give it forty-eight hours before we hear that '... it's regrettable that my remarks have been interpreted abroad.'

8 ( +9 / -1 )

Its it terribly unfortunate that normal everyday Japanese people are amongst the most giving caring people I have come across in the many places I have traveled, yet they appear represented by some of the most out of touch, misinformed, foot in mouth experts there are.

These guys seriously need some PR assistance..

Take the high road, apologise, don't compare your countries deeds to others, or just keep your comments to yourself.

11 ( +12 / -1 )

misinterpreted

5 ( +5 / -0 )

**NO one is saying the rapists weren't wrong at that time.

We are saying you Japanese people, Japanese politicians, Japanese leaders, Japanese businessmen/person of power, and partly, Japan the nation itself are wrong for STILL disputing the sex slaves/comfort women issues as well as Rape of Nanjing and countless other mass raping/murderous actions against civilians in different regions/nations.**

Listen , I don't want to say this , Japan imperial army was conducting a normal aggression , Like three brother since the formaion of three countries was fighting each other , raping each other citizen and then the american hop in to spread the democracy , It is something nice to spread the humanity ideal , you should complete your heroic ideals and suggest what to do against china instead of posting in NY newspaper about tiananmen and other useless thing , the chinese used citizen as a fodder to say that there was a rape in nanking with the help of the testimony of some provocateur including a nazi who was a sympathizer of the allies , Anyway , you said japanese were bad , spot on you are right , do you have any method to curb china military ,

-8 ( +2 / -10 )

Yes, allied soldiers did commit rape too. But these were criminal acts conducted by rogue elements. Those who were caught were punished. These crimes are deplorable on their own but come nowhere near the campaign of mass rape and ass-sexual enslavement conducted and organized by the Japanese military and state at the highest levels.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Rapes that occurred in France at that time were due to support troops (average age: 20) that arrived later one to organize supplies for combating troops.

What does this have to do with anything? Is being raped by support troops different from being raped by combat troops?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

War is a terrible event and atrocities happen, committed by both sides in any war. Acts of brutality and abominations.

atrocities happen

and what? just because both sides in the war do it, you concede nothing can be done with it?

Your quote on Mohatma Gandhi and Angelina Jolie's role in promoting awareness of rape doesn't do justice.

Gandhi only gives moral guidance while Angelina Jolie, a one time rape victim gets all the attention including an honourary British damehood on top of her already fabulous riches and fame while I am sad to admit I cannot name a single surviving Korean comfort woman, a person who has seen hell countless times, living off her very modest pension claiming for justice from the Japanese government right now.

Hashimoto's claim of reciprocal crimes by both sides of the war carries deeper implications that in war, anything goes and the victor gets off lightly. We can see by now the extent of all the death devastation caused by the Bush administration but there is no memory of any American hanged or went to prison for a long time for that.

Even in that despairing perception, Hashimoto's comment did raise awareness for me that there were rape victims of the Allies. Until now I didn't give a crap about them or any form of justice that followed. But will he be given credit, at least on this JT board for doing that? We will most likely call him a liar, just like J-right wingers label those allege Japanese war crimes.

-8 ( +1 / -9 )

**Rapes in war zones run into hundreds of thousands of victims every year.

Like all female rape victims they can be left with unwanted pregnancies or AIDS/HIV and other forms of STD's.

Rape should be the concern of every single man to ensure the safety of their sisters, mothers, daughters, wives............**

With full respect , I have something that happened in the past , no rape is conducted without minimal or reasonable claim from other side and with the condition and the nature of the event , For example let's say there is a fight between a family and other family ok , the arrogant girl says ( something vague humiliating or provoking this to happen ) ( I am not justifying it , It depend on the nature of the person ) ,Same goes for the nature of the killing , Unless you are not in the hot spot , you can't say he was wrong

the japanese person ( not only japs , the korean , the chinese and all south east asian people are of nature when the law of geneva was imposed most of them abided by the rule , through there was some misconduct but not the big framed number which was written to justify the attacks in the pacific , many of them told me , they free prisoner with the word oath not to return into conducting attacks again and risking him to punished by not abiding the rules ) , many old japanese told me about that event

-9 ( +1 / -10 )

My point is Japanese are sick and tired of and angry at being criticized every day by SK/China/USA over something that happened more than 70 years ago.

If Japanese politicians admitted our forefathers including Abe grandpa was a rapist, there will be no more noise. I can forgive Japanese soldiers raping young women during war time.

However I can not forgive one particular nation is turning blind eyes on raping their poor young women during the peace time. It is neither US or Japan or EU nations.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Hashimoto will have to send the old Japanese troops to court to answer for rape then, since the Allies did that regarding D-day. Oh wait... I guess he didn't think that one through.

Only Japan insists on perpetuating an Axis mentality instead of not associated with it and accepting it. Why defend it? Unless you want to be associated with fascism, let it go

6 ( +7 / -1 )

What is he trying to accomplish by making this statement?

Is he trying to tarnish an image of American troops that liberated France from Hitler?

5 ( +7 / -2 )

TsunayoshiJUN wrote: "This is a Japanese apology. Point at others' wrongdoing." Haha... yes. If one is to speak generally this is common. Not wanting to take responsibility and trying to shift the blame. It's a tactic that I've seen used so often that I don't even care to call it a stereotype. It's just part of the national character.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

And he's at it again.... this may sound really harsh but I think it's time Hashimoto have a dog muzzle stuck around his mouth, on a permanent basis.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

*What is he trying to accomplish by making this statement?

Is he trying to tarnish an image of American troops that liberated France from Hitler? *

Hitler was bad , you toppled him not to create another one , Or the allies sacrifice was for a false glory

If for a false glory , then you will have to do it again , If not , you shouldn't try to promote the mentality of hitler again , As for hashimoto tarnishing image of USA troop by word( sarcasm ) , he will apologize sincerely when he sees a full commitment to promote the democracy , I am sure of that , the elected man represent the people ( or at least the people with old ages whom have nothing to present to the world except to be proud of the country's establishment which some people insist to bash them and target them on daily basis )

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

This issue just makes Japan look childish and sneaky. Not fully owning up to mistakes or misdeeds and continually trying to involve others to make themselves look less worse is the truest sign of a weak and childlike mind. This is what Children do. This is what we strive to teach Children NOT to do. This is what makes us adults. Admitting and accepting guilt for our actions. We then move on and try not to make the same mistakes again or get accordingly punished for them depending on their severity.

7 ( +10 / -3 )

This issue just makes Japan look childish and sneaky. Not fully owning up to mistakes or misdeeds and continually trying to involve others to make themselves look less worse is the truest sign of a weak and childlike mind. This is what Children do. This is what we strive to teach Children NOT to do. This is what makes us adults. Admitting and accepting guilt for our actions. We then move on and try not to make the same mistakes again or get accordingly punished for them depending on their severity.

the issue here is hashimoto is condemning the misconduct of the allies which happened in the D-day which is a fact , if the allies lost would you like the allies woman to be treated badly ,

As of accepting the past and move on , then you are accepting the fact that some countries has a large Area , Like Russia , china and many other , while the other side was condemned of his aggression just because he invaded a small amount of area compared to other countries vast resources , Unfair Right ?? Or maybe not ?

-8 ( +2 / -10 )

To the victors go the spoils.

History is written by the victors and sometimes the victors aren't always as good and kind as what we were raised to believe.

After the invasion prosecution of rape were a bit unjust and sometimes blinded by the color of a persons skin.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2332670/American-WWII-GIs-dangerous-sex-crazed-rapists-French-feared-Germans-explosive-book-claims.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/422860/D-Day-GIs-raped-and-killed-their-French-allies-while-US-army-generals-turned-a-blind-eye

If you want to read a bit and decide for yourself try

The Rape Of Poland: Pattern Of Soviet Aggression

Like I said, history is written by the victors and damning stories are hidden to protect their image.

100 years from now the truth and horror shall come out.

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

she wasn't born rich and famous and gives so much of herself and life to others!

but she was born physically very beautiful, which puts her in a leading position to work in showbiz, her main occupation continues to be pretending to act like someone she is not on camera and make heaps of dosh. I'm sorry to say that even after 40 minutes of reading that post which praises AJ for raising rape awareness, I cannot name someone who is less endowed than her and works just as hard or even harder in raising rape awareness. Any public spotlight =$$$ for celebs.

As a humble nobody I can only raise the idea of sending Swiss (neutral state) military attaches to war zones to check on the state of non-combatants. But no-one is safe in war zones, such personnel will probably end up fragged if s/he should discover any atrocity has taken place.

I really hate these politicians that have no idea of what goes during war, but at least Hashimoto is not off the mark, he's actually admitting that which a breakthrough for a right-winger such as himself but it is anyone noticing apart from user ASIAN2014?

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

This guy...don't believe his logical fallacy.

https://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/tu-quoque

0 ( +0 / -0 )

And I thought this Mayor's recent rant against the bunraku puppet theater (a historically highly-respected profession in the Osaka region) was just bad....

Hashimoto, in my humble opinion, needs to step down and not allow himself to be eligible to run as Mayor again.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Much comment of Mean hypocrites. Bordels Mobiles de Campagne en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recreation_and_Amusement_Association en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostitutes_in_South_Korea_for_the_U.S._military

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

she wasn't born rich and famous and gives so much of herself and life to others!

She is the daughter of Jon Voigt and was born into the Hollywood system...... any publicity is better than...........

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Back on topic please.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

And, again, I am completely baffled, mystified, and amazed that this 'man' can continue to not only be elected by allowed to serve in the government. What will it take from him to finally get voters to see what an inappropriate person he is for public office?

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Right wingers need to stop cherry-picking articles in attempt to excuse themselves. That's all I see. It's downright disingenuous and cowardish, you might as well give up with rebuttal and backpedals.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

People seem to think that there is a difference between mere rape and military/state orgainzed brothels. You should ask the women about that.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

If there is a God, I sure hope he/she has a sense of humor, cuz if he/she didn't, it would probably be throwing itself into a black hole by now, or laughing his/her ass off at us talking monkeys.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

When Nazis Germany came, men had to hide. When the United Nations Force came, we had to hide women.

-13 ( +5 / -18 )

@ Yoshi - and when the Imperial Japanese Army came, pretty much all of Asia had to hide. Please don't try and turn this around and cry victimhood. Shame on Hashimoto and all the uneducated who vote for him in Osaka.

10 ( +13 / -3 )

Hashimoto san not only do you need to apologise to the Chinese/ Koreans, you now need to apologise to the British as well! remember "two wrongs don't make a right"

5 ( +6 / -1 )

He's a mayor, a petty functionary... ignore him and move on. He doesn't speak for the Japanese people - he just opens his mouth and all this s**t comes out.

Yes Russians carried out rapes on a large scale when they invaded Germany near war's end, and as has been said, no doubt rapes were carried out on the western front by the Allies and Germans, but you don't try to deflect by pointing at others and saying they did it to.

Personally I wish this would all just go away. Japan apologises, and then some idiot Muppet comes out with this crap. Go away Hashimoto... you are the kind of person who gives the Koreans and Chinese the fuel they need to keep bashing your country. Just. Go. Away.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

When Nazis Germany came, men had to hide. When the United Nations Force came, we had to hide women.

Indeed you should see the posture of Park when she was delighted by the removal of article 9 , she thinks that the japanese will be trapped into the same mistake of defending the country , then be bashed later by their propaganda

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

Hashimoto's stupidity never fails to astound me.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

Obviously rape is atrocious, but there is a very big difference with guys going off the grid and commiting rape vs. official military sanctioned/organized kidnappings and rape. Both are bad but again, there is a difference between getting caught up in a moment of craziness, fearing reprecussions and having a "night out" with the boys.

The more accessible you make something the less shameful or bad a culture will view it. Hell prostitution is illegal now in Japan yet we have soaplands and an entire district in Tokyo dedicated to it. Perhaps Hashimoto is simply thinking "it is natural to utilize sex shops, whats the big deal?"

0 ( +2 / -2 )

After liberating France from Nazi Germany, French women threw themselves on Allied soldiers as heroes for liberating them. No need for Japan-style state-sponsored comfort.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

...Japan must admit its own historical wrongdoings...

Japan has officially apologized for the system

what more does japan have to do? grovel and roll over every time the koreans or the chinese raise the issue in order to press own political advantage? if i was japanese i would be asking why should i apologize for crimes that i did not commit that happened some 70 years ago. is there any system of justice in the world that requires that?

hashimoto's just pointing out that in fact, that during the war the allies also raped women and white washed this fact. i wouldn't be surprised if the south koreans raped the north koreans and vice versa during the korean war either. the japanese were just more organized about it which arguably reduced random violence against the conquered population.

-6 ( +3 / -9 )

kaynideJun. 17, 2014 - 04:16PM JST

Obviously rape is atrocious, but there is a very big difference with guys going off the grid and commiting rape vs. official military sanctioned/organized kidnappings and rape.

And there is very big difference between rape and licensed prostitution.

-10 ( +4 / -14 )

The forced of the organized prostitution by Imperial Japanese Army is a lie. A person deceived by dirty propaganda is an enemy of the peace. In the evidence, the country with crimes more than Japan criticizes Japan. Why do you not reduce the crime of your country? You should do it before criticizing Japan.

-11 ( +2 / -13 )

The Chinese government must be smiling from ear to ear, seeing this moron doing his best to make Japan look stupid. Good grief, will this twerp shut up already.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I think the most reliable data would be STD statistics.

I do not know how reliable this page is, but.http://med-dept.com/vd.php

During the Great War, V.D. had caused the Army lost services of 18,000 servicemen per day. Although by 1944 this number had been reduced 30-fold, there were still around 606 servicemen incapacitated by V.D. every day.

The Medical Department issued condoms without charge at a rate of six per man, per month, and individual pro-kits (sometimes called "V-Packettes") at a rate of two per man, per week. Apart from the Medical Department issue Prophylaxis, troops would often purchase condoms privately from PX Stores and other sources.

-3 ( +4 / -7 )

fds...read more. Squads would kidnap a local tie them to furniture and gang rape them for weeks, take a photo as a group. Kill her and get another. It was a common practice on top of officially sanctioned rape centers. Returned veterans had more than a few problems adjusting to normality. By the way many of the photos are published in historical books. 10 men beeming with pride and a beaten woman in torn clothes tied to a chair looking at the floor.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

"Personally I wish this would all just go away. Japan apologises, and then some idiot Muppet comes out with this crap. Go away Hashimoto..."

The question is, why do they get reelected after saying these things??

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Typical child behavior. Blame others when caught. Pathetic for a politician.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

'He's a mayor, a petty functionary... ignore him and move on. He doesn't speak for the Japanese people - he just opens his mouth and all this s**t comes out.'

I used to buy the argument that these people don't represent a significant proportion of the Japanese public. Hashimoto, nor the man who left a trail of manure for him to follow, Ishihara, are in positions of power because of connections like in the hierarchy of the LDP. They are there through hitting notes which resonated with the people. It's also remembering how well received the semi-literate, Nanking-denying rantings of a swivel-eyed SDF crackpot were among the public. I'd like to think this kind of thing was confined to a warped fringe minority too. The facts seem to point otherwise.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

and the US along with a number of countries are also still trying to help japan with her own problems with China concerning senkaku (although there are still unresolved historical issues),,but the only thing that Japan can do through these childish leaders is nothing but creating more loads and problems,,pointing to countries who are tying to help them,,arguing on the things that are already been settled and does not concern japan at all..if u don't have ideas on how to improve or solve japan's problems but just to be there to make comparisons and accuse others, then its better you keep quiet or maybe quietly step down (but i don't think he will do such things either..sikataganai!)

2 ( +2 / -0 )

it's an historically documented fact that soldiers/warriors have been raping women since the dawn of mankind, but I'd like people to actually support their [unfortunate, in this case] utterances with substantial and documented proof before opening their mouths. a marvelous practice that seems out of fashion nowadays.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Man with foot in mouth always has running tongue!

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

it's particularly serious when the one who opens it is a politician, someone who should somewhat feel responsible [and accountable] because he's supposed to represent others. what a twat.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

How many times people want Japan to apologise, when they have already done it many times, how about U.S.A when they dropped atomic bombs killing hundreds of thousands of people , maybe they should keep apologising every year till the end of days. Apart from Japan that has been bombed by U.S.A they keep killing people in the far east in the name of democracy? They keep sponsoring both sides to keep wars going on, military industrial complex cannot exist without wars in it?

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

How many times people want Japan to apologise, when they have already done it many times

How many times has Hashimoto apologized? Zero.

How many times have Hashimoto's ignorant mutterings chiseled away any positive effects of the apologies of previous Japanese governments? I have lost count.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

I suggest you actually read the article before commenting. Japan is NOT the only country to have set up brothels or had its soldiers involved in rape. That is the whole point this guy is bringing up. And here you are repeating exactly what he says some people are doing and proving him correct. Good job.

Ossan -- nice try. I did read the whole article. And I would suggest you re-read your normal knee-jerk, run to Japan's defense post to which I replied. As numerous posters have noted his comment and your defense of it -- "well others did it too" -- is simply childish and shows a true lack of remorse and moral character -- "I'm sorry, but..."

3 ( +8 / -5 )

But still, nobody has explained why it is different when Japanese soldiers do it rather than soldiers from other countries. I didn't know about the D Day problems.

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

gokai_wo_manekuJUN. 17, 2014 - 09:50PM JST But still, nobody has explained why it is different when Japanese soldiers do it rather than soldiers from other countries. I didn't know about the D Day problems.

What is 'it'?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

yabitsJun. 17, 2014 - 08:50PM JST

In other words, every person of note in the U.S. for the last 70 years has been denying these events by their silence, a silence sanctioned by the U.S. government.

That is very bizarre logic. I'll put this issue back in perspective for you:

For any public figure in Japan to go on record saying, essentially, "Well, others raped too!" would be the same as a German public figure trying to rationalize the past by saying, "We weren't the only anti-Semites!" I am not sure we should be praising the Germans for showing basic common decency and sense, but some of these Japanese public figures lack of both is horrendous.

... you then go on to completely ignore the issue and rebut it in no way. And U.S. antisemitism was a major factor in the U.S. not becoming involved in WW2. Read "While Six Million Died: A Chronicle of American Apathy" by Morse, which the U.S. has also officially denied and spun its own propaganda to conceal. This doesn't make Germans the good guys, it just means that the U.S. are just as bad.

I note that when people come to cataloging Japan's crimes no-one mentions that they saved more Jews than the U.S.

The simple truth is that there are no good guys and bad guys when it comes to war. There are just bad guys and worse guys, and the innocent civilians caught in the crossfire. ... but over the last 6 decades the U.S. has started more wars than any other country in the world, which definitely places them into the "worse guys" category, while Japan hasn't started or been involved in a single war since WW2, yet continues to be criticised. I'm not saying they're good guys, but they're a hell of a lot better than the people slinging mud.

-3 ( +4 / -7 )

My father used to tell me...."two wrongs do not make a right".

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@gokai... the difference is that... at this point in time no one is actively Accusing allied soldiers of Rape and looking for and Apology and or Compensation. The difference is South Korea feels this is still an issue with Japan and is ACTIVELY pursuing it. Don't drag the rest of the world into AN ISSUE BETWEEN JAPAN AND SOUTH KOREA.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

But still, nobody has explained why it is different when Japanese soldiers do it rather than soldiers from other countries. I didn't know about the D Day problems.

The differences lie in the relationship between the accused party and its accusers, as well as the context in which the crimes occurred and how they were handled. Those differences are vast to nearly everyone but Japanese revisionists who seem to be blind and tone deaf.

One key aspect in the relationship between Imperial Japan and the nations it invaded was the strong sense by the Japanese that they felt superior to the people they conquered. We have seen comments by today's Japanese on this forum referring to other Asians as less than human, and often with great fundamental disparagement. The Japanese veterans who have gone on record as having participated in atrocities all mentioned that they regarded their victims as less than human. That's what made it so easy for them to kill and rape so many.

An "apology" delivered in light of that spirit cannot help but be received with suspicion.

As much as the revisionists like Hashimoto might try to twist it, the purpose of the United States taking the beaches on D-Day was not to "invade" and conquer Europe. This is the vast difference in context. There were countless acts of heroism and sacrifice in driving out the Nazis from the countries they had conquered. Witness today the cemeteries with the graves of thousands of Americans laid to rest in France, Belgium, Netherlands, etc. -- with those graves being carefully tended and honored today by their hosts. Would a grave of Japanese soldiers in China be regarded the same?

Finally, the fact that Americans were tried, convicted and executed by Americans for the crime of rape against French and German women means they handled the crimes differently from the Japanese Army. Many of the "comfort women" have reported being "gang-raped" by Japanese soldiers. I can easily believe that, and here is why: As some historians have explained (and it's something I have personally witnessed), the relationship within the Japanese military was one where superiors often hazed and physically abused lower ranking soldiers. These lower-ranking soldiers could not get back at the people who abused them, and so took it out on the non-Japanese and those they saw as lower on the pecking order.

That is something rather unique to Japan in how much it is still understood and accepted.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

History is written by the victors

The first historian, Thucydides, was an Athenian trying to explain Athens loss to Sparta in the PPeloponnesian War. History is written by the historians. Historians can on the losing side, the winning side, or neither.

The point: anyone who knows anything about the study of history in general, or a particular subject matter in particular, knows never to make mention of the following, because it is a sure sign you have not given much thought to the issue at hand.

+

"History is written by the historians." See above.

"History teaches/shows us/proves bla bla bla" While we may students of history, history teaches us very little. We must endeavor to discover what has happened, not passively be imparted lessons. And while the course of human events is intelligible, to be sure, it requires effort. A lot of effort. Any simple lesson is for Jr high school text books.

History is, like life itself, too complicated to fit on a bumper sticker.

+++

Honorable mention: Though who are ignorant of history are condemned to repeat it.

Though not entirely without merit, it is a terribly hackneyed observation.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Touchy feely arguments are usually backed up by unreasonable unrealistic bunk that can't hold water.

Did Japan commit horrors before and during WWII? Yes, they did and many of those crimes can be proven.

During the Chinese Civil war did the KMT and CPC commit war crimes? Yes they did and they too can be proven.

Did the allied forces commit horrors during WWII? Yes, they too can be proven.

Did Japan, Germany, Italy and their Axis face war crimes tribunals for their crimes? Yes, and many did deserve what they got!

Did the allied powers face the same kind of war crimes tribunals and pay for theirs? No, no one in the upper echelon ever faced any war crimes even though they deserved it.

Hell, after the war many of those so-called Axis powers war criminals actually escaped prosecution and started working for those allies that prosecuted them.

A case in point and one that many people never heard or talk about was......Otto Skorzeny the allies wanted to hang the man, but after his defense proved that what he did during the war was exactly what the allies were doing he was set free and started working for the allies.

Ironic........But the list is long, but the tale is longer.

CH3CHOJun. 17, 2014 - 05:35PM JST I think the most reliable data would be STD statistics. I do not know how reliable this page is, but.http://med-dept.com/vd.php

CH3CHO, the biggest mistake that you made was you brought facts ,figure and reality to this argument. You of all people should know by now that this subject/argument has nothing to do with facts and everything to do with touchy feelings.

Reality and facts just get in the way of folks feelings.

War is hell and during war terrible things are committed, and those terrible things aren't always committed by the so-called boogeyman. Sometimes the guys who are suppose to wear the white hats are the one's committing the terrible things.

Knobby RoadsJun. 17, 2014 - 01:35PM JST This issue just makes Japan look childish and sneaky. Not fully owning up to mistakes or misdeeds and continually trying to involve others to make themselves look less worse is the truest sign of a weak and childlike mind.

Ah, stereotyping an entire people to try and make a point is so mature.

But, instead of bashing an entire people why not try to refute what the one person said with facts? But, we all know that this argument isn't about facts, it's all about feeling.

Brian WhewayJun. 17, 2014 - 03:28PM JST Hashimoto san not only do you need to apologise to the Chinese/ Koreans, you now need to apologise to the British as well! remember "two wrongs don't make a right"

Would love to hear a reasonable argument from you as to why he has to apologize?

Please explain why he can't use what the Western powers did during WWII and after as an argument?

Try harder than ,"because"......

BurakuminDesJun. 17, 2014 - 03:26PM JST @ Yoshi - and when the Imperial Japanese Army came, pretty much all of Asia had to hide. Please don't try and turn this around and cry victimhood. Shame on Hashimoto and all the uneducated who vote for him in Osaka.

Sorry, but you don't seem to see the hypocrisy of your post. You are damning and calling the people of Osaka ignorant because you disagree with the man. While you have even failed to argue his point?

It's like damning a person to death-roll without a trial. Please for the sake of reason try harder.

Cortes ElijahJun. 17, 2014 - 06:14PM JST Typical child behavior. Blame others when caught. Pathetic for a politician.

Are you claiming that he is wrong because the allied forces actions during WWII were as pure as the driven snow, or are you claiming that he is wrong because Japan lost the war and to the victor goes the spoils?

Please, put up a reasonable argument, try harder?

You may dislike what I have to say, but you can't refute it.

-8 ( +2 / -10 )

@CH3CHO

And there is very big difference between rape and licensed prostitution.

This was in response to my post which read:

Obviously rape is atrocious, but there is a very big difference with guys going off the grid and commiting rape vs. official military sanctioned/organized kidnappings and rape.

...Seriously? You're calling the widespread kidnapping and rape of women, some as many as dozens of times each per day to the point of bleeding "licensed prostitution"? Like what goes on outside of Vegas on the plush beds? Where women get medical and salaries? Are you insinuating that these are the same?

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Hashimoto sure knows how to ruffle some feathers. I wonder if the allied nations will have something to say about this.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

So, still the deniers and revisionists of Japan's imperial past believe that since all the Comfort Women were nothing more than legal prostitutes, then none of them were raped, unlike the American troops in France and Germany who raped thousands of women?

Nope. Comfort Women system, in general, consisted mostly of legal prostitutes and recruited and operated by individuals in Japan and Korea, at the same regulated by military units. What the Allieds used were local brothels set up by locals themselves, non regulated so nobody knows how they were recruited or what age these women were. In areas where there was no such establishments (i.e. during the initial stages of the occupation) there have been reported cases of rapes among soldiers.

-7 ( +3 / -10 )

This doesn't make Germans the good guys, it just means that the U.S. are just as bad. I note that when people come to cataloging Japan's crimes no-one mentions that they saved more Jews than the U.S.

U.S. just as bad as Nazi Germany regarding the Jews? It must be so easy to just forget the 2.2 million Jews that the United States took in from 1880~1924 -- a majority of them escaping persecution in Europe. I guess some do not consider them "saved."

The simple truth is that there are no good guys and bad guys when it comes to war. There are just bad guys and worse guys, and the innocent civilians caught in the crossfire.

Frungy, I have not decided whether you are bad or worse, but there are definitely good people who oppose wars and don't try to spread lies and distortions claiming a nation like the U.S. was as bad as Nazi Germany. Good people can definitely take the side of innocent Chinese civilians and Korean woman tricked into sexual slavery against the modern defenders of an all-too-often criminal regime. All that, without excusing U.S. wrongdoings -- but it is clear you have lost all sense of rational perspective with your comments.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

JoeBigs JUN. 17, 2014 - 11:00PM JST Ah, stereotyping an entire people to try and make a point is so mature.

But, instead of bashing an entire people why not try to refute what the one person said with facts? But, we all know that this argument isn't about facts, it's all about feeling.

But he didn't stereotype entire people. He would have specified as 'Japanese people' if he was intent to generalise beside it's semantics. As if refuting with facts worked before, we tried countless times but all your minds were made up, refusing to look at from the different point of view. Right-wingers feel the need to point out every time there's a slight insult about Japanese when they insult and generalise Korean and Chinese all the time. This happens every articles.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

@nigelboy

Comfort Women system, in general, consisted mostly of legal prostitutes and recruited and operated by individuals in Japan and Korea, at the same regulated by military units.

Legal? On whose authority or legislative body made the practice of trafficking of hundreds of thousands of girls across Asia LEGAL?

2 ( +6 / -4 )

NOPE the system of military brothels were set up by the imperial military for the sole purpose of those troops. The Comfort Women were mostly Korean but there women from many other SE Asian countries. While prostitution was legal the women had to be of legal age. There is more than enough documentation to show that not all the women were of legal age, and in fact, some were very young, younger than 16 years.

Nope. The brothel operators and the workers attached themselves to the military units. To put it simply, the qualification of the operators and the list and age of the workers applied themselves to the Japanese government so that they could obtain overseas travel passes.

The military used agents and brothel owners to run the brothels they remained under 100% control of the military.

What the thousands pages of AWF documents shows are the following "control"

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

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

Rabaul

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

Burma

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

On the flip side, what the Allieds and the U.S. military (even after WWII) were unregulated brothels using local women and in areas where such establishment was lacking, there were rapes among soldiers.

-3 ( +4 / -7 )

WW II: Hitler, Mussolini and Japan had triple Axis. Wasn't France Allied????

In August 1943, the de Gaulle and Giraud forces merged in a single chain of command subordinated to Anglo-American leadership, meanwhile opposing French forces on the Eastern Front were subordinated to Soviet or German leaderships. This in-exile French force together with the French Forces of the Interior (FFI) played a variable-scale role in the eventual liberation of France by the Western Allies and the defeat of Vichy France, Fascist Italy, Nazi Germany, and the Japanese empire. Vichy France fought for control over the French overseas empire with the Free French forces, which were aided by Britain and the U.S. By 1943, all of the colonies, except for Indochina, had joined the Free French cause.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

The order to find agents and women for the brothels was send directly from the military.

There was no "order". Prostitution was legal in Japan.

The agents who became the brothel owners, and the women would have needed permission and transport documents directly from the military. The brothel owners and the women traveled on military ships along with troops of the imperial army. Its quite clear from the documentation that the military didn't care how the women were obtained or whether they were of legal age.

What part of "age verification" did you miss, Zichi?

The women were never issued with passports, just one way military transport documents. To return again, say from Burma to Korea would have required new transport documents and a place on some available military ship traveling between those places.

They were passports "旅券” as indicated in the archived documents. Of course, due to limited availabilty of transports, it's quite different from the today's concept of passports.

The Comfort Women brothels were started by the military, run by the military and only used to service military troops and when the troops moved so did the brothels.

And completely disregarding what the Allieds used or done when such local brothels were not in place.

-4 ( +4 / -8 )

Most of them are probably dead and now God has to deal with them. I send my love and blessings to any women who were affected, that they may live out their life in peace despite the horror.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

How many times people want Japan to apologise,

As many times as they allow a clown like that to be in a representative position and let him say offensive nonsense.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

I think the main point of his remark is if there is proof of wrong doing, Japan will have to accept and apologize once more. And if the allies did wrong, they should also accept and apologize. No difference between winners and losers. All wrong doing must be punished. Why are you guys so upset?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

That was so and women had to be 20 years or older. But there were no military Comfort Women brothels in Japan. They were all located in the countries occupied by the imperial military troops, like Burma and China. The other to obtain comfort women for those occupied countries was sent out by the military to Korea to find, obtain and transport the women to the requested areas. There is documentation showing some comfort women under the age of 20 years.

Not necessarily. If they were under the age of 21, they had to get a consent from a guardian which unfortunately for these women at that time, family members did sell their daughters. And false. There were comfort stations in Japan like Kisarazu and Kushiro. And false. There was no "sending out" by the military to Korea to find, obtain and transport the women to the requested areas. It's simply a matter of individual operators and brokers who does the recruiting and they then subsequently apply to attach his operation to the military.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

I have no doubt that rapes happened in France. The draft at the time brought in ALL able-bodied men to serve with the emphasis on BODY and much less emphasis on "mentally-sound". The difference between the allies in Europe and the Japanese in Asia is that the Allied armies weren't collecting women. The rapes were happening by individuals without the express permission of their command.

I have my doubts as to how much "slavery" by Japan was going on in Asia. Most of the women involved with Japan's Comfort Women program appear to have been sold to brothels by their families prior to the Japanese Army commandeering them. You have to remember back then that Korean families considered women to be merely property for the family to barter or sell based on the family's needs. Male children were desired and female children were simply bothers until they could be sold or otherwise pawned-off onto another family/business.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Why are you guys so upset?

There is only one thing in all of this that upsets me, speaking for myself: How all the good work done by decent Japanese is undone by these right-wing, revisionist idiots like Hashimoto. The only reason this stuff keeps festering is because of him and his ilk.

Legal? On whose authority or legislative body made the practice of trafficking of hundreds of thousands of girls across Asia LEGAL?

There are a few key common sense points to be made from your question. Common sense being beyond the realm of Japan's revisionists:

As prostitution was "legal" in Japan, anti-Semitism was also made legal in Germany. Please keep that in mind so as not to block the reality that Japan's military regime was out to establish the Japanese as the masters of Asia, much as the Germans were to be masters of Europe.

Prostitution was made legal and, in that framework, set up to serve the military because the Japanese knew their own well. Without brothels, Japanese military men would rape women without any compulsion whatsoever. "Legal" prostitution provided a convenient, face-saving cover. (The Japanese still raped women when the pace of their military advancements outpaced those of the brothels'. Refer to the story of the Dutch woman below.)

U.S. soldiers have raped women. This is a sad and tragic fact. That one U.S. commander attempted to apply a Japanese-style solution and set up a brothel, the fact is that it didn't last longer than five hours. The best explanation for this is that, legal or not, the mistreatment and exploitation of women is not something the Americans' Judeo-Christian character endorses. Put another way: It's not something we could ever try to rationalize as being OK.

There is no one on the American side trying to deny or cover up the fact that many isolated incidents of rape by American GIs have occurred. In most cases, the records of the charges and trials are available to the public, and not conveniently destroyed as in the case of the records of Japanese wartime brothels.

The submission of anecdotes about ideal conditions for women in brothels in places like Burma is laughable. Such isolated conditions may have existed. But they would do nothing to counter the stories of women from other locations who reported being gang-raped and otherwise mistreated. Below is a link to the story of a Dutch woman who, when she was 21 and captured by the Japanese, was forced to provide her body in a brothel. (She was and is a very religious person.) It would be absolutely stupid to consider her story as anything exceptional.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBchgNkcCA0

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Japan apologized formally in 1993, but politicians like Hashimoto have been increasingly grudging and hedging toward the question of regret. The issue of the comfort women is still an open wound between South Korea and Japan. When leaders like Hashimoto puts out an anti-women’s rights message, it can take back decades. Hashimoto's remarks are outrageous and offensive. He thinks it's a misunderstanding, and dooesn't think what he's saying is wrong. We all know that sexual violence in wartime is not unique to Japan. But that is no dispensation, especially when the comfort-women question is bound to concerns of militarism and creeping forgetfulness. Japan does have a special obligation, and Koreans and the neighboring countries have a complaint that requires an answer.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

@zichiJUN. 18, 2014 - 02:37AM JST nigelboy There was no "order". Prostitution was legal in Japan. That was so and women had to be 20 years or older. But there were no military Comfort Women brothels in Japan. They were all located in the countries occupied by the imperial military troops, like Burma and China. The other to obtain comfort women for those occupied countries was sent out by the military to Korea to find, obtain and transport the women to the requested areas. There is documentation showing some comfort women under the age of 20 years. The comfort women were obtained by the military, transported by them, used and abused by them and remained 100% under military control until the end of the war,

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Brothels used to 'purchase' young girls from Northern Japan (Hito Kai ,,, girls buyers from Sounthern Japan) from crop poor families until Gen, Mac asked Japan to quit that custom after WW II. So, not 20 years old. During WW II, even in Southern Japan, girls who cound not enter Girls middle school were recruited to Joshi Tewishin-tai after 8th grade and boys to Danshi Teishin Tai, With slogans to combat zones. Then teachers who omitted to teach military appraising in history classes, etc were either jailed or sent to front line. 20 years old girls were considered old women in Japan. There were songs "detekoi DeGaul, MacArthru". )come out DeGaul MacArthru) and many. Japan is different now. But there was a time 11, 12, 13 years old went to combat zone and died believing Japan win with their blood. Hope Hashimoto keep mouth shut for change.

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2 ( +2 / -0 )

.U.S. soldiers have raped women. This is a sad and tragic fact. That one U.S. commander attempted to apply a Japanese-style solution and set up a brothel, the fact is that it didn't last longer than five hours. The best explanation for this is that, legal or not, the mistreatment and exploitation of women is not something the Americans' Judeo-Christian character endorses. Put another way: It's not something we could ever try to rationalize as being OK.

In other words, turn the other way as some other poster had stated, hence expunged from the history, never to be dealt with hence the problem still lingers within the U.S. military as of today.

5.The submission of anecdotes about ideal conditions for women in brothels in places like Burma is laughable. Such isolated conditions may have existed. But they would do nothing to counter the stories of women from other locations who reported being gang-raped and otherwise mistreated. Below is a link to the story of a Dutch woman who, when she was 21 and captured by the Japanese, was forced to provide her body in a brothel. (She was and is a very religious person.) It would be absolutely stupid to consider her story as anything exceptional.

False. The condition of the Semarang case (Dutch women) still represents a rare case of where the operation went bad. It's been repeated and used as an "example" ad nauseum to somehow represent the general condition of the comfort women system.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Typical Japanese politician scumbag. These guys need to stop being re-elected. Glad I'm leaving Japan soon. Good riddance to this country's disgusting self-obsessed culture and the vile little people who inhabit this sad, backward island.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

nigelboy Jun. 18, 2014 - 04:23AM JST In other words, turn the other way as some other poster had stated, hence expunged from the history, never to be dealt with hence the problem still lingers within the U.S. military as of today.

Do you justify the action/inaction of senior Japanese military leadership and Emperor Hirohito? You seem to react as if they were children playing with toys. But, of course, they were running Japan. Do you justify murdering civilians to demoralize enemy military?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

JTDanManJun. 17, 2014 - 10:53PM JST The first historian, Thucydides, was an Athenian trying to explain Athens loss to Sparta in the PPeloponnesian War. History is written by the historians. Historians can on the losing side, the winning side, or neither.

Actually I prefer to call Herodotus the first true historian. But, that doesn't really matter here. What matters is who wrote the history after the war and who hid it.

After WWII the allies were running around hunting for Nazis'. Some Nazis' were being hunted for what they did while others were being hunted for what they knew. Look up Operation Paperclip and see it for yourself. Japan was no different when it came to their scientists.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/previous_seasons/case_naziscientists/

BTW the Soviet's were no different, they were also hunting anyone that could help them in the coming cold war.

Now, if your belief would of held water historians would have wrote about this right after the war and everyone would have known. But, this tidbit was held secret on each side and the public didn't know about it until the 1970's.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/02/books/review/operation-paperclip-by-annie-jacobsen.html?_r=0

Now, as for the allies and their atrocities all one needs to do these days is just search and the pages of atrocities will leap out at you.

History is written by the victors, but history can't be silenced forever. It can only be held back for a short time.

JTDanManJun. 17, 2014 - 10:53PM JST The point: anyone who knows anything about the study of history in general, or a particular subject matter in particular, knows never to make mention of the following, because it is a sure sign you have not given much thought to the issue at hand.

Anyone who studies history knows that history has been manipulated many times. Take North Korea, how many North Korean historians have written about the horrors that the people have endured?

You and I know that if any North Korean historian said one peep about what has happened there they would be 6 feet under in seconds.

To believe that the truth can't or hasn't been hidden shows that a person is either naïve or kidding themselves.

JTDanManJun. 17, 2014 - 10:53PM JST "History is written by the historians." See above.

I did and it was flawed.

JTDanManJun. 17, 2014 - 10:53PM JST "History teaches/shows us/proves bla bla bla" While we may students of history, history teaches us very little. We must endeavor to discover what has happened, not passively be imparted lessons.

History teaches us a lot of things, but that doesn't mean we actually learn.

Tell me, did the allies commit war crimes? Was anyone ever convicted? Did the allies hide facts from the people by classifying documents? Answer is "yes" to each one.

How many historians were writing about the horrors of the allied atrocities after the war?

Again, history can be contained for a while it can't be silenced forever.

Want proof? Look up the Katyn massacre or the Romanov family was murders.

In both of these cases the truth wasn't known until after the fall of the Soviet Union.

Secrets and the people that keep them trumps you logic.

JTDanManJun. 17, 2014 - 10:53PM JST History is, like life itself, too complicated to fit on a bumper sticker.

History isn't complicated and neither is life, they are both as simple as the nose on your face. People who don't understand think they are complicated.

I did like your remark, it was as funny as, "the mystery of god's will".

CosJun. 18, 2014 - 02:25AM JST How many times people want Japan to apologise, As many times as they allow a clown like that to be in a representative position and let him say offensive nonsense.

He is a mayor of a city in Japan and not a member of the Japanese Government. It's like claiming that he dictates what the government does, he doesn't.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

[Hashimoto] argued in a weekend speech that Japan must admit its own historical wrongdoings while also pointing out the mistakes of others....

I am still mystified that this comment should attract any defense at all. OK, Japan --- admit to your historical wrongdoings. If others have made mistakes towards Japan, by all means point those out. But what logical purpose does it serve pointing out mistakes in others that don't have any connection to Japan? As one poster asked, are you really so immature as to believe that one wrong cancels out or lessens the impact of another?

In other words, turn the other way as some other poster had stated, hence expunged from the history, never to be dealt with hence the problem still lingers within the U.S. military as of today.

This is a very bizarre bit of nonsense. Rapes by US military personnel have not, by any means, been expunged from history. It may come as news to the Japanese revisionists including Hashimoto, but the purpose of the invasion on D-Day was not to conquer Europe or to rape European women. We were there to drive Japan's racist and maniacal ally out of the countries it had overrun. (So while Japan saved a few thousand Jews, it allied itself with a force that killed millions.)

Especially bizarre is the notion that our (ie, the US's) somehow not "dealing with it" in history is the reason it still lingers today. Rape is very old and predates democratic systems. The idea that the pivotal reason rape in the US military exists today is because the history is not taught strains logic. The history of GI misconduct in Europe is there for anyone willing to ask questions and to do basic research. Anyone doing so will not run into many revisionists. I will concede that any mindset wishing to suppress or revise history probably springs from the same one that runs counter to preventing exploitation of women. (Do you get that, Japanese revisionists?)

Interestingly, among the GIs in Europe whose engagement in any manner of sexual impropriety was next to non-existent were the Nisei of the 442nd. Let the record show that their Americanization helped to produce men of character that the land of their ancestors did not produce.

False. The condition of the Semarang case (Dutch women) still represents a rare case of where the operation went bad

The operation went bad? LOL. There were many more than one Japanese involved in the "operation." Girls taken ranged from 17 on up -- putting the lie to the age-minimum of 20. What led to this operation? Probably that the Japanese advance didn't allow for their "regular" comfort women to be put in place. And the men wanted women now. There is no doubt that these captured women were forced to give up their bodies as sexual slaves. Every one of the Dutch girls was a virgin, according to Jan Ruff O'Herne, and her memories of the time in the brothel still fill her with terror.

This was not an operation gone bad. This was the Japanese finding themselves in a situation where their advance outran their normal supply of coerced prostitutes and they acted towards those they considered "weak" as most Japanese would have at that time. Do we believe that Semarang was unique, and that the Japanese mentality was miraculously different in other areas where their advance outran their supply of women? Conveniently, the Japanese have destroyed a lot of those records.

There are the stories of the women themselves -- whom the right-wingers try to undermine and assault whenever anyone steps forward.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

I note that when people come to cataloging Japan's crimes no-one mentions that they saved more Jews than the U.S.

Are you speaking of the actions of Chiune Sugihara? His actions were not supported by the Japanese government. It was not the Japanese that saved Jewish people in Lithuania, it was Chiune Sugihara who did so. According to his wife and others, Sugihara was then punished for those actions with the loss of his position in the foreign ministry and was forced to sell light bulbs to feed his family after the war.

I seriously question your perspective when you make such hyperbolic statements such as the US was just as bad as the Nazis who actively killed millions. You once wrote on a discussion about Holocaust denial that you had been taught a bunch of lies about the Holocaust that you now know are not true. You were asked about those lies and you never answered. I wonder what other interesting nuggets you have to share.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

This is a very bizarre bit of nonsense

Not really. Rapes as well as exploitation of young women by the U.S. forces (military brothels operated by locals, unregulated) hardly ever gets a footnote in the U.S. history books. Your position that such establishment and use of these brothels were not "officially" condoned due to "Americans' Judeo-Christian character" speaks volumes about your U.S. waterdown education background for as others have stated, it's merely a facade to keep it's squeaky clean image back home to their mothers, wives, and girlfriends.

The operation went bad?

Yes Yabits. This is why ONLY this case is repeated as an "example" and regurgitated ad nauseum by the activists today. As a footnote, once the top of IJA found out this was going on, the officer in charge was court martialed by the IJA proving that such actions were not condoned.

Conveniently, the Japanese have destroyed a lot of those records.

When one lacks supporting evidence, always use the above argument which is in line with "my dog ate my homework".

-3 ( +5 / -8 )

@nigelboy

Virtually everything in your post is beside the point. Just because prostitution has always been a factor in warfare does not mean that allegations of sexual slavery against Imperial Japan are invalid. Your distracting everyone’s attention with red herrings.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

nigelboy:

" The condition of the Semarang case (Dutch women) still represents a rare case of where the operation went bad "

Err, really? I thought we had seen evidence (including in the link that the ianfu defenders have posted several times here) that sex slavery was inherent in "the operation". Or how do you call it when young, ignorant women are hired to "change bandages" and then find themselves in a brothel, with no means to retreat? I pointed out before that that is the same "operation" that the Russian Mafia is using.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Virtually everything in your post is beside the point. Just because prostitution has always been a factor in warfare does not mean that allegations of sexual slavery against Imperial Japan are invalid. Your distracting everyone’s attention with red herrings.

No. Exploitation of women during warfare is an on going global problem and what you are stating in essence is dismissing them.

Err, really? I thought we had seen evidence (including in the link that the ianfu defenders have posted several times here) that sex slavery was inherent in "the operation". Or how do you call it when young, ignorant women are hired to "change bandages" and then find themselves in a brothel, with no means to retreat? I pointed out before that that is the same "operation" that the Russian Mafia is using.

Actually, such deception is used today by many who are involved in this sex trafficking industry. Do they get a free pass and if so why?

Again, the deception and coercion were mostly conducted by individuals which unfortunately occurs in comfort women system as well as military brothels used by the Allieds.

0 ( +6 / -6 )

Not really. Rapes as well as exploitation of young women by the U.S. forces (military brothels operated by locals, unregulated) hardly ever gets a footnote in the U.S. history books

What history books are you referring to? There are books in the US which cover the subject in detail. All it takes is someone with the desire to research the subject.

Your position that such establishment and use of these brothels were not "officially" condoned due to "Americans' Judeo-Christian character"

The Americans did not run brothels as the Japanese did. There was no condoning -- official or otherwise. No locals were pressured to pimp out women for U.S. troops, as the Japanese did for their troops. Yes, I claim that Judeo-Christian values have a lot to do with it. Hashimoto speaks about rapes, but he fails to mention the fact that many more thousands of Americans formed relationships with and married women from Germany, Britain, France, Italy, Korea, Japan, Philippines, etc.

about your U.S. waterdown education background

I was in the military for nearly a decade, serving mainly in Asia. My "education" comes from personal experience. I thank my lucky stars I never had a teacher as utterly warped as these Japanese prevaricators.

Yes Yabits. This is why ONLY this case is repeated as an "example" and regurgitated ad nauseum by the activists today.

Too bad for the revisionists. Once the top brass at "IJA" found out what was going on, they knew they would not get away with it. But up until that moment, the dozens of Japanese who were involved in rounding up the women, preparing the house to be used as a brothel and putting everything in place all thought it was perfectly OK. They were essentially no different from Japanese troops anywhere. Japan being the "group-oriented" society it is and adverse to individualism. The Japanese were better able to hide their tracks elsewhere. The system was still the system. Men had a need and the conquerors would find a way to supply it.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

The sad point is that rape was commited and if you think they didn't happen then you are naive. But the reality is that they were government institutionalised. Mr. Hashimoto may be right to make this claim, but it is in bad taste and just trying to deny reality. Government sponsored rape is the issue here. Did it happen or not? We know it did in some cases and not in others. Some women worked as comfort women to feed their families and that is something that has been shown to be the case as well, but there are also many cases of forced prostitution by the J-Gov. Sad but true. Everybody needs to quit with the "blame game" and the "sweep it under the rug" game as well.

And I have no doubts that this topic is taboo in America as well. But once again, there is a difference between rapes committed by soldiers and government sponsored rape. Stop being a wuss Mr. Hashimoto. Nobody is saying YOU did it. Quit trying to butter people up so that you can get more popular. You are doing your country a disservice. A lie can never become the truth no matter how much you try to point the finger somewhere else.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/21/books/rape-by-american-soldiers-in-world-war-ii-france.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

1 ( +2 / -1 )

sfjp330Jun. 18, 2014 - 07:39AM JST @nigelboy Virtually everything in your post is beside the point. Just because prostitution has always been a factor in warfare does not mean that allegations of sexual slavery against Imperial Japan are invalid. Your distracting everyone’s attention with red herrings.

Actually nigelboy's post is spot on. You're the one who's throwing out red herrings by characterising the Japanese brothels as "sexual slavery", while when anyone else does it then it is "prostitution".

The history of military brothels is very long. France had military brothels until the first IndoChina War (post WW2). The U.S. doesn't officially sanction brothels, but Vietnam, South Korea, the Philippines, and virtually any country where the U.S. forces fought or had a base for any length of time there are always brothels that service the military bases, and the U.S. military does nothing to stop it, just nods and winks as if no-one will notice. In South Korea there were cases of women being forced into prostitution to service the U.S. military bases.

Because the U.S. is in denial this has continued right up to the present, with the result that DynCorp (U.S. military contractors) were found trafficking women in Bosnia, and there are allegations that in Iraq some of the "women's shelters" where actually disguised brothels, set up to service the bases. There was also a very large increase in the number of the number of brothels in Kabul, especially near the military bases.

It is interesting that the U.S. can find a terrorist across the world and send a drone out to kill them, but somehow their eyesight gets all dim and blurry so they can't even see the brothels around their bases today, or where their soldiers go in the evening.

So yes, Japan had military brothels, and that was disgusting and despicable and evil. ... but Japan has stopped. Now it is time for others to stop or shut up.

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

kaynideJun. 17, 2014 - 11:32PM JST

Where women get medical and salaries? Are you insinuating that these are the same?

Let us read the US Army document during ww2. http://www.exordio.com/1939-1945/codex/Documentos/report-49-USA-orig.html

LIVING AND WORKING CONDITIONS;

They lived well because their food and material was not heavily rationed and they had plenty of money with which to purchase desired articles. They were able to buy cloth, shoes, cigarettes, and cosmetics to supplement the many gifts given to them by soldiers who had received "comfort bags" from home.

PAY AND LIVING CONDITIONS;

The interrogations further show that the health of these girls was good. They were well supplied with all types of contraceptives, and often soldiers would bring their own which had been supplied by the army. They were well trained in looking after both themselves and customers in the matter of hygiene. A regular Japanese Army doctor visited the houses once a week and any girl found diseased was given treatment, secluded, and eventually sent to a hospital.

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

@Frungy - That is not true. I was in the military and I never, ever, ever saw a borthel. Now, I am not saying that in war zomes there are not brothels now, but if so, where is the proof? I have never heard of them being set up by the US military at all. Military might frequesnt the establishments that are set up by the locals, but I have not seen anything at all that shows the USA setting up brothels and enslavingthe locals to work there. I could be wrong. No problem, but as far as I am concerned I never saw a brotherl run by the military. Sad as it is though, brothels have always existed. Rape during war has always existed. This must stop, but never will. War is war and it brings out the worst in people. It not an excuse, just a sad fact.

Now, as far as the military knowing that its troops go to brotherls in the evenings, so what? I never went to one. And there are sex house worldwide than men of all professions go to in their sick freetime.

And no it is not time for other to stop or shut up. Soap lands are abundant in Japan. Isn't a soapland just another name for brothel?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

If there is one thing you can count on with the idiot left, it is their not being able to see the forest through the trees. One thing you bank on with the pernicious left is their falsely holding out the perfect as the enemy of the good, and offering the snake oil of their pet historical theory as either the balm to sooth all consciences, or more dangerously, a license to do anything.

Either way, some here do just that and argue that all who are strong are equally predatory and cruel towards and extractive of the weak. This is a polemic that cannot stand scrutiny. Simply put, this polemic disregards the uniform course of human events, and sets itself at defiance the accumulated experience of ages.

It is patently false. Not all great powers behave the same. Some behave objectively worse than others. Further, and this is no small matter, some causes are objectively better than others, even if advances by equally terrible means.

In short, do not be taken in by the cynical, the moral narcissist, or the fool.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

I'm not Japanese, but I attended one of Hashimoto's speeches after hearing that he might become a future prime minister. His van pulled up and a few minutes later he suddenly popped out of a car, jumped up on top of the van and began his speech. I was a just a few meters away, so the spectacle was quite interesting to observe. The Japanese crowd (and I do mean crowd) was pretty fired up and enthusiastic by what he was saying, which was mostly about downsizing the increasing number of government workers and improving school discipline. This was a couple years ago before his controversial comfort women comments. Looking back on it, all I can think now is how could he let his mouth, which carried him so far up in the popularity charts, later carry him so far down. Anyway, had he just stayed on that message (decreasing the number of govt. workers and improving school order & discipline), he would have become a political force to be reckoned with, but now, thanks to his mouth, he's become a kind of clown.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

One thing I have not seen anyone mention is that when the Germans were kicked out of France, the loclas began to gather up the "collaborators" and giving the women public haircuts and shaved heads for having been known to be working with the Germans or trading in "pleasure" with them. My point is, that even though some military organizations may have had a system set up, there were many "locals" who made the most of the situation and set up their own services to provide comfort to the occuping forces. What people will do to survive they will do. Ifeel sorry for the women who may have had ot go through it, but on the other hand they did survive the ordeal.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

zichiJun. 18, 2014 - 11:26AM JST

Early in May of 1942 Japanese agents arrived in Korea for the purpose of enlisting Korean girls for "comfort service"

Who are those "Japanese agents"?

During WW2, there were quite a lot of ads in Korean language news papers for job offering of ianfu (comfort women). The contact persons or pimps were ethnic Koreans, who became citizens of Republic of Korea after WW2. It is technically true to call the Korean pimps "Japanese agents" for they were citizens of Japanese Empire. If you want to accuse those Korean pimps of the deception of girls, which was also against the Japanese Government policy that all ianfu must be on their own will, you should point Korea where those pimps are.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Japan apologies many times for many things. Sincerely I think. But then people say, these apologies are negated by what subsequent people say (i.e., the rightists). Why can't people accept the sincere apologies, and just recognize the people who negate them as the nut cases that Japanese people see them. These people look crazy and scarry to ordinary Japanese too. Just like KKK is cracy and scarry to US people. They are a tiny number over-represented in the Diet because of no re-apportionment since the war and we are ruled by country bumpkin nuts.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

If there is one thing you can count on with the idiot left, it is their not being able to see the forest through the trees. One thing you bank on with the pernicious left is their falsely holding out the perfect as the enemy of the good, and offering the snake oil of their pet historical theory as either the balm to sooth all consciences, or more dangerously, a license to do anything.

I'm always skeptical of statements made by people who feel they need to pigeonhole anyone who holds a different opinion into a singe paradigm, as if people are entirely one-dimensional, and cannot hold opinions that may straddle a few different paradigms. The fact that the speaker would believe that people can be pigeonholed into this single paradigm indicates that they either base all their own beliefs on a single paradigm, thereby superseding logic with that paradigm, or else in their own one-dimensionalism they don't have the ability to see that others can be dynamic. Neither says much about the quality of their argument.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

zichiJun. 18, 2014 - 01:49PM JST

The entire system of Comfort Women and prostitutes was ordered by the imperialist military, transported by the imperialist military, paid for by the imperialist military and used and abused by the imperialist military.

Japanese Government policy that all ianfu must be on their own will,

well we know to your constant link from the Ledo Stockade that wasn't true?

That is generally true, except transportation was mainly by civilian lines, and Japanese Government apologized for use of prostitution.

When applying for the license of ianfu, an applicant had to turn in an affidavit saying that she is 18 or older and applying for the job out of her own will. You can find the application form at AWF site. In spite of the preventive measures by the Japanese government, there were cases where under age or involuntary women were working in the brothels run by corrupt owners. Japan Government had certain share of responsibility in those cases. But they are exceptions rather than rules.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Where are the facts to above statements from Hashimto that the western countries soldiers raped civilians. Unlike the Japanese at the time we were at war to free the people from hostage of attach from the perpetrators of war from the Japanese expanditism policies that attacked other countries and mistreated every one. No where in history it has been stated in past that Western countries were like the Japanese soldiers, who Raped many women and mistreated them. as well as disembowelment as recorded in history.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Zichi:

" CH3CHO

And always when you post your favorite link on the Comfort Women you alway avoid to mention the report also states

*Early in May of 1942 Japanese agents arrived in Korea for the purpose of enlisting Korean girls for "comfort service" in newly conquered Japanese territories in Southeast Asia. **The nature of this "service" was not specified **but it was assumed to be work connected with visiting the wounded in hospitals, rolling bandages, and generally making the soldiers happy.*

"

Yes, it is too strange, isn´t it? The Ianfu deniers always link to this report, because it states that the ianfu had enough to eat and received medical care. But they always forget to mention that the report also states that many were deceived about the nature of the word and the stuck in a location from which they could not escape.

Do these people never read the documents they quote??

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Wow, this is the most number of comments I've seen for one story. And likely, no Japanese person of influence will read anything anyone has written. Just accept that many Japanese politicians are of the same mind as this Osaka wind bag.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

WilliBJun. 18, 2014 - 04:28PM JST

But they always forget to mention that the report also states that many were deceived about the nature of the word and the stuck in a location from which they could not escape.

Read here. http://www.japantoday.com/category/politics/view/hashimoto-says-allied-soldiers-raped-women-after-d-day#comment_1797809

Also

PAY AND LIVING CONDITIONS; In the latter part of 1943 the Army issued orders that certain girls who had paid their debt could return home. Some of the girls were thus allowed to return to Korea.

It is wrong to say "they could not escape."

Do these people never read the documents they quote??

I do. Fact is not optional. But what is your point?

zichiJun. 18, 2014 - 04:30PM JST

So just how do you explain the 20 Comfort Women interrogated at the Ledo Stockade didn't know that they would become Comfort Women/prostitutes?

They were probably deceived by pimps. But they should have known the nature of the huge advance payment the pimps gave them.

It does not actually prohibit kidnapping or illegal it merely suggests that such behavior must remain undetected in order to maintain the army's image.

How do you interprit if someone says, "Behave to live up to your honor"? (1) Do the right things. (2) Cover up your wrong doings. I think it means (1), whereas the scholar thinks (2).

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

Comfortwomen was prostitute Japanese Prisoner of War Interrogation Report No.49 http://www.exordio.com/1939-1945/codex/Documentos/report-49-USA-orig.html

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

CH3CH10:

" It is wrong to say "they could not escape." "

No, it is not wrong. The documents describe how the girls were forced to buy their supplies, including food, from the housemaster at prices set by the housemaster. They had to "work" for prices set by the military. How much profit do you think was left after that? And even if their "contract" ended and they wanted to return, they would have to depend on transportation on the Japanese military. I am sure that transporting sex workers back to their homelands was hight on list of military priorities... not.

In fact, the whole setup follows the typical blueprint for what is usually called slavery, from situation Serfs in Tsarist Russia to child mine workers in Colombia to the situation of modern sex slaves from Moldovia "managed" by the Russian mafia. Stop defending the indefensible already.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Hashimoto seems to really enjoy this kind of spectacle... I've heard of blunt opinions but it appears that he's always wanting to stir the hornet's nest!

The thought that he was held in esteem to the point of being a future PM is really freaky and unnerving to say the least, his ability seems to be more to destroy relationships rather than actually build them (no matter who the other party is, China or a nation allied to Japan, he would, at least from what's been observed of his behavior, take great delight in taking a wrecking ball to the national relationships past PMs have labored so hard to build up.)

If he was truly PM material, then Shinzo Abe would be the Pope sitting in the Vatican.

....my sarcasm has just hit new highs...

1 ( +1 / -0 )

-Prostitutes in South Korea for the U.S. military.- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostitutes_in_South_Korea_for_the_U.S._military

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

This reminds me of that children's book published a few years ago in English that told the story of a Japanese girl who lived in colonial Korea and suffered at the hands of Koreans during the aftermath of WWII. Sure, it could be a true story. But publishing something like this can be really distorting the big picture for people who don't know the overall history.

Anyhow, many Japanese have this bad habit of saying, "You, too!" when there is criticism launched against Japan's history. Very immature, IMHO.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Hahimoto is a Japanese, not French. None of his business. Is he dreaming to become a leader of World? Or UN head?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

zichiJun. 18, 2014 - 05:53PM JST

At the end of the war the Comfort Women were abandoned and discarded by their captives, which is how the 20 Korean Comfort Women arrived at the Ledo Stockade. They were the lucky ones because others were killed by the Japanese soldiers to hide what they did and documents burnt.

I am affraid you are arguing based on your imagination. Does any historian claim ianfu were killed at the end of the war? I am sure that Japanese soldiers surrendered en mass on August 15, 1945.

WilliBJun. 18, 2014 - 06:39PM JST

How much profit do you think was left after that?

Quite a lot. There was a former ianfu whose name was Mun Ok Ju who testified that she earned as much as 26,000 yen with which she could buy several houses in Korea. In addition, there are diaries of brothel owners that record large amounts of money sent to the families of ianfu back in Korea in their name.

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

Bodo League massacre-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodo_League_massacre

0 ( +1 / -1 )

And this debate spirals ever deeper into reality and farther away from propaganda.

Those that don't want to believe the past keep clinging to what they have been told.

Ladies and gents, wars are not fought by heroes, wars are fought by men and women that commit horrors against their fellow human beings because they have to. Later, they are made into national heroes because of what they did and most of them never want that glory.

Some might have a problem with old military proverbs, but they hold more weight than propaganda.

War is cruelty. There is no use trying to reform it. The crueler it is, the sooner it will be over.

William Tecumseh Sherman

Truer words were never spoken!

That is why Tokyo and Germany were firebombed by the allies and yes those attacks were crimes against humanity and no one ever got persecuted for them.

Reality is cruel, but some folks don't want to believe it.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

I've never been in the military and I've seen literally hundreds. You can't miss them in the Philippines

Wow. I have been in the military and have spent many months in the Philippines (Subic Bay). There were no brothels that I ever saw that bore any resemblance to the comfort women system that Japan set up. There were hundreds of bars and nightclubs that had girls working as "entertainers." It was not a pay-for-quick-sex system. But, of course, what is my direct experience compared to someone who has never been in the military and who thinks the US was worse for Jews than Nazi Germany?

Newspaper reports of massive numbers of brothels in Kabul

I seriously doubt it.

but mostly the U.S. military just lets market economics in a warzone full of starving unemployed mothers take care of supplying their demand... like that's any better than recruiting them directly

Here we go again. But let's agree that Imperial Japan's control over the economy of Korea helped create the conditions necessary for people to get into debt -- and a way for their daughters to get out of it. An official system of pimps and prostitutes -- with Japan thinking it's all just fine.

What it comes down to is a man's attitude towards women. Trying to describe that attitude would require a spectrum where, at the low end, a man regards women with little or no respect at all; and a high-end where a man regards women with utmost respect. (Regarding them as someone's daughter or sister.) In my view, the entire comfort women system is one that holds women in very low regard. To the extent that such a system was made legal, approved, supported, and extended to areas where women were forced to take part, I would say that the nation doing so has a lot to apologize for.

Attitude towards sex can fall on a similar spectrum from a financial transaction to something with a deep emotional and spiritual component. When comparing the comfort women system -- which was set up to be purely financial -- to systems driven more by local conditions, one has to consider the reality of many thousands of Americans who formed emotional bonds with and courted and married women they met overseas. The American men who did so did not look down on women the way that the Japanese revisionists continually disparage and disrespect the very people they victimized do.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

What history books are you referring to? There are books in the US which cover the subject in detail. All it takes is someone with the desire to research the subject.

History books used at schools. Face it. Majority of the population are not interested in the "desire to research the subject" but the historical narrative that U.S. teaches to their kids is that, "like much American popular culture, portrays World War II as a “good war” fought by America’s “greatest generation.”

The Americans did not run brothels as the Japanese did. There was no condoning -- official or otherwise. No locals were pressured to pimp out women for U.S. troops, as the Japanese did for their troops. Yes, I claim that Judeo-Christian values have a lot to do with it. Hashimoto speaks about rapes, but he fails to mention the fact that many more thousands of Americans formed relationships with and married women from Germany, Britain, France, Italy, Korea, Japan, Philippines, etc.

You represent the classic case of the by product of the U.S. education system.

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

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

Judeo Christian value my XXX

Too bad for the revisionists. Once the top brass at "IJA" found out what was going on, they knew they would not get away with it. But up until that moment, the dozens of Japanese who were involved in rounding up the women, preparing the house to be used as a brothel and putting everything in place all thought it was perfectly OK. They were essentially no different from Japanese troops anywhere. Japan being the "group-oriented" society it is and adverse to individualism. The Japanese were better able to hide their tracks elsewhere. The system was still the system. Men had a need and the conquerors would find a way to supply it.

The above post does not make sense at all other than your usual "IJA was bad" rhetoric with a spice of foreigner's "Nihonjinron" on top.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

So Joe Bigs anything done against America is alright? After all in their last 2 wars hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians died. You can not have it both ways! Hate means hatred returned, dirty deeds means the deeds will be returned ten fold. The firebombings did nothing to hasten the wars end. The blitz did not make the British want to surrender and in fact had the opposite effect. So the American troops raping and killing is a war crime. The Japanese had their criminals and America has theirs as well. I do not think winning makes their actions alright. Remember during WWII America was the land of concentration camps, acute racism and more. So tell me again why war crimes done by Americans are tolerated?

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

"...The American military got into the prostitution business by degrees,an escalation process linked to the escalation of the war. Underlying the escalation was the assumption that men at war required the sexual use of women's bodies. Reporter Arnett saw the gradual acceptance of U.S. military-controlled and -regulated brothels as a natural outgrowth of what he called "the McNamara theory.."

"...Military brothels on Army base camps ("Sin Cities", "Disney-lands" or "boom-boom parlors") were built by decision of a division commander, a two-star general, and were under the direct operational control of a brigade commander with the rank of colonel. Clearly, Army brothels in Vietnam existedby the grace of Army Chief of Staff William C. Westmoreland, the United StatesEmbassy in Saigon, and the Pentagon.."

"It seems likely that many if not most of the Southeast Asian prostitutes employed by U.S. military personnel during the conflict in Vietnam and, later, in ports-of-call in Thailand and around U.S. military installations in the Philippines were minors"

Against Our Will: Men, Women, and Rape -Susan Brownmiller

.."Traffickers work within this system. Recruiters who work for foreign employers travel around the countryside offering poor young women opportunities for work abroad, often giving parents advance payments on their daughters’ wages (Cruz, 2002). As thousands of Filipinas go abroad expecting to find work, many are now in circumstances of sexual exploitation by US troops in South Korea similar to those they were in when the U.S. military bases were in the Philippines..."

Modern-Day Comfort Women:The U.S. Military, Transnational Crime, and the Trafficking of Women

..."Sex Among Allies is, nonetheless, an important study that deals with Korean prostitution around American military installations from the 50s to the late 80s, particularly with their change prompted by the "Nixon" Doctrine of 1971. The premise that not only did prostitution thrive among American servicemembers and Korean women during this time but that it was sanctioned by the American military and the Korean government is alarming. As such, the illegal business were allegedly managed by local police and enforced by club owners. Negative impacts on society such as rampant spreading of venereal disease, racial tensions among white and black soldiers (and local business owners) and the social stigma of association was the women's to bear alone. The book's objectively is called into question by placing virtually all blame on both governments' efforts to promote prostitution as a means of recreation for soldiers; the women to sacrifice themselves to be "personal ambassadors" from Korea. Many of these objections were addressed in a mass cleanup effort in the early 1970s. The story Professor Moon tells, however, is unmistakably genuine. The social stigma of such work forced many women, mostly from low educational backgrounds, to be stuck in a constant cycle of debt and abuse with little chance to better themselves. .."

Sex Among Allies: Military Prostitution in US-Korea Relations

-4 ( +4 / -8 )

yabitsJun. 18, 2014 - 11:31PM JST Wow. I have been in the military and have spent many months in the Philippines (Subic Bay). There were no brothels that I ever saw that bore any resemblance to the comfort women system that Japan set up. There were hundreds of bars and nightclubs that had girls working as "entertainers." It was not a pay-for-quick-sex system. But, of course, what is my direct experience compared to someone who has never been in the military and who thinks the US was worse for Jews than Nazi Germany?

Who do you think you're fooling precisely? You tack on that "that I ever saw that bore any resemblance to the comfort women system that Japan set up." like no-one is going to notice how you took my point that there are brothels around U.S. bases and then shift the point so that now the brothels have to look EXACTLY like the Japanese ones or they somehow don't count?

You admit there were hundreds of brothels. A quick googling reveals that these EXACTLY "pay-for-quick sex system" establishments, or slow sex, it doesn't really matter. The point is that there are brothels, they're all around the U.S. bases and their primary customers are U.S. military personnel. Thank you for at proving my point, even though you're trying your best to obscure it.

Newspaper reports of massive numbers of brothels in Kabul I seriously doubt it.

http://kabulpress.org/my/spip.php?article70346

... oh, but you probably don't like that much since it isn't written by an American. Okay, so how about this: http://in.reuters.com/article/2008/05/19/afghan-prostitution-chinese-idINISL12604420080519

or this... http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article1006827.ece

Looks like you're wrong... again.

Here we go again. But let's agree that Imperial Japan's control over the economy of Korea helped create the conditions necessary for people to get into debt -- and a way for their daughters to get out of it. An official system of pimps and prostitutes -- with Japan thinking it's all just fine.

And by U.S. thinking it is also fine... so what makes you any different. Oh yeah, Japan stopped doing it, the U.S. is still doing it today. That's the difference.

What it comes down to is a man's attitude towards women. Trying to describe that attitude would require a spectrum where, at the low end, a man regards women with little or no respect at all; and a high-end where a man regards women with utmost respect. (Regarding them as someone's daughter or sister.) In my view, the entire comfort women system is one that holds women in very low regard. To the extent that such a system was made legal, approved, supported, and extended to areas where women were forced to take part, I would say that the nation doing so has a lot to apologize for.

So when is the U.S. going to start apologising? Or are you going to continue denying it and denying it? Because from where I'm sitting it seems like you're VERY quick to ask Japan for yet more apologies (and they've already apologised repeatedly) while being dead set against the idea of even acknowledging the fact that the U.S. has been doing something very similar for the last 70 years without so much as a whisper of an apology.

Attitude towards sex can fall on a similar spectrum from a financial transaction to something with a deep emotional and spiritual component. When comparing the comfort women system -- which was set up to be purely financial -- to systems driven more by local conditions, one has to consider the reality of many thousands of Americans who formed emotional bonds with and courted and married women they met overseas. The American men who did so did not look down on women the way that the Japanese revisionists continually disparage and disrespect the very people they victimized do.

... you have to be kidding? You're in complete denial. The rapes in France during WW2, the gang rapes in Vietnam, the sex slaves in South Korea, the underage girls sold into sexual slavery by U.S. military contractors in Bosnia... and a hundred more examples, the paper trail is side wide and so massive that U.S. citizens must have perfected a sort of selective blindness to not see it. Yet you choose to justify it by saying that those rapes were deep and meaningful... as a military man is that what you say to yourself at night to get to sleep? That she wanted it? That it was meaningful?

... disgusting and disgraceful.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

Watch out Ohsaka Ishin-no-kai members. Ishihara already chopped him off. Hashimoto may think messing around foreign countries will regain his popularity but members like to concentrate on Japan, not GIs and France type story.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Why don't you talk about this issue rather than start blaming other countries? Look at yourself, not just say, "You, too!" Typical.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Zichi

Your links show nothing to support your argument that "The imperialist military ordered agents to find and locate women."

A military unit requesting the top to furnish more women is simply a request. Whether such request can be granted is based on the availability of women which is solely dependent on the indivdiual operators ability to recruit them. How these individuals recruited them is well documented (advertisements in newspapers with advance payment incentives).

.

Despite the detailed regulations, the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, violence, and alcohol use in the stations indicate that there was little attention paid to the enforcement of rules.

Then why would there be hundreds of reports in the AWF archives about the disease screening results, reprimand issued to soldiers in brothel houses for their irratic behavior, and the implementation of prepaid ticket due to some soldiers skipping payments?

-6 ( +3 / -9 )

Yabits

I wouldn't worry too much. You argue against an ideology that does not distinguish between rape and prostitution. Most people understand that prostitution is only rape when the prostitute has been forced into prostitution.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

History books used at schools. Face it. Majority of the population are not interested in the "desire to research the subject" but the historical narrative that U.S. teaches to their kids is that, "like much American popular culture, portrays World War II as a “good war” fought by America’s “greatest generation.”

If you are suggesting that the U.S. teach kids that America's entry into the war to defeat the Nazis and Imperial Japan was a bad thing, you may as well accompany your suggestion with the sound of a cuckoo clock. Despite the isolated, sporadic incidences of criminal behavior, taking Germany and Japan down was morally just.

We have to educate Japanese who would be able to argue and reply to them, ‘We were wrong, but you were wrong as well,’” Hashimoto said

Yes, and so Americans do need to be better educated in order to effectively combat the moral depravity of the revisionists. When a Hashimoto says "You were wrong," he is implying that the atrocities and sexual slavery committed consistently and systematically by the Japanese during WWII belongs on a par with the behavior of the average GI. It won't take too much to refute this before a panel of impartial witnesses.

You represent the classic case of the by product of the U.S. education system.

My education taught me to question all that was being presented to me. It also taught me to be better attuned to the Big Lie and the people like the neo-Nazis and Japanese revisionists who employ it at every step. What the revisionists are trying to cover up is their feeling of superiority over other Asians. This might be what sets up the conditions for continued mistreatment and exploitation of other people. The person who says "We were wrong, but you were wrong too" -- and wants to teach that to others is morally bankrupt.

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

I have owned a copy of Shrijvers' book (The GI War Against Japan) since it came out, and have read it through. His notes on the Okinawa and Kanagawa rape numbers point to it being sourced from Yuki Tanaka's book: Hidden Horrors: Japanese War Crimes in World War II. While horrible, those crimes are miniscule compared to the ones by the Japanese documented by Dr. Tanaka in "stomach-turning detail." Yes, Americans should be taught these things.

Lacking in integrity is the statement, by itself, of 1336 rapes in Kanagawa in the first ten days of occupation. Without trying to evade the impact of the heinous crime of rape, the fact is that, as the occupation took hold, the incidents of rape dramatically decreased. (Your cutting off the sentence as you did makes it appear as though the GIs were just getting started -- when in fact, it was the opposite.)

Tanaka and Schrijvers attribute this to an initial impulse on the part of a segment of American men who experienced the horrors of fighting against the Japanese, and were witness to their crimes, to make their people pay. It was vengeance, pure and simple. What can explain the dramatic decrease in those crimes after the second week of occupation? A moral compass, based on Judeo-Christian principles, taking hold again. This will be painful to accept for people who hate Americans, Chinese, Koreans, and just about anyone else who isn't buying the notion that Imperial Japan was just as bad as everyone else. Sinking to new lows of degradation, the revisionists are trying to drag others down with them.

You admit there were hundreds of brothels. A quick googling reveals that these EXACTLY "pay-for-quick sex system" establishments, or slow sex, it doesn't really matter.

I knew of clubs in Subic/Olongapo that employed entertainers with college degrees, and forbid any sexual contact with clients. Would you call that a "brothel?" There were a lot of clubs that were pretty much music only, and where the girls would dance and/or share drinks and nothing more. Many women coming to that environment were looking for a long-term relationship and possibly marriage with an American. There were absolutely no clubs that I encountered or heard about where sex took place on the premises. That doesn't mean they didn't exist; just that to the extent they did, they were the exception rather than the rule. The thing I could compare it with is New Orleans at Mardi Gras, with the festival going on 365 days a year in Olongapo.

You claimed a "massive" number of brothels in Kabul, then provided a link which indicated that approximately 200 Chinese female "entertainers" came to town. I hardly call that "massive."

And by U.S. thinking it is also fine... so what makes you any different. Oh yeah, Japan stopped doing it, the U.S. is still doing it today. That's the difference.

Japan stopped doing it? So, you're saying there's no sex industry in Japan? There aren't any non-Japanese girls who come there to "entertain" the locals?

Yet you choose to justify it by saying that those rapes were deep and meaningful... as a military man is that what you say to yourself at night to get to sleep? That she wanted it? That it was meaningful?

Thousands upon thousands of Americans happily married Filipinas, many women who might have been working in a club -- what you call a "brothel" -- where they met their husbands-to-be. They dated and courted just like any other couple I don't know if Hashimoto has completely lost leave of his senses to the extent that he would call a genuine emotional bond as being a relationship based on rape, but it's certainly clear you have.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

If you are suggesting that the U.S. teach kids that America's entry into the war to defeat the Nazis and Imperial Japan was a bad thing, you may as well accompany your suggestion with the sound of a cuckoo clock. Despite the isolated, sporadic incidences of criminal behavior, taking Germany and Japan down was morally just

No. I'm specifically talking about the U.S. involvement in the exploitation of foreign women (rape and involvement inin sexual slavery) during war time. But I'm quite glad that you keep on the "like much American popular culture, portrays World War II as a “good war” fought by America’s “greatest generation.” narrative.

My education taught me to question all that was being presented to me. It also taught me to be better attuned to the Big Lie and the people like the neo-Nazis and Japanese revisionists who employ it at every step. What the revisionists are trying to cover up is their feeling of superiority over other Asians. This might be what sets up the conditions for continued mistreatment and exploitation of other people. The person who says "We were wrong, but you were wrong too" -- and wants to teach that to others is morally bankrupt.

IMHO, the only morally bankrupt people are those who doesn't practice what they preach. You are displaying this behavior quite well.

I have owned a copy of Shrijvers' book (The GI War Against Japan) since it came out, and have read it through. His notes on the Okinawa and Kanagawa rape numbers point to it being sourced from Yuki Tanaka's book: Hidden Horrors: Japanese War Crimes in World War II. While horrible, those crimes are miniscule compared to the ones by the Japanese documented by Dr. Tanaka in "stomach-turning detail." Yes, Americans should be taught these things.

Because you refuse the even look into the autrocities conducted by your people. Quick question. Do you know the largest single day massacre in 20th century? And no. It ain't the atomic bombs. This is what they don't teach in U.S. textbooks so again, thanks for displaying the "by product".

Lacking in integrity is the statement, by itself, of 1336 rapes in Kanagawa in the first ten days of occupation. Without trying to evade the impact of the heinous crime of rape, the fact is that, as the occupation took hold, the incidents of rape dramatically decreased. (Your cutting off the sentence as you did makes it appear as though the GIs were just getting started -- when in fact, it was the opposite.)

Not really. If it continued, Japan as a country that we know today would cease to exist. And your insistence that the reason this did not continue is based on Judeo-Christian principles is pure horse manure for there was an establishment of RAA and "pan pan" girls thereafter.

-7 ( +3 / -10 )

Isn;t this Hashimoto talking on GI rapes in France when he even can't read French books. GI rapes in Japan after Japan surrendered? Don't believe people who were not born around that time. Tokyo did not have too many people because they evacuated to avoid killed by daily B 9 fire bombing Gen, Mac was strict on GI behavior. So, GI used GI specialty prostitutes. So they did not have to rape. Japanese people called them pan-pan. Anyway, Hashimoto might be depending on translated books written by people who were not born around by that time or fiction (more likely) .

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Frungy Jun. 18, 2014 - 09:21AM JST The U.S. doesn't officially sanction brothels, but Vietnam, South Korea, the Philippines, and virtually any country where the U.S. forces fought or had a base for any length of time there are always brothels that service the military bases, and the U.S. military does nothing to stop it, just nods and winks as if no-one will notice. In South Korea there were cases of women being forced into prostitution to service the U.S. military bases.

The U.S. involvement in Vietnam War and Japanese Occupation are completely different situations. Why do you think VIetnam and U.S. have 1000 times better relations with each other than Korea does with Japan? I’m not absolving guilt from U.S. at all. I’m just trying to show you the complete differences of the wars. Japan actively occupied and dictated the lives on the Korean peninsula, regardless of “local” government participation or not. Do you really think Koreans had a choice? The systematic ban and attempt to eradicate Korean culture and language and forced teachings in school was also especially cruel . Think about that, they were basically trying to kill your ethnic identity/history. Forcing Japanese names and customs while still being considered “2nd class citizens”. By 1944, mass assimilation and enforcement of men ordered to support/supplement the Japanese military by forced conscription. Women forced to be sexual slaves and I wouldn’t be surprised if many were coerced or tricked into it by lying about a prosperous and “good” job to lead them to their cage. Many Koreans in mass were shipped to Japan as forced labor for the military. Basically Korea was taken advantage and abused on a massive scale that affected the entirety of the Korean peninsula.

Now Vietnam is a completely different story. South Korea accepted the request of help from the U.S. who received support from the South Vietnamese government/military. When you have a country like the U.S. invest their own blood and money to help out in the Korean war, its a part of history that will be unforgettable in which South Korea owes a huge favor to the U.S. This was the start of the alliance, maintaining good relations and working together as an ally. So at the cooperation of the South Vietnamese gov’t and military, South Korea joined the war at the request of the U.S. This alone changes the entire situation and mentality of the scenario. The reason why Vietnam is good friends with South Korea because Vietnam doesn’t have any real resentment towards Koreans and they supported the side of the South Vietnamese in a civil war. This was merely a coalition war and not an occupation. Unlike Japanese politicians, Koreans stuck to their words of resentment and guilt, never swaying back and forth.

In the end of WWII, Japan was never really punished and humiliated on the same scale as Germany had. Their emperor maintained his status/position and a significant number of war criminals were left unjustified and alive. Court justification was basically moved aside to quickly rebuild Japan in order to counter Russian influence during this period of haste. The infant stages of the Cold War. Because of how the U.S. handled this is due to Russia, Japan and the rest of Asia never really got to settle the situation like Germany had and because of that we now see the outcome of that decision.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

No. I'm specifically talking about the U.S. involvement in the exploitation of foreign women (rape and involvement inin sexual slavery) during war time

My personal experience has been this: When dealing with the wholesale, organized prostitution of foreign women by Japan in a history class in the U.S. -- as a part of an overview of WWII atrocities -- I have had history teachers who would indeed present the matter that U.S. troops were by no means innocent, and that rapes did occur. And we have yet to have one person here deny that. Usually mentioned is the fact that American servicemen were put on trial and sometimes executed when found guilty of rape or murder. American society is not one that accepts the systematic exploitation of women-as-sex-slaves as Japan's society did. U.S. involvement, such as it was and is, is on the fringes, not the mainstream.

Because you refuse the even look into the autrocities conducted by your people. Quick question. Do you know the largest single day massacre in 20th century?

While an American citizen, the ones I consider "my people" are different. Whoever has had a great massacre visited on them had, I can assure with little doubt, committed acts which removed divine protection. That nation, whoever it was, reaped what they had sown. It is not known who the One will use to carry out justice for the crimes committed by a nation against others. Unlike Hashimoto, my "people" are taught that when chastisement has been received, it is a sign for us to look at ourselves and to repent of evil. Not to point at the wrongdoings of others. This approach differentiates me from many Americans (who are not "my people), but it doesn't prevent me from being a witness to acts committed by them and others. What Hashimoto is doing is very counter-productive and will lead to greater harm if pursued.

Not really. If it continued, Japan as a country that we know today would cease to exist.

You brought up Schrijvers to try to make a point about rapes during the first ten days of occupation, and then just as quickly reject him when he adds the necessary context. Schrijvers goes into detail elsewhere in his book about the influence of Judeo-Christian impulses on American actions in the war throughout the Pacific. Where the Japanese had destroyed many churches in the Philippines (for example), and killed or otherwise abused ministers and clergy, the Americans came in and helped rebuild them -- worshiping together with the locals.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

CH3CHO wrote:

Let us read the US Army document during ww2. http://www.exordio.com/1939-1945/codex/Documentos/report-49-USA-orig.html

Yeah... read it. Not exactly a convincing read.

One specific place in Burma, which had so many patrons they had to ration out the "goods"? Where they lived in relative luxury? It also says if they saved enough they could go home. Wow, so generous. Except that it being a "luxurious lifestyle" probably cost the girls a lot of their "profit" to go towards rent/clothing/lodgings. Your article said said 60% right off the bat, PLUS they had to pay high costs for food, etc.

Sounds like, at best, they made pocket money. Not exactly a salary.

You can dress it up however you want, but I highly doubt they received much of their own money- I don't see reports of any girl making enough money to buy a ticket home.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

yabitsJun. 19, 2014 - 07:33AM JST

I have had history teachers who would indeed present the matter that U.S. troops were by no means innocent, and that rapes did occur. And we have yet to have one person here deny that.

Right. We only have people who call it miniscule.

yabitsJun. 19, 2014 - 05:18AM JST

His notes on the Okinawa and Kanagawa rape numbers point to it being sourced from Yuki Tanaka's book: Hidden Horrors: Japanese War Crimes in World War II. While horrible, those crimes are miniscule compared to the ones by the Japanese (emphasis yours)

It seems the teachers do a good job alleviating sense of guilt.

yabitsJun. 19, 2014 - 07:33AM JST

Usually mentioned is the fact that American servicemen were put on trial and sometimes executed when found guilty of rape or murder.

Remember Abu Ghraib? What kind of punishment did the toturers get? Is the standard any different from the past?

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Right. We only have people who call it miniscule.

Minuscule relative to something else in terms of numbers. Japanese historian Yuki Tanaka -- the one quoted above who supplied the Kanagawa rape numbers -- makes no bones about the rape on a massive scale by the Japanese Army. You had a fighting force that numbered greater than 5 million -- and an officially recognized system of "comfort women" to support them. The U.S. had no such system.

Remember Abu Ghraib? What kind of punishment did the toturers get? Is the standard any different from the past?

What does Abu Ghraib have to do with rapes in WWII? Do I believe all the people involved were brought to justice, and that justice was done to those who were guilty? No. So, tell me again how that absolves Japan?

With that being said, Nigelboy is also correct that the US military is equally guilty. Maybe the US military didn't operate such a system on the same scale as Japan, but does that make them any less guilty?

The U.S. military didn't operate any such system period. And "yes" to your question.

Are their actions any less deplorable?

If "their" means individual U.S. soldiers who committed rapes, then "no." But if "their" means a U.S. military command that, for example, made prostitution in Korea illegal in 1946, then their actions rate some merit.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

yabitsJun. 19, 2014 - 12:11PM JST

So, tell me again how that absolves Japan?

No, it does not. I am just telling you that two wrongs does not make one right. You are same to Hashimoto in that regard.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

There can be no doubt that nearly all military occupations are involved with 'rape' and other abuses of the indigenous populations.

However, the question is here is not an inevitable consequence of war. It is the distiction between individual actions of rape and the efficient mass systemization of rape that took place and was sanctioned and organized by the Japanese Government at the time.

What is very telling about Hashimoto's statement is his inherently Japanese approach to a European cultural setting. When he says: 'Comfort stations were built' he is positing a systematic Japanese aprroach that would be completely alien to Europe. For argument's sake lets say what he said is true. Who can possibly imagine the Allied forces actually building facilities for the sole purpose of the sexual gratification of the army?. If any such system had existed, which is beyond doubtful, the allied forces would have made do with existing structures and buildings.

Systemization is an inherent cultural Japanese trait. And while there is no doubt that rapes were commited by the Allied forces, there can also be no doubt given the Japanese penchant for systemization that the rapes perpetrated by the Japanese army were not the ad hoc actions of individual actors, but highly organized system of rape.

So to imagine the allied forces sitting down with hammer and nails to build their own whorehouses is pure invention-with a distinclty Japanese twist that is more damning than illuminating....

4 ( +4 / -0 )

The argument that the US military is equally guilty is a terrible comparison. On the books, American soldiers paying for sex is illegal and carries severe repercussions in some cases. It doesn't excuse the rapes, but the sheer volume of rapes that occurred with US and Japanese is like comparing apples and oranges really. Simply because Japan not only permitted it, but encouraged it.

In other words, would you say a man who murdered another is equally guilty and deserving of punishment as another who murdered hundreds? I highly doubt the courts would judge them equally.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

@Frungy

... were you walking around with your eyes closed? I've never been in the military and I've seen literally hundreds. You can't miss them in the Philippines, in Korea, in Japan, in virtually every country in the world. I'm sorry, but what you're saying is insanely naive.

No, you have not seen brothels around US military bases in Japan. And I am speaking from experience as a long time military person in the past and due to the fact that I have been to many bases in Japan as well. If anything there are many “NO GIAJIN” signs at bars around bases here. I still have contact with the military and there are no brothels servicing the military here. I really don't like when people do not speak from direct experience and result to making things up. No, you were not military. I was. And these brothels with which you speak are outright phantoms of your imagination.

... Newspaper reports of massive numbers of brothels in Kabul, tons of historical documents about brothels in South Korea, the infamous brothels around the U.S. military base north of Manila in the Philippines? ... there's a boatload of proof. You're just choosing not to see it.

It is not that I choose not to see it. It is a sad reality of war. When you have military forces in a poor country, brothels are going to pop up because local people need money, some of them are quite savage and abuse their own people, of course. And the invading forces are going to take advantage of that. Nobody is denying that. You are just ASSUMING that I am. Assumptions can ruin one’s argument and a conversation, so let’s not assume, please. However, last time I heard there was no military bases in the Philippines since 1990. Having not been to South Korea, I am not going to say if there are any there, but I highly doubt it.

Well there was that one, but mostly the U.S. military just lets market economics in a warzone full of starving unemployed mothers take care of supplying their demand... like that's any better than recruiting them directly.

And when has that not been the cases for invading forces and the poor people who are caught up in the middle of all that goes on?

Military might frequent the establishments that are set up by the locals, but I have not seen anything at all that shows the USA setting up brothels and enslaving the locals to work there. I could be wrong. There's plenty of documentation showing that locals were enslaved in South Korea by contractors working for the U.S. military, and in Bosnia.

Yes, enslaved by contractors. Unscrupulous ones at best. But once again this going to happen. Sad, but true. Then stop wars. Oh, wait, then the U.S. arms industry would collapse and people in the U.S. would be unemployed... can't have that

Are you assuming that I would not like it that way? I would love to see such a thing happen. I think all would except for arms exporters.

let's rather let women and children be raped in another country than stop an unsustainable economic model built on human suffering... and that's why I hold all U.S. citizens responsible, because you've all profited indirectly from the U.S. economic model, just like no White South African is innocent of apartheid...

Oh brother. Yes, we want all women and children to be raped. Other countries never do it, just us. Hey, get off the hate trip. A lot of Americans are disgusted with much more than you think. Hold ME responsible? I am sorry, you were elected my judge by whom and when? Who do you think YOU are? You are sounding really high and mighty. The arrogance in such a statement is sad.

So your idea is that it is fine for the military to condone their troops raping women forced into brothels provided that they U.S. military didn't actually set up the brothel? Wow, that's.... unbelievable.

No, what is unbelievable is the high horse that you rode in on. Even more is that I said, “SICK FREE TIME”. That meant I look down on such a thing. I never, ever, ever said that the military should condone their troops raping women forced into brothels. Never, ever. That is some thing that you HOPE I said. But I never did. Please get off the hate trip.

And no it is not time for other to stop or shut up. Soap lands are abundant in Japan. Isn't a soapland just another name for brothel?

There are a lot of differences between a brothel in a stable country where the police are a shout away and an opportunistic brothel set up in a war zone with no police apart from the military and refugees with no means of support trying to earn money however they can. Again, open your eyes and see what's really going on.

Yes, there is a difference. Of course. That was not my point. I do feel that America has really made you angry, I wish it were different. We are not all bad as your broad paintbrush as painted us out to be. I feel great sympathy for you. Must be difficult to live with all that hate in your heart. I think it is you that need to open your eyes. Hate and pointing the finger is not a good way to live.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The question as to whhether the rapes were state sanctioned or not is the crux of the whole issue. And Hashimoto refuses to acknowledge this by saying rape is a consequence of war...thereby making rape a common denominator of war with all sides being equally guilty. This is simply not the case when there is direct government involvement.

All countries do terrible things. That is a fact, but in this case it is not all countries who systemically commited this particular crime. All countries do terrible things, but that doesn't mean as a result the institutionalized war crimes of any country be ignored and challked up to human nature during war time.If they are institutional in nature then they should be shown to be such, because at some level they cease to be human.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

No, it does not. I am just telling you that two wrongs does not make one right. You are same to Hashimoto in that regard.

Sorry, but 100 pounds of wrong will not balance out a ton of wrong.

It is the distiction between individual actions of rape and the efficient mass systemization of rape that took place and was sanctioned and organized by the Japanese Government at the time.

Very close to the bulls-eye. Rape was just one manifestation of the cruel nature within many Japanese of the time. The above-mentioned Dutch girl who was forced into prostitution along with her friends also relates how, before being selected to work in a brothel, their Japanese captors would beat them for the slightest infraction, like not bowing properly.

It doesn't excuse the rapes, but the sheer volume of rapes that occurred with US and Japanese is like comparing apples and oranges

Of course the one who commits only one murder versus the one who commits a hundred is less guilty in terms of the amount of times they committed the same crime. But nonetheless, they are equally guilty in terms of committing the crime of murder.

Yes, it's like comparing 20,000 cases of rape to several hundred thousand cases and then having to listen to moaning from the latter perpetrators that their victims are complaining louder and longer. Keep in mind too, that generally speaking, the contact between ordinary, individual Americans and the natives of the countries the U.S. military has gone to have been greatly positive overall. My experience is that the average American cares about building goodwill. (I wish I could say that it was always the same with the U.S. government, especially w/regard to taking responsibility for the children fathered by American servicemen.)

I will repeat: The places where Hashimoto points out that rapes occurred. are also the resting places of thousands of Allied soldiers who gave their lives in the noble cause of defeating the Nazis. Those graves are hallowed places and carefully tended. Are there any burial places of Japanese soldiers so regarded in the lands that they "liberated?"

My point is that instances of appalling human rights violations can be attributed to just about, if not every, group who has engaged in the act of war.

The human heart is deceitful beyond all things, and we all have to be careful of that fact. Those who beat themselves up to be "the best" will usually end up being the best at savagery too. But the key thing, and this is what rightfully worries Japan's neighbors, is the genuineness of the will to change, which involves completelyowning up to the past. Not half-hardheartedly, ambiguously or equivocally taking responsibility -- mainly in order to save face -- but genuinely. I believe many Japanese are genuine, but a great many are not. There is a battle underway right now to determine who will win. In that respect, I believe that the U.S. government for decades now has been an overall negative influence on Japan -- especially regarding militarism.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

My personal experience has been this: When dealing with the wholesale, organized prostitution of foreign women by Japan in a history class in the U.S. -- as a part of an overview of WWII atrocities -- I have had history teachers who would indeed present the matter that U.S. troops were by no means innocent, and that rapes did occur. And we have yet to have one person here deny that. Usually mentioned is the fact that American servicemen were put on trial and sometimes executed when found guilty of rape or murder. American society is not one that accepts the systematic exploitation of women-as-sex-slaves as Japan's society did. U.S. involvement, such as it was and is, is on the fringes, not the mainstream.

As I indicated in the above links, U.S. was systematically involved in "sexual slavery" which continued through Korean war and beyond.

While an American citizen, the ones I consider "my people" are different. Whoever has had a great massacre visited on them had, I can assure with little doubt, committed acts which removed divine protection. That nation, whoever it was, reaped what they had sown. It is not known who the One will use to carry out justice for the crimes committed by a nation against others. Unlike Hashimoto, my "people" are taught that when chastisement has been received, it is a sign for us to look at ourselves and to repent of evil. Not to point at the wrongdoings of others. This approach differentiates me from many Americans (who are not "my people), but it doesn't prevent me from being a witness to acts committed by them and others. What Hashimoto is doing is very counter-productive and will lead to greater harm if pursued.

So you don't know "the largest single day massacre in 20th century?" That's what I thought. Frankly, I'm not surprised based on my experience with an "American citizen".

You brought up Schrijvers to try to make a point about rapes during the first ten days of occupation, and then just as quickly reject him when he adds the necessary context. Schrijvers goes into detail elsewhere in his book about the influence of Judeo-Christian impulses on American actions in the war throughout the Pacific. Where the Japanese had destroyed many churches in the Philippines (for example), and killed or otherwise abused ministers and clergy, the Americans came in and helped rebuild them -- worshiping together with the locals.

And what does this have to do with continuing rape in occupied territories and the continued involvement in the sexual slavery in these areas by the U.S. military?

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

As I indicated in the above links, U.S. was systematically involved in "sexual slavery" which continued through Korean war and beyond.

You are playing a game of semantics. The United States, as a nation, was most certainly not "systematically involved." And none of your links proves that. Imperial Japan set the bar for "systematic involvement." For a nation to be "systematically involved" it first has to legalize sexual slavery. Japan did that; the U.S. did not. Then there has to be a formal (and often ad hoc) recruitment process on a massive scale. It's that massive recruitment process by agencies within the military or directly contracted to it that constitutes "systematic involvement" by a country.

The best case that you can make is that a percentage of individual American military people, acting as individuals, have sought out and involved themselves in the sex trade. There's no way to tell if that percentage is a majority or minority, other than anecdotal information. And among those who sought out relationships with foreign women, many were legitimately and honorably seeking courtship and marriage. America was welcomed many, many thousands of those marriages. When Asian or European women start erecting memorials to protest America's "systematic involvement in the sex trade", I'll count on you to let me know.

So you don't know "the largest single day massacre in 20th century?

I don't find it germane to the topic, and don't think such events should be reduced to game-playing.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

You are playing a game of semantics. The United States, as a nation, was most certainly not "systematically involved." And none of your links proves that. Imperial Japan set the bar for "systematic involvement." For a nation to be "systematically involved" it first has to legalize sexual slavery. Japan did that; the U.S. did not. Then there has to be a formal (and often ad hoc) recruitment process on a massive scale. It's that massive recruitment process by agencies within the military or directly contracted to it that constitutes "systematic involvement" by a country.

Refer to my post @Jun. 19, 2014 - 12:35AM JST

You can call it what you want but simply turning a blind eye to "...Military brothels on Army base camps ("Sin Cities", "Disney-lands" or "boom-boom parlors") were built by decision of a division commander, a two-star general, and were under the direct operational control of a brigade commander with the rank of colonel. Clearly, Army brothels in Vietnam existedby the grace of Army Chief of Staff William C. Westmoreland, the United StatesEmbassy in Saigon, and the Pentagon.." does nothing to change the fact that it resulted in the sexual slavery of women. Keep at it.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

Nigelboy,

" does nothing to change the fact that it resulted in the sexual slavery of women. Keep at it. "

I see that you are determined to "keep at it".... "it" being trying to channel Hashimoto. Please stop making a fool of yourself. It is really getting embarrassing.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Hashimoto was never a prime minister material and never will be.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

I suspect he read translated fiction or Japanese fiction but omitted to read Preface and Postscript in fictions that is why he wrote like that. Ishihara Sr and others like to dig topics related to Japan. Even Ishihara separated him from Hashimoto. I doubt very much he will be elected for National Diet.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

The point is whether Japan has military brothels now at this time. The answer of course is no. They do not exist and will never exist for Japan in the near term. It is impossible to say what the future is but this pumping out of past knowledge will generate a feeling among people to rape others if a war situation ever rises again as a kind of revenge. People should not be changed and that includes countries. We tried to change Iraq and see what happened. Iran also did not work out and China is also a country out of balance. Japan is one of the few countries in the world that has the perfect system albeit a big Nuclear problem on their hands. Ok Japanese people do not like to admit their mistakes from history times, but so what, there is no harm being done now to people except all this historical nonsense talk. Again this is all money related issues--Korea and China want money from Japan to feed themselves and also to destabilize he country. All the idiots here think it is about sex slavery because that is what humans care about but under the scenes there is much more darkness going on.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

This is in part to Mr. Noidall, but may response to others as well.

I fully agree with you that rape-is-rape-is-rape and that there is no excuse for that. However, I don't think America (as a country or entity) should have to apologize for anything. I'm not condoning the acts of American rape, but rape is already illegal in the American system and there was a legal process in place for violators that were caught. It doesn't make the individual Americans soldiers better, but it does make the American Military (as an entity) significantly better. America took responsibility for it's acts by carrying out justice on individuals that were caught.

The Japanese Military (as an entity), and therefore the government, encouraged acts of rape. Therefore, the Japanese Government owes a sincere and unchanging apology to her victims. Not the constant once-a-year "We're sorry, but..." line.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The Comfort Women system was a military brothel system. There exists no evidence to suggest that the recruited women were to be treated as "sex-slaves" ie; with no payment, or that "Rape" was either sanctioned or condoned by the Japanese military.

Notice written on 4 March 1938 by the adjutants to the Chiefs of Staff of the North China Army and Central China expeditionary Army titled “Concerning the Recruitment of Women for Military Comfort Stations.”

""Many agents should have required special attention. Some of them accentuated the name of the armies as much as they might hurt the credibility of the armies and cause misunderstanding among the public, others recruited women without control through war correspondents or entertainers, and others selected the wrong agents who took a kidnapping approach to recruit women so that the polices arrested them. In the future, the armies in the field should control recruiting and select the agencies circumspectly and properly, and should build up a closer connection with the local polices and the local military polices in the implementation of recruiting. Take special care not to have problems which have the potential to damage the armies' credibility or are not acceptable to social standards.

On page 8 of the document the following was written: “There have been a lot of cases as above reported, therefore, from now on, the dispatch force will carry out screening for the brokers carefully and adequately and will corporate with the police and kenpei in regulating the recruitment so that it won’t cause the social problem and it won’t damage the prestige of the military”

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

Notice written on 4 March 1938 by the adjutants to the Chiefs of Staff of the North China Army and Central China expeditionary Army titled “Concerning the Recruitment of Women for Military Comfort Stations.”

Wow, who knew in 1938 that this would be used in 2014 as an attempt to whitewash what the Japanese military should have done, but did not. I seriously doubt if "build[ing] up a closer connection with the local polices and the local military polices in the implementation of recruiting" was high on their list of priorities. Especially if would have any negative effects on supplying the sexual needs of the average fighting man. (A much higher priority.) Notice also the absence of any punitive measures. It was nothing more than an administrative recommendation, which could be ignored at will.

in regulating the recruitment so that it won’t cause the social problem and it won’t damage the prestige of the military”

"Damage the prestige of the military." This would get a good laugh at a WWII historians' convention.

American GI's who committed rape were up against this: From Article 120 of the UCMJ, in effect during WWII: "(a) Any person subject to this chapter who commits an act of sexual intercourse with a female not his wife, by force and without consent, is guilty of rape and shall be punished by death or such other punishment as a court-martial may direct."

There's no "c'mon guys, let's not damage the prestige of our military" about it. And yet, there are still incidences of rape committed by U.S. military people. How much more disregard would battle-hardened Japanese have towards those nifty guidelines? Oh right, their prestige was at stake.

There exists no evidence to suggest that the recruited women were to be treated as "sex-slaves" ie; with no payment,

LOL. Oh, you mean aside from the fact that women have come forward to tell their stories, and they conflict with the administrative guidelines published by the IJA's human resources department. Seriously, Ossan, the stuff you can try to make yourself believe.

Therefore, the Japanese Government owes a sincere and unchanging apology to her victims.

I would also suggest a bit of research on the Japanese art of apology. There are degrees, right down to getting down nearly prostate as the most remorseful form.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

he is correct that American soldiers did rape French women..

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

American GI's who committed rape were up against this: From Article 120 of the UCMJ, in effect during WWII: "(a) Any person subject to this chapter who commits an act of sexual intercourse with a female not his wife, by force and without consent, is guilty of rape and shall be punished by death or such other punishment as a court-martial may direct."

This was also the case for IJA as well.

第八十六条 戦地又ハ帝国軍ノ占領地ニ於テ住民ノ財物ヲ掠奪シタル者ハ一年以上ノ有期懲役ニ処ス 2 前項ノ罪ヲ犯スニ当リ婦女ヲ強姦シタルトキハ無期又ハ七年以上ノ懲役ニ処ス

Not "death" but minimum 7 years to "Muki" (life)

LOL. Oh, you mean aside from the fact that women have come forward to tell their stories, and they conflict with the administrative guidelines published by the IJA's human resources department.

Yes. We know that their "accusations" conflicts with the guidelines.

Face it. U.S. is the mother of protecting "prestige of the military" by writing such guidelines and advertising them to the mothers, wives and girlfriends back home but when military brothels (and the illegal elements that no doubt becomes n inherent part of it) flourishes everywhere where they have occupied and stationed, it doesn't take but a few braincells to figure out the reality of the situation.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

he is correct that American soldiers did rape French women.

He would be correct to say that Paris is the capital of France. It would have the same relevance.

Yes. We know that their "accusations" conflicts with the guidelines.

And so the Japanese guidelines must take precedence over the stories of women victimized by the Japanese. Create a system that prostitutes women and then treat their lives and their life stories as worthless. All that prestige suddenly goes right out the window.

If a woman came forward with a claim against an American, it would not be treated in the same manner that some Japanese have treated the people they have wronged.

This was also the case for IJA as well.

There is no evidence this would apply to a Korean or Chinese "comfort woman." It certainly didn't apply to the Dutch women raped by the Japanese. Based on the way Japanese treat the reports of Korean comfort women today, it his hard to believe that the fanatical maniacs protecting the "prestige" of Imperial Japan would have received any charges from comfort women with any more seriousness.

Face it. U.S. is the mother of protecting "prestige of the military" by writing such guidelines and advertising them to the mothers, wives and girlfriends back home

You keep writing things as though you were there. I was. And I can speak to my personal experience of two Westpac cruises and two years stationed in Asia. that what you claim was a small part of a much bigger picture.. Many American mothers welcomed sons returning with Vietnamese, Korean, Filipina, and -- yes -- Japanese "daughters." In the discussions I took part in, we counseled treating all women with respect, and for married men to remain true to their vows. We were far from perfect, but we had an idea of what perfect was -- and it didn't involve writing guidelines in support of sexual slavery. Hashimoto brings up these ignorant comparisons to his shame.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

@nigelboy,

"Approximately three quarters of comfort women died in the hands of Japanese."

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comfort_women

I know that you will call the above wikipedia info as fabrication.

If you want to make comparison and discredit the U.S. military, how many of these women survived through Vietnam war or Korean war? There is no comparison to the treatment Majority of these women that was controlled by your IJA didn't surive the WWII or died shortly after. What it tells you is that majority were treated very badly. How many of these comfort women were still alive when Kono made the speech in 1993? These women were around 75 years old at the time. Why only a few survived?

5 ( +5 / -0 )

And so the Japanese guidelines must take precedence over the stories of women victimized by the Japanese. Create a system that prostitutes women and then treat their lives and their life stories as worthless. All that prestige suddenly goes right out the window.

No. It's historians including that of Seoul University who are questioning the validity of those statements.

If a woman came forward with a claim against an American, it would not be treated in the same manner that some Japanese have treated the people they have wronged.

As far as I know, there are no official apology from the U.S. government.

There is no evidence this would apply to a Korean or Chinese "comfort woman." It certainly didn't apply to the Dutch women raped by the Japanese. Based on the way Japanese treat the reports of Korean comfort women today, it his hard to believe that the fanatical maniacs protecting the "prestige" of Imperial Japan would have received any charges from comfort women with any more seriousness.

As to your first sentence, perhaps you and I differ the definition of "rape". And we're all AWARE of the ad nauseum repeated Semarang Case which the responsible ones were court martialed by IJA. The accusation of rape on the Semarang case came after the end of the war. By then, based on Potsdam declaration, IJA court was dismantled and therefore, the accused were tried and convicted via IMTFE.

You keep writing things as though you were there. I was. And I can speak to my personal experience of two Westpac cruises and two years stationed in Asia. that what you claim was a small part of a much bigger picture.. Many American mothers welcomed sons returning with Vietnamese, Korean, Filipina, and -- yes -- Japanese "daughters." In the discussions I took part in, we counseled treating all women with respect, and for married men to remain true to their vows. We were far from perfect, but we had an idea of what perfect was -- and it didn't involve writing guidelines in support of sexual slavery. Hashimoto brings up these ignorant comparisons to his shame.

What's shameful is the "facade" that U.S. uses to keep it's "clean" image. You have counseling. Great!! You also have so-called "strict" guidlines on prohibiting use of prostitutes. Great! And yet you have detailed records of U.S. military sanctioned medical doctors screening VD for these women. And yet you have flourishing sex trade business in the nearby area. Something just doesn't add up do they?

-8 ( +0 / -8 )

Downplaying this historical tragedy has been a long and well-known issue in Japan. In 2007, the J-goverment minister of education, Nakayama declared, "victimized women in Asia should be proud of being comfort women". This comment is hardly worth elaborating upon as it speaks for itself. What is worth pointing out is the brainwashing that began after WWII, when a defeated Japan was able to switch its position from that of aggressor to that of a victim. It is in part this attitude of victimization that has allowed Japan to downplay its atrocities throughout Asia, and which has inevitably led to the formation of many left wing individuals in Japan who are as unaware of their history as a patient afflicted by amnesia.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

sfjp330

We went over this before. If the number of comfort women in service is still being debated among the scholars, how in the world do anybody for that matter come with those figures of "three quarters of comfort women died in the hands of Japanese"?

Wiki cites Supranational Criminal Prosecution of Sexual Violence which in turn cites War Crimes Against Women: Prosecution in International War Crimes Tribunals which in turn cites another paper and the loop continues. The problem with these activists who make money off of the issue of comfort women is that they base the high number of comfort women first then turns around and count the number of comfort women survivors and assume that since there are not many, "they must of died at the hands of Japanese" rhetoric. No reputable scholars would make that kind of leap in logic.

As you to your assertion about "defeated Japan was able to switch its potion from that of aggressor to that of victim" you are sorely mistaken for GHQ occupied in Japan had a policy of just the opposite. The actual devastation of atomic bombs were sequestered while at the same time, the Tokyo Trials were heavily covered to portray Japan as an aggressor (.A Brief Explanation of the Categories of Deletions and Suppressions,dated 25 November,1946, SCAPIN 33 "CCD", SCAPIN16, War Guilt Information Program issued Feb 6, 1948 etc.)

-8 ( +0 / -8 )

If the number of comfort women in service is still being debated among the scholars

It's not. There are no actual scholars debating it. Only deniers and people who want to inflate the number for their own devices. Anyone with half a brain and no agenda knows that the actual number is irrelevant, and that the only relevance is that it happened, and that Japan should properly atone for it.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

OssanAmerica:

" The Comfort Women system was a military brothel system. There exists no evidence to suggest that the recruited women were to be treated as "sex-slaves" ie; with no payment, or that "Rape" was either sanctioned or condoned by the Japanese military. "

Gee, what a lot of weaselwords! What is "were to be tread as sex slaves" supposed to mean? Yes, I completely believe you that the actual word "sex slave" never appeared in an armee directive, however we are talking about the de-facto situation here. Ditto abour your definition of "rape". And who said that the definition of "sex slave" is "no pay"? You just made that up out of thin air. Fyi, the Russian mafia also "pays" their modern sex slaves, but just never enough for them to actually earn anything. Did you read the interviews here? The armee set the rates, and the women had to buy their food and supplies from the housemaster, at prices set by the housemaster. Guess who was smiling there?

Really, seeing people trying to defend this leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Enough already.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Gem Ofa Person: "Japan is one of the few countries in the world that has the perfect system." What is perfect? It's "education"? Its politics? Its diplomacy?

Who said there's no brainwashing in Japan, eh? Lol.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

"Ev'rybody was doing it!"

2 ( +3 / -1 )

In general many Japanese people don't seem to care too much about politics (given low voter turnouts etc), but most people have surely heard of him and have an opinion of him by now. The fact that he keeps on getting re-elected mayor to Japan's 3rd largest city is a sad indictment for the Japanese.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

There needs to be a stronger diplomatic response from Britain, America, Canada, Australia and France on this. Particularly as we have just passed the 70th anniversary of the Normandy landings, an event where veterans from both sides came together to mourn those who fell and meet with young people to recount to them first hand the horrors of war. But Hashimoto thinks it is appropriate to give a major speech calling them rapists. Unbelievable.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

In this event this case proves if it is true that allied soldiers that liberated france raped women durin their liberation that the Japanese soldiers were not the only one on the planet during WWII that massraped women.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

@nigelboyL It does not matteer but 第八十六条 戦地又ハ帝国軍ノ占領地ニ於テ住民ノ財物ヲ掠奪シタル者ハ一年以上ノ有期懲役ニ処ス 2 前項ノ罪ヲ犯スニ当リ婦女ヲ強姦シタルトキハ無期又ハ七年以上ノ懲役ニ処

Not "death"

but minimum 7 years to "Muki" (life)

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

(life time) ,,, OR over 7 years penal servitude.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

In a world where free speech is allowed, a politician can say just about anything, but that does make what he says truthful.

There is a difference between isolated instances of rape, and institutionalized rape.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@1glenn: There is a difference between isolated instances of rape, and institutionalized rape.

I agree with you.

@nigelboy: I'd bet you never attended lengthy trials. You did not know prosecutors begin with heaviest penalty, then as Defense attorneys appeal, penalties are recuced. So, that article you refered is life sentence or minimum 7 years ....

For your info, that article was not used for institutionalized rape during WW II. It was a military regulation that soldiers were ordered to use. Maybe you watch court case to understand these laws before you rush up to write about laws,

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

WilliBJun. 21, 2014 - 02:04PM JST OssanAmerica: " The Comfort Women system was a military brothel system. There exists no evidence to suggest that the recruited women were to be treated as "sex-slaves" ie; with no payment, or that "Rape" was either sanctioned or condoned by the Japanese military. " Gee, what a lot of weaselwords! What is "were to be tread as sex slaves" supposed to mean? Yes, I completely >believe you that the actual word "sex slave" never appeared in an armee directive, however we are talking about the >de-facto situation here. Ditto abour your definition of "rape". And who said that the definition of "sex slave" is "no pay"? >You just made that up out of thin air. Fyi, the Russian mafia also "pays" their modern sex slaves, but just never >enough for them to actually earn anything. Did you read the interviews here? The armee set the rates, and the women >had to buy their food and supplies from the housemaster, at prices set by the housemaster. Guess who was smiling >there?

Weaselwords? I don't think you have a clue as to the nature of the sex trafficking problem we have today, the real "sex-slaves". The term was created by the Japanese media in the 1980s, it never existed during WWII or post WWII. When a Comfort Woman makes more money than the soldiers she services, sufficient to buy 7 houses in Tokyo, that isn't a "sex slave" in my book. The Comfort Women system was a ,military brothel system, not an enslavement system as you would like it to be.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Sorry Hashimoto......not buying it.

America knows who are friends are.....and more so who are enemies are. We keep them closer.

We came to the aid of our allies. It was not one monster for another. France didn't give us the Statue of Liberty for nothing. We certainly did NOT rape her good image.

Do you have a French Quarter in your country? Nah, didn't think so.

Sorry but Americans soldiers were too busy kicking Nazi Germany's butt to focus on raping local girls. In fact, we thank those women cause they were the nurses who cared for wounded soldiers. American soldiers were not there on vacation. Most were dying to save and protect our allies.

Hashimoto's comments are baseless. A half-baked attempt to bring attention to his dwindling political career. Nah sorry but it didn't go down like this guy is saying.

This kind of rhetoric will lead us down only one road......another war with Japan. If you haven't learned from your mistakes, if you haven't changed then the war isn't over. This is just a weak chess move.

Hashimoto, you can't put the other guy in check when you're in checkmate.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

How many times has Hashimoto apologized? Zero.

why does hashimoto need to apologize for comfort women? or the vast majority of the japanese populace for that matter? did they use these comfort women? no. did they rape any korean women 70 years ago? no. has japan officially apologized? yes.

obviously, the korean and chinese keep bringing these old issues up for political gain.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

fds:

" why does hashimoto need to apologize for comfort women? "

Strawman. Hashimoto does not need to "apologize for comfort woman", He should apologize for insulting them, and playing into the hands of Chinese propaganda by making Japanese politicians look like bigotted bufoons. To come up with these idiotic statments was his own decision, not someone elses.

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