"Sincere Apologies and Remorse to All"
In Japan, the media have been reporting on a resolution passed in the US House committee on foreign affairs, which blames Japan for denying the offering of more sincere governmental apology for foreign women victimized by the Imperial Japan's military during World War II.
According to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comfort_women):
U.S. Congressional debate
In 2007, Mike Honda of the United States House of Representatives proposed House Resolution 121 which stated that Japan should formally acknowledge, apologize, and accept historical responsibility in a clear and unequivocal manner, refute any claims that the issue of comfort women never occurred, and educate current and future generations "about this horrible crime while following the recommendations of the international community with respect to the `comfort women'."
Abe controversy
On 2 March 2007, the issue was raised again by Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe, in which he denied that the military had forced women into sexual slavery during World War II in an orchestrated way. He stated, "The fact is, there is no evidence to prove there was coercion." Before he spoke, a group of Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers also sought to revise Yohei Kono's 1993 apology to former comfort women. Abe's statement provoked a negative reaction from Asian and Western countries. The New York Times editorial said, "These were not commercial brothels. Force, explicit and implicit, was used in recruiting these women."
Apart from correctness of interpretation of Prime Minister Mr. Abe's comments and the details of the alleged crimes, as having been officially and formally conduted by the Imperial Japan's military, there are some points to take heed of:
1. There is a fear that this sort of handling of war crimes in WWII might lead to an issue of responsibility of Emperor Showa, father of the current Emperor.
2. The communist party, the socialist party, and other left wing political groups in Japan have been playing a major role domestically in blaming the Japanese Government and conservative politicians for their attitudes on this issue. These parties have had a strong tie with China, North Korea, anti-Japan gropus in South Korea, and the former Soviet Union. Especially, some left wing groups are claiming that Emperor Showa should have taken responsibility for any crimes committed by the Empire of Japan in WWII.
3. After the World War II, political and military leaders of the Empire of Japan were judged in an international court.
The International Military Tribunal for the Far East (IMTFE), also known as the Tokyo Trials, the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal or simply as the Tribunal, was convened to try the leaders of the Empire of Japan for three types of crimes: "Class A" (crimes against peace), "Class B" (war crimes), and "Class C" (crimes against humanity), committed during World War II.( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Military_Tribunal_for_the_Far_East)
What's more, the war ended in 1945 and the tribunal was completed in 1948; it was an era when six million Israelites were killed by Hitler, twenty million Russians were executed by Stalin, two atomic bombs were used, and twenty million Chinese were killed in its civil war and failure in agricultural policies of the Chinese Communist Party.
In Japan, the media have been reporting on a resolution passed in the US House committee on foreign affairs, which blames Japan for denying the offering of more sincere governmental apology for foreign women victimized by the Imperial Japan's military during World War II.
According to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comfort_women):
U.S. Congressional debate
In 2007, Mike Honda of the United States House of Representatives proposed House Resolution 121 which stated that Japan should formally acknowledge, apologize, and accept historical responsibility in a clear and unequivocal manner, refute any claims that the issue of comfort women never occurred, and educate current and future generations "about this horrible crime while following the recommendations of the international community with respect to the `comfort women'."
Abe controversy
On 2 March 2007, the issue was raised again by Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe, in which he denied that the military had forced women into sexual slavery during World War II in an orchestrated way. He stated, "The fact is, there is no evidence to prove there was coercion." Before he spoke, a group of Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers also sought to revise Yohei Kono's 1993 apology to former comfort women. Abe's statement provoked a negative reaction from Asian and Western countries. The New York Times editorial said, "These were not commercial brothels. Force, explicit and implicit, was used in recruiting these women."
Apart from correctness of interpretation of Prime Minister Mr. Abe's comments and the details of the alleged crimes, as having been officially and formally conduted by the Imperial Japan's military, there are some points to take heed of:
1. There is a fear that this sort of handling of war crimes in WWII might lead to an issue of responsibility of Emperor Showa, father of the current Emperor.
2. The communist party, the socialist party, and other left wing political groups in Japan have been playing a major role domestically in blaming the Japanese Government and conservative politicians for their attitudes on this issue. These parties have had a strong tie with China, North Korea, anti-Japan gropus in South Korea, and the former Soviet Union. Especially, some left wing groups are claiming that Emperor Showa should have taken responsibility for any crimes committed by the Empire of Japan in WWII.
3. After the World War II, political and military leaders of the Empire of Japan were judged in an international court.
The International Military Tribunal for the Far East (IMTFE), also known as the Tokyo Trials, the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal or simply as the Tribunal, was convened to try the leaders of the Empire of Japan for three types of crimes: "Class A" (crimes against peace), "Class B" (war crimes), and "Class C" (crimes against humanity), committed during World War II.( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Military_Tribunal_for_the_Far_East)
What's more, the war ended in 1945 and the tribunal was completed in 1948; it was an era when six million Israelites were killed by Hitler, twenty million Russians were executed by Stalin, two atomic bombs were used, and twenty million Chinese were killed in its civil war and failure in agricultural policies of the Chinese Communist Party.
Besides when Korea was under control of the Empire of Japan, there was no large-scale armed rebellion against Japan's occupation unlike the cases in South Vietnam, present Afghanistan, and present Iraq. The Korean Peninsula and part of the mainland China were greatly modernized by investment from the Empire of Japan, unlike any Asian countries colonized by the West. If Japan had been fatally wrong, history would have judged Japan more severely like the former Soviet Union and the Saddam Hussein's Iraq.
Though nothing can set off the Imperial Japan's war crimes, judging the Empire of Japan without this kind of notions is tantamount of trying to paint Tokyo without seeing it.
4. The former Prime Minister of Japan Mr. Tomiichi Murayama, though a socialist he is, has been engaged in the official activity called "Asian Women's Fund" to compensate those foreign women victimized during WWII. (http://www.awf.or.jp/english/index.html)
Japanese Government also issued an official statement on this issue with apology (http://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/women/fund/state9308.html):
Statement by the Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono on the result of the study on the issue of "comfort women"
August 4, 1993
The Government of Japan has been conducting a study on the issue of wartime "comfort women" since December 1991. I wish to announce the findings as a result of that study.
...
The Government of Japan would like to take this opportunity once again to extend its sincere apologies and remorse to all those, irrespective of place of origin, who suffered immeasurable pain and incurable physical and psychological wounds as comfort women.
...
As actions have been brought to court in Japan and interests have been shown in this issue outside Japan, the Government of Japan shall continue to pay full attention to this matter, including private researched related thereto.
5. Many Japanese think that it should be handled between the Chinese Government or the Koran Government and the Japanese Government. It cannot be an issue between the Japanese Government and the United States of America.
* * *
According to a recent survey conducted in the United States by Gallup for the Foreign Ministry of Japan, 48% of American respondents answered that Japan is the most important partner in Asia, while 34% answered that China is the most important partner in Asia. Those who admitted importance of Japan-US Security Treaty for US security accounted for 89%.
This is one example that Japan has acquired trust from the world through its consistent contribution to the peace of the world after WWII.
According to a recent news report, Japan has offered yen loans worth 150 million dollars to Panama for cleaning up Golfo de Panama. The gulf has been contaminated by domestic waste water from one million people, so that no one can swim there and no fish taken there are fit to eat. However, by leveraging funds from Japan, the Panama Government plans to clean up the gulf so that people can swim there by 2020.
This is one example that Japan has acquired trust from the world through its consistent contribution to the prosperity of the world after WWII.
* * *
According to Jesus Christ, the relationship between a man and a wife is only blessed. Any other associations are to be condemned.
In this context, no past soldiers of the Imperial Japan's military might not feel any pressure if they are blamed by the United States.
I suppose Muslims and people of poor countries in the world will share the same view.
"...I assure you that on the Judgment Day God will show more mercy to the people of Sodom and Gomorrah than to the people of that town!..."
4. The former Prime Minister of Japan Mr. Tomiichi Murayama, though a socialist he is, has been engaged in the official activity called "Asian Women's Fund" to compensate those foreign women victimized during WWII. (http://www.awf.or.jp/english/index.html)
Japanese Government also issued an official statement on this issue with apology (http://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/women/fund/state9308.html):
Statement by the Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono on the result of the study on the issue of "comfort women"
August 4, 1993
The Government of Japan has been conducting a study on the issue of wartime "comfort women" since December 1991. I wish to announce the findings as a result of that study.
...
The Government of Japan would like to take this opportunity once again to extend its sincere apologies and remorse to all those, irrespective of place of origin, who suffered immeasurable pain and incurable physical and psychological wounds as comfort women.
...
As actions have been brought to court in Japan and interests have been shown in this issue outside Japan, the Government of Japan shall continue to pay full attention to this matter, including private researched related thereto.
5. Many Japanese think that it should be handled between the Chinese Government or the Koran Government and the Japanese Government. It cannot be an issue between the Japanese Government and the United States of America.
* * *
According to a recent survey conducted in the United States by Gallup for the Foreign Ministry of Japan, 48% of American respondents answered that Japan is the most important partner in Asia, while 34% answered that China is the most important partner in Asia. Those who admitted importance of Japan-US Security Treaty for US security accounted for 89%.
This is one example that Japan has acquired trust from the world through its consistent contribution to the peace of the world after WWII.
According to a recent news report, Japan has offered yen loans worth 150 million dollars to Panama for cleaning up Golfo de Panama. The gulf has been contaminated by domestic waste water from one million people, so that no one can swim there and no fish taken there are fit to eat. However, by leveraging funds from Japan, the Panama Government plans to clean up the gulf so that people can swim there by 2020.
This is one example that Japan has acquired trust from the world through its consistent contribution to the prosperity of the world after WWII.
* * *
According to Jesus Christ, the relationship between a man and a wife is only blessed. Any other associations are to be condemned.
In this context, no past soldiers of the Imperial Japan's military might not feel any pressure if they are blamed by the United States.
I suppose Muslims and people of poor countries in the world will share the same view.
"...I assure you that on the Judgment Day God will show more mercy to the people of Sodom and Gomorrah than to the people of that town!..."