Japan's refusal to apologize for wartime brothels sparks furor
Last Updated: Wednesday, March 7, 2007 | 11:08 AM ET
The Associated Press
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2007/03/07/japan-wartime-brothels.html
The refusal by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to formally apologize for his country's Second World War brothels has incensed critics in China, North and South Korea, and the Philippines who have demanded Japan acknowledge its responsibility.
Abe said Monday there was no need for Japan to apologize again when he commented about a proposed resolution before the U.S. House of Representatives. And his government made it clear Wednesday it was sticking to that position.
"The U.S. resolution is not based on objective facts and does not take into consideration the responses that we have taken so far. Therefore, we will not offer a fresh apology," said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki.
Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing on Tuesday called the use of sex slaves "one of the serious crimes committed by Japanese militarists during the Second World War," and urged Tokyo to "stand up to this part of history, take responsibility and seriously view and properly handle this issue."
North Korea's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday called the military brothels "the worst flesh traffic in the 20th century."
"No matter how desperately the Japanese authorities may try to whitewash the crime-woven past of Japan and cover up the crimes related to the 'comfort women' … they are historical facts that Japan can neither sidestep nor deny," it said in a statement.
South Korea's Foreign Ministry has expressed "strong regret" over Abe's remarks, accusing Tokyo of attempting to gloss over its wartime past.
Japan acknowledged in the 1990s its military set up and ran brothels for its troops. But it has rejected most compensation claims, saying they were settled by postwar treaties. And though the government issued an apology in 1993, it was never approved by parliament.1993年河野发表道歉讲话，被认为是日本政府的正式表态； 但是他的道歉讲话从来没有被日本议会批准过。
The proposed U.S. resolution does not recommend Japan pay reparations. It does urge Japan to reject those who say the sexual enslavement never happened and to educate children about the women's experiences.
美国国会蕴酿通过一项决议，这项决议并不要求日本提供赔偿，只是要求日本正视史实不要再说什么二战军队性奴隶从未发生过之类的话，同时要求日本政府在中小学进行慰安妇史实教育。
但是日本首相安倍，在周一，说道： 美国国会没有考虑日本以前作过的道歉（指1993年的河野谈话），因此日本政府拒绝再作任何道歉。
Historians say thousands of girls and women in Asia ― as many as 200,000 by some accounts ― were kidnapped and forced into providing sex for Japanese troops during the Second World War.
历史学家普遍认为，有20万的妇女和少女被拐骗和强迫，向日军提供性服务。
But prominent Japanese scholars and politicians routinely deny direct military involvement or the use of force in rounding up the women, blaming private contractors for any abuses. The government also has questioned the 200,000 figure.
日本历史学家和政治家否认日本政府强迫慰安妇，同时承认不排除一些私人承包者滥用强力。
Asian sex slaves in WWII
Living proof
幸存的慰安妇陈控
In South Korea, just 113 of the former sex slaves are still alive. A shelter has been set up for them in Gwangju, 50 kilometres south of Seoul, where Lee Ok-seon lives with eight other women.
The beatings Lee endured during three years of sexual enslavement to Japanese troops left her nearly deaf from blows to the head, with speech slurred from missing teeth and scars on various parts of her body.
日本首相安倍上周说，没有证据表明慰安妇是被强迫的。
She was shocked to hear the Japanese prime minister say last week there was no proof she and other so-called comfort women had been coerced into prostitution.
The proof, she said, is all over her body.
证据在哪里？就在我身上，全身！
"They took away other people's young daughters only to beat them to death, make them sick to death and starve them to death," said Lee, now 79. "And now they say there was no coercion in taking us. How evil are they?"
他们夺走人们的年轻的女儿，打她们，饿她们，许多人被折磨至病至死。
但是日本政府现在却说，慰安妇从来没有被强迫过！？
How evil are they?"
Last Updated: Wednesday, March 7, 2007 | 11:08 AM ET
The Associated Press
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2007/03/07/japan-wartime-brothels.html
The refusal by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to formally apologize for his country's Second World War brothels has incensed critics in China, North and South Korea, and the Philippines who have demanded Japan acknowledge its responsibility.
Abe said Monday there was no need for Japan to apologize again when he commented about a proposed resolution before the U.S. House of Representatives. And his government made it clear Wednesday it was sticking to that position.
"The U.S. resolution is not based on objective facts and does not take into consideration the responses that we have taken so far. Therefore, we will not offer a fresh apology," said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki.
Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing on Tuesday called the use of sex slaves "one of the serious crimes committed by Japanese militarists during the Second World War," and urged Tokyo to "stand up to this part of history, take responsibility and seriously view and properly handle this issue."
North Korea's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday called the military brothels "the worst flesh traffic in the 20th century."
"No matter how desperately the Japanese authorities may try to whitewash the crime-woven past of Japan and cover up the crimes related to the 'comfort women' … they are historical facts that Japan can neither sidestep nor deny," it said in a statement.
South Korea's Foreign Ministry has expressed "strong regret" over Abe's remarks, accusing Tokyo of attempting to gloss over its wartime past.
Japan acknowledged in the 1990s its military set up and ran brothels for its troops. But it has rejected most compensation claims, saying they were settled by postwar treaties. And though the government issued an apology in 1993, it was never approved by parliament.1993年河野发表道歉讲话，被认为是日本政府的正式表态； 但是他的道歉讲话从来没有被日本议会批准过。
The proposed U.S. resolution does not recommend Japan pay reparations. It does urge Japan to reject those who say the sexual enslavement never happened and to educate children about the women's experiences.
美国国会蕴酿通过一项决议，这项决议并不要求日本提供赔偿，只是要求日本正视史实不要再说什么二战军队性奴隶从未发生过之类的话，同时要求日本政府在中小学进行慰安妇史实教育。
但是日本首相安倍，在周一，说道： 美国国会没有考虑日本以前作过的道歉（指1993年的河野谈话），因此日本政府拒绝再作任何道歉。
Historians say thousands of girls and women in Asia ― as many as 200,000 by some accounts ― were kidnapped and forced into providing sex for Japanese troops during the Second World War.
历史学家普遍认为，有20万的妇女和少女被拐骗和强迫，向日军提供性服务。
But prominent Japanese scholars and politicians routinely deny direct military involvement or the use of force in rounding up the women, blaming private contractors for any abuses. The government also has questioned the 200,000 figure.
日本历史学家和政治家否认日本政府强迫慰安妇，同时承认不排除一些私人承包者滥用强力。
Asian sex slaves in WWII
Living proof
幸存的慰安妇陈控
In South Korea, just 113 of the former sex slaves are still alive. A shelter has been set up for them in Gwangju, 50 kilometres south of Seoul, where Lee Ok-seon lives with eight other women.
The beatings Lee endured during three years of sexual enslavement to Japanese troops left her nearly deaf from blows to the head, with speech slurred from missing teeth and scars on various parts of her body.
日本首相安倍上周说，没有证据表明慰安妇是被强迫的。
She was shocked to hear the Japanese prime minister say last week there was no proof she and other so-called comfort women had been coerced into prostitution.
The proof, she said, is all over her body.
证据在哪里？就在我身上，全身！
"They took away other people's young daughters only to beat them to death, make them sick to death and starve them to death," said Lee, now 79. "And now they say there was no coercion in taking us. How evil are they?"
他们夺走人们的年轻的女儿，打她们，饿她们，许多人被折磨至病至死。
但是日本政府现在却说，慰安妇从来没有被强迫过！？
How evil are they?"
