March 15, 2014
Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo on March 14 held a major press conference at the Upper House members’ office building to release the party’s view refuting the recent move against the 1993 Kono Statement regarding the so-called comfort women issue.
Shii used more than one hour to explain the JCP position in detail before moving on a questions-and-answers session. Those who came to cover the story totaled about 150 people, including reporters from 32 Japanese and foreign media, 13 diplomats or ambassadors of 11 countries, historians and researchers, and civic organizations’ leaders.
The JCP will distribute its position statement to the Japanese government, each political party in Japan, and foreign governments through their embassies in Japan, said Shii.
Recently, some politicians and groups have been calling for the need to review the Kono Statement which admitted to the forced recruitment of women and the Japanese military involvement in the comfort women system. Although this is an official government statement, the present government supports the call for a review.
Shii criticized the Statement attackers for trying to falsify historical facts to acquit war criminals of responsibility in regard to the comfort women issue.
Those who are calling for a review of the Statement cast doubt on the credibility of the Statement itself by citing the 2007 Cabinet’s written response that no evidence indicating forcible enlisting and transportation of women were discovered.
To counter their argument, Shii presented detailed information which gives credence to the Kono Statement such as that Japanese courts had acknowledged the coercion of 35 plaintiffs into sex slavery in eight out of the ten lawsuits filed by victims and that official documents with accounts about forcible recruitment of women exist in other countries.
The first Abe Cabinet in 2007 stated in a written response that the government found “no description that directly suggested coercive mobilization by administrative/military personnel.” The anti-Statement forces intentionally interpret this as saying that no coercive means were taken.
Shii said the JCP will demand that this written response be retracted because it plays a part in distorting historical facts.
Shii used more than one hour to explain the JCP position in detail before moving on a questions-and-answers session. Those who came to cover the story totaled about 150 people, including reporters from 32 Japanese and foreign media, 13 diplomats or ambassadors of 11 countries, historians and researchers, and civic organizations’ leaders.
The JCP will distribute its position statement to the Japanese government, each political party in Japan, and foreign governments through their embassies in Japan, said Shii.
Recently, some politicians and groups have been calling for the need to review the Kono Statement which admitted to the forced recruitment of women and the Japanese military involvement in the comfort women system. Although this is an official government statement, the present government supports the call for a review.
Shii criticized the Statement attackers for trying to falsify historical facts to acquit war criminals of responsibility in regard to the comfort women issue.
Those who are calling for a review of the Statement cast doubt on the credibility of the Statement itself by citing the 2007 Cabinet’s written response that no evidence indicating forcible enlisting and transportation of women were discovered.
To counter their argument, Shii presented detailed information which gives credence to the Kono Statement such as that Japanese courts had acknowledged the coercion of 35 plaintiffs into sex slavery in eight out of the ten lawsuits filed by victims and that official documents with accounts about forcible recruitment of women exist in other countries.
The first Abe Cabinet in 2007 stated in a written response that the government found “no description that directly suggested coercive mobilization by administrative/military personnel.” The anti-Statement forces intentionally interpret this as saying that no coercive means were taken.
Shii said the JCP will demand that this written response be retracted because it plays a part in distorting historical facts.
