December 18, 2020

Akahata learned that the Foreign Ministry on December 16 at a meeting of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s committee on foreign affairs said that it will do everything possible to remove a statue of a girl depicting wartime Japanese military “comfort women” which is displayed in the central Berlin district of Mitte in Germany.

Akahata criticized the ministry for expressing its outrageous intent to intervene in grassroots efforts in other countries working for peace and the elimination of sexual violence.

At the LDP committee meeting the other day, right-wing, sexist members such as LDP Lower House member Sugita Mio called on the ministry to take action against the public display of the statue.

The “comfort women” statue, also known as the “Statue of a Girl of Peace”, was installed on public land in the Mitte district at the end of September with a time limit of one year. Following the installation of the statue, the Japanese government began demanding its removal and the Mitte district authorities issued a removal order. This order was immediately withdrawn after facing fierce public protests which included a letter to the district mayor written by ex-German Chancellor Schroeder and his wife. The Mitte district assembly on December 2 adopted a resolution calling for a permanent display of the statue.

Past related article:
> JCP Koike: LDP Sugita is not qualified to serve as a Dietmember [September 29, 2020]