May 28 & 29, 2013
Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Councilors Tamura Tomoko before foreign journalists on May 28 spoke out against the co-leader of the Japan Restoration Party (JRP), Hashimoto Toru, for his offensive remarks concerning the so-called wartime “comfort women” system and his suggestion for U.S. troops to make use of sexual services available in Okinawa today.
Along with several female Dietmembers from opposition parties (other than the JRP), Tamura at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan stated that Hashimoto, also the mayor of Osaka City, should retract and apologize for his remarks that the comfort women system of the Imperial Japanese Army during WWII was necessary.
Tamura pointed out that though the government itself admitted to its role in the “comfort women” system, Hashimoto still denies the military use of them under coercion.
She said, “Hashimoto is not only refusing to face facts but also undermining the foundation of postwar Japanese diplomacy.”
Itokazu Keiko, an Okinawa lawmaker, said, “I’ve been really angered and stunned by Hashimoto’s remarks.”
They called on female legislators also from the Liberal Democratic and Komei parties to attend this meeting but they did not show up.
The day before, Hashimoto was given an opportunity to explain his point to foreign correspondents. While admitting to having commented that “the military of any country needed women during times of war”, he shifted the blame to media coverage by saying, “They falsely reported that ‘I justify the comfort women system’.”
He then repeated the same argument as he made before, saying, “There is no evidence to support the assertion that Japan intentionally engaged in the systematic abduction and trafficking of women.”
Related past articles:
> Protests continue against Hashimoto’s remarks on ‘comfort women’ [May 15-19, 2013]
> Only Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany had ‘comfort women’ system: modern historian [May 17, 2013]
> Abe refuses to recognize Hashimoto’s remarks on ‘comfort women’ as inappropriate [May 16, 2013]
> Ishihara takes side of Osaka mayor on comfort women remarks [May 15, 2013]
> Osaka mayor’s remarks an insult to human dignity: JCP Ichida [May 14, 2013]
Along with several female Dietmembers from opposition parties (other than the JRP), Tamura at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan stated that Hashimoto, also the mayor of Osaka City, should retract and apologize for his remarks that the comfort women system of the Imperial Japanese Army during WWII was necessary.
Tamura pointed out that though the government itself admitted to its role in the “comfort women” system, Hashimoto still denies the military use of them under coercion.
She said, “Hashimoto is not only refusing to face facts but also undermining the foundation of postwar Japanese diplomacy.”
Itokazu Keiko, an Okinawa lawmaker, said, “I’ve been really angered and stunned by Hashimoto’s remarks.”
They called on female legislators also from the Liberal Democratic and Komei parties to attend this meeting but they did not show up.
The day before, Hashimoto was given an opportunity to explain his point to foreign correspondents. While admitting to having commented that “the military of any country needed women during times of war”, he shifted the blame to media coverage by saying, “They falsely reported that ‘I justify the comfort women system’.”
He then repeated the same argument as he made before, saying, “There is no evidence to support the assertion that Japan intentionally engaged in the systematic abduction and trafficking of women.”
Related past articles:
> Protests continue against Hashimoto’s remarks on ‘comfort women’ [May 15-19, 2013]
> Only Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany had ‘comfort women’ system: modern historian [May 17, 2013]
> Abe refuses to recognize Hashimoto’s remarks on ‘comfort women’ as inappropriate [May 16, 2013]
> Ishihara takes side of Osaka mayor on comfort women remarks [May 15, 2013]
> Osaka mayor’s remarks an insult to human dignity: JCP Ichida [May 14, 2013]
