Japan Press Weekly

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2014 October 22 - 28 TOP3 [POLITICS]

Japan-ROK lawmakers call for actions abiding by Kono Statement

The Japan-ROK parliamentarians’ union (Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo is a vice chair) and its South Korean counterpart on October 25 jointly held a general meeting in Seoul, South Korea and unanimously adopted a joint statement.

The joint statement reaffirms that Japan will carry on with the 1993 Kono Statement and the 1995 Murayama Statement, calling for behavior appropriate to the spirit of these statements. The nonpartisan lawmakers’ statement also calls for efforts to be made by both Japan and South Korea to restore honor to the victims of the wartime comfort women system.

The next day, questioned by the media, including the Korean Times, about inconsistencies between the position of the joint statement and that of the current government of Japan, Shii gave the following response:

The joint statement includes the phrases “behavior appropriate to the statements” and “restoration of honor” as a result of the efforts made by legislators of the two countries and I’m very happy with that important inclusion. Government leaders in Japan often display insincere attitudes toward the comfort women issue. This is why the unanimous adoption of the joint statement by both countries’ parliamentarians has importance.

Regarding the comfort women issue, Shii addressed the guests at a dinner party held to welcome a delegation of the Japanese parliamentarians’ union on October 24, the first day of their visit to South Korea. He said, “We cannot rewrite history but can face up to historical facts. To build a true Japan-ROK friendship, it is necessary to not only carry on with the Kono Statement but also act in accordance with the statement.”

During his stay in Seoul, Shii as a member of the Japanese delegation met with South Korean President Park Guen-hye at the Blue House (Oct.24), had a conversation with film director Jeong Yun Cheol (Oct.26), and delivered a lecture at Korea University about the JCP vision to create an international framework of peace and cooperation in Northeast Asia (Oct.27).

Before the delegation left for Seoul, the Korean daily “Hankyoreh” ran an interview with JCP Chair Shii, using a Q-and-A format (Oct.22). The October issue of the monthly magazine “Shin Dong-a” published by another Korean daily, the “Dong-a Ilbo”, and the November issue of a Korean version of “Le Monde diplomatique” presented the JCP position and polices.