Japan's PM apologises for US war dead – but fails to mention 'comfort women'
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Version 0 of 1. Japan’s prime minister Shinzō Abe has offered “eternal condolences” for the loss of American lives fighting his country in the second world war, using a historic address before US lawmakers to declare a new chapter in ties between the two nations. Abe reiterated previous official apologies for Japan’s wartime abuses in a speech that marked the first time a Japanese prime minister had faced a joint session of the US Congress. “On behalf of Japan and the Japanese people, I offer with profound respect my eternal condolences to the souls of all American people that were lost during World War Two,” Abe said, speaking in English. Related: Pressure mounts for Shinzo Abe to repeat wartime apologies in US address But Abe declined, to acknowledge specific wartime atrocities that have been highlighted ahead of his visit by human rights groups, such as the case of so-called “comfort women”. The euphemism refers to as many as 20,000 Asian women, many from the Korean peninsula, who were forced into prostitution at Japanese military brothels. “Postwar, we started out on our path bearing in mind feelings of deep remorse over the war. Our actions brought suffering to the peoples in Asian countries,” Abe said. “We must not avert our eyes from that. I will uphold the views expressed by the previous prime ministers in this regard.” Abe went on to paint a sobering picture of his visit to the National World War II Memorial prior to arriving at the US Capitol. “History is harsh. What’s done cannot be undone,” Abe said. “With deep repentance in my heart, I stood there in silent prayers for some time.” South Korean president Park Geun-hye has repeatedly implored Japanese leaders to more forcefully apologize for the injustices suffered by comfort women. Abe’s reluctance to do so has prompted Park to refuse individual meetings with the prime minister.For Abe, the issue is somewhat personal: His grandfather, Nobusuke Kishi, served as prime minister in the 1950s and was a cabinet member during the war who was accused – but never indicted – of war crimes. Kishi later committed himself to closer relations with Washington and addressed one chamber of Congress in 1957. Korean-American groups, veterans’ groups and even some US lawmakers had hoped for a more direct apology for the mistreatment of women. Protesters even gathered outside the Capitol during his speech, holding signs seeking “Justice for comfort women” and accusing the prime minister of “Whitewashing war crimes.” Even so, Abe made only a veiled reference to the issue while steering clear of the actual term “comfort women”. “Armed conflicts have always made women suffer the most,” he said. “In our age, we must realise the kind of world where finally women are free from human rights abuses.” Several Asian American lawmakers were disappointed and criticised the perceived lack of contrition on Abe’s part. Mike Honda, a Japanese American representative of California who brought a former “comfort woman” from Korea with him as a guest, noticeably did not applaud or participate in standing ovations for parts of Abe’s speech. Honda’s guest, Yong Soo Lee, was 16 years old in 1944 when she was forced into slavery. Lee, now 86, had travelled to Washington from Korea to personally seek an apology, according to Honda’s office. Related: Anger of wartime sex slaves haunts Japan and South Korea California representative Judy Chu, the first Chinese American woman elected to Congress, said that while she appreciated Abe’s mention of the suffering of Asians at the hands of Japanese soldiers, his apologies fell short.“I am incredibly disappointed that he failed to directly address the problem of comfort women,” Chu said in a statement after Abe’s speech. “Despite numerous pleas from Members of Congress and many others around the world ... I sat and listened to him once again ignore Japan’s responsibility for this particularly troubling and painful chapter.”“As the Prime Minister said, it is a tragic reality that women are the ones who usually suffer the most in war. But healing these wounds requires honesty and an admission of responsibility. “Shirking that responsibility and attributing it instead to the cost of war amounts to a pardon of those who made decisions to dehumanize these women and is license to future generations to use war as an excuse.” Abe’s speech was nonetheless marked by an overall positive tone on the need to strengthen US-Japan alliances over trade. He described the proposed 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership – the trade deal backed by the Obama administration but viewed sceptically by lawmakers – as “awesome” and emphasised its strategic and economic value. “The TPP goes far beyond just economic benefit. It is also about our security. Long-term, it’s strategic value is awesome. We should never forget that,” Abe said, while pledging his nation’s commitment to the ongoing negotiations. “Japan will not run away from any reforms,” he said. “We keep our eyes only on the road ahead and push forward with structural reforms.” A day earlier, Abe was warmly received at the White House at the Obama administration’s eighth official state dinner, where guest chef Masaharu Morimoto of the television programme Iron Chef created a special menu that fused American and Japanese tastes. The dinner also featured chopsticks in another nod to boosting friendly ties between two nations. Members of Congress were similarly accepting of Abe’s speech, offering the Japanese premier several standing ovations. He closed his speech by quoting the 1971 song You’ve Got a Friend by Carole King. “When I was young in high school and listened to the radio, there was a song that flew out and shook my heart,” Abe said. “When you’re down and troubled … close your eyes and think of me, and I’ll be there to brighten up even your darkest night.” He then told the US lawmakers, “Yes, we’ve got a friend in you.” |