Social Sciences
CONGRESSMAN MIKE HONDA?S STATEMENT ON JAPANESE PRIME MINSTER ABE?S SPEECH TO CONGRESS
Washington, D.C. ? Congressman Mike Honda (D-CA17) today made the following statement about Japanese Prime Minister Abe?s speech to a joint meeting of Congress:
It is shocking and shameful that Prime Minister Abe continues to evade his government?s responsibility for the systematic atrocity that was perpetrated the Japanese Imperial Army against the so-called ?comfort women? during World War II, by not offering an apology during his speech today.
Today, he said Japan ?must not avert our eyes? from the suffering of the Asian countries, and that he upholds his predecessors? views. Yet, he refused to explicitly mention the "comfort women," nor their sexual enslavement. Today?s refusal to squarely face history is an insult to the spirit of the 200,000 girls and women from the Asia-Pacific who suffered during World War II. This is unacceptable.
He also said in today?s speech ?In our age, we must realize the kind of world where finally women are free from human rights abuses.? I agree with him completely. But without acknowledging the sins of the past, history will repeat itself.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Abe claimed to be ?deeply pained to think about the ?comfort women?? who experienced this suffering. But, his pain is nothing compared to the 70-year-long torment of justice denied. Having waited these seven decades for an honest and humble apology, 87-year old Ms. Yong-Soo Lee traveled from Korea to be my guest in the House Gallery today. My heart breaks for Ms. Lee and her sisters, as she must now return to Korea without having received an apology from Prime Minister Abe.
- Hinting Of Remorse, But Not Responsibility.
In July 2014, Prime Minister Abe traveled to Australia and gave a speech to the country's parliament. His words were well received and viewed as thoughtful and healing. Thus, there is a focus on Abe's speech Down Under as a model for his upcoming...
- Silence Broken: Comfort Women
Today, August 4th, is the 20th Anniversary of the Kono Statement, Japan's unofficial apology to the women and men who served as sex slaves to Japan's military and their contractors. It is a statement of acknowledgement, it asks for forgiveness,...
- Reference Comfort Women
The March 13th edition of the Japan Times, an English-language newspaper in Japan, reviewed the issues surrounding the Comfort Women. In Abe?s future, a nationalist rewrite of the past? By Reiji Yoshida Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has kept a diplomatically...
- Warning Abe
White House: Japan should do more to address ?comfort women? issue Posted By Josh Rogin, The Cable on Foreign Policy, Thursday, February 21, 2013 - 4:19 PM On the eve of Japan's new Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to Washington,...
- Japan Can Champion Women?s Rights
Jan Ruff O'Herne This op ed appeared in the International Herald Tribune on January 2, 2013. The author is APP Member, Mary M. McCarthy. She is an assistant professor of politics and international relations at Drake University and a Mansfield...
Social Sciences
"Shocking and Shameful" Says Congressman Honda's
Washington, D.C. ? Congressman Mike Honda (D-CA17) today made the following statement about Japanese Prime Minister Abe?s speech to a joint meeting of Congress:
It is shocking and shameful that Prime Minister Abe continues to evade his government?s responsibility for the systematic atrocity that was perpetrated the Japanese Imperial Army against the so-called ?comfort women? during World War II, by not offering an apology during his speech today.
Today, he said Japan ?must not avert our eyes? from the suffering of the Asian countries, and that he upholds his predecessors? views. Yet, he refused to explicitly mention the "comfort women," nor their sexual enslavement. Today?s refusal to squarely face history is an insult to the spirit of the 200,000 girls and women from the Asia-Pacific who suffered during World War II. This is unacceptable.
He also said in today?s speech ?In our age, we must realize the kind of world where finally women are free from human rights abuses.? I agree with him completely. But without acknowledging the sins of the past, history will repeat itself.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Abe claimed to be ?deeply pained to think about the ?comfort women?? who experienced this suffering. But, his pain is nothing compared to the 70-year-long torment of justice denied. Having waited these seven decades for an honest and humble apology, 87-year old Ms. Yong-Soo Lee traveled from Korea to be my guest in the House Gallery today. My heart breaks for Ms. Lee and her sisters, as she must now return to Korea without having received an apology from Prime Minister Abe.
- Hinting Of Remorse, But Not Responsibility.
In July 2014, Prime Minister Abe traveled to Australia and gave a speech to the country's parliament. His words were well received and viewed as thoughtful and healing. Thus, there is a focus on Abe's speech Down Under as a model for his upcoming...
- Silence Broken: Comfort Women
Today, August 4th, is the 20th Anniversary of the Kono Statement, Japan's unofficial apology to the women and men who served as sex slaves to Japan's military and their contractors. It is a statement of acknowledgement, it asks for forgiveness,...
- Reference Comfort Women
The March 13th edition of the Japan Times, an English-language newspaper in Japan, reviewed the issues surrounding the Comfort Women. In Abe?s future, a nationalist rewrite of the past? By Reiji Yoshida Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has kept a diplomatically...
- Warning Abe
White House: Japan should do more to address ?comfort women? issue Posted By Josh Rogin, The Cable on Foreign Policy, Thursday, February 21, 2013 - 4:19 PM On the eve of Japan's new Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to Washington,...
- Japan Can Champion Women?s Rights
Jan Ruff O'Herne This op ed appeared in the International Herald Tribune on January 2, 2013. The author is APP Member, Mary M. McCarthy. She is an assistant professor of politics and international relations at Drake University and a Mansfield...