I’d want a full apology from the most official institutional representative itself… the same one that condoned me to years of sexual abuse… not some small sycophantic off-shoot branch created to save face and give me miserable compensation for a series of horrendous events that I never wanted to participate in in the first place and in which I was a totally innocent civilian victim targetted for continual rape because I was a woman.

It’s a desire for an apology, not an all-you-can-get cash grab.

I say the women deserve it and the Japanese government should cough it up.

On the other hand, if a formal apology was offered up years ago, like it still should today, this would no longer be an issue and the women would have gone out of the political arena by now.

But if you really want to see it from just the money terms… .

… an expression of atonement on the part of the Japanese people is not an apology… it’s ‘here’s some money - now the problem can go awaaay.’

“I believe that our country, painfully aware of its moral responsibilities, with feelings of apology and remorse, should face up squarely to its past history and accurately convey it to future generations.” is not an apology. It’s Koizumi saying the country should face up to its past history. Not that is has. And “feelings of apology” isn’t, you know, an apology. It’s like saying ‘with feelings of guilt’ but not ‘I’m guilty’.

It’s the diplomatic equivalent of feel-good fiffle-fuffle to me and if I’d be the one who’s been aggrieved, none of this would wash with me, either.

We’re going to have to agree to disagree on this topic, then. I feel secure in my opinion and other people feel secure in theirs.

I’m out on this discussion and on to something new… figuring out t-shirt sayings.

Last one (promise). An expression of atonement is NOT an apology - it’s a reparation for a wrong or injury. An apology is ‘I am sorry. I am wrong. I apologize.’

Geeze… you’re all married… haven’t you guys figured that out yet?

“US-Japan ties are endagered”? Well, fortunately Japan has numerous other international friends, including…er, Sato-san, have we made that payment to Vanatu yet?

US soldiers would have to place their lives on the line if Japan were attacked. THAT’s why the US Congress is interested in Japan’s massive sex-slavery industry, both WWII-vintage and present-day.

Thanks for mentioning Vanatu.

I was really having a hard time trying to figure out how to work the following link into a JAPUNDIT article:

Vanuatu’s ‘Cargo Cult’ Celebrates 50 Years of Worshipping U.S.
—–
Savvy John Frum?

Betty Woo, as long as your own country is almost completely lacking in anything approaching the introspection, candor and remorse you routinely demand of Japan, I will continue to disregard any finger-pointing against the Japanese as the
racist double-standard.

“Don’t you think that the term “racist” is used entirely too much these days in cases where it does not apply?”

Yes, and so is the concept of “national character”. There’s no need to point to someone and say: “as long as your own country is COMPLETELY lacking . . . I will continue to disregard . . .”

Come on. We’re adults. We can have a discussion in which we aren’t just token representatives of the countries of our birth and don’t reduce each other to those roles.

For the record, I don’t even know what country Betty Woo is from. The US? China? And Fluffy is from the UK or some part of the Commonwealth? I gotta say, Fluffy, your post was just plain nasty and reveals more about your own stereotypes than anything else.

As for the comfort women–I think being a comfort woman pretty much sets you up for a lifetime of trauma, whether or not, as someone so blithely put it, enforced sexual slavery is just “a part of war.” There’s an interesting movement out now–I think in the Balkans–to try to keep rape out of warfare. Some interesting studies have been done on this, and on the impact that rape during warfare has on the men. I’ll have to look for the link. And as for wartime rape, I personally have no idea how anyone just “gets over it.” It is also a concept which probably affects any woman in a more visceral way than it could any man.

I also suspect that no apology and no amount of money can just “make it go away.” It’s an injustice that is just “there,” for better or for worse. How someone handles this fact is probably a reflection of the individual, of the political environment, access to mental health, etc.

I’ve looked at the links and yes they do look like apologies. There’s one interesting line in Koizumi’s wording:

“Furthermore, Japan also should take an active part in dealing with violence and other forms of injustice to the honor and dignity of women.”

I wonder what “active part” Japan has taken? I’m sure someone out there will know.

that had a “gasoline-on-the-bonfire” effect (JP)..

Puns zero - Invective ten.

I believe that one of the main sponsors of the resolution is a Japanese-American man. I can’t find his name right now, but it was in the papers the other day.

One thing that the internet has taught me is that not only is the heavy use of the emoticon a sigh of a quick wit and a sharp mind, but it’s perhaps, the most indisputable proof of moral righteousness.

I’m afraid I’m going to have to accept defeat in this debate. I just can’t fight

Just a follow up re: ‘Comfort Women’ Abe denies that the military forced women into sexual slavery… .

March 1, 2007
Japan’s Abe Denies Proof of World War II Sex Slaves
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 2:07 p.m. ET

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s nationalist prime minister denied Thursday that the country’s military forced women into sexual slavery during World War II, casting doubt on a past government apology and jeopardizing a fragile detente with his Asian neighbors.

The comments by Shinzo Abe, a member of a group of lawmakers pushing to roll back a 1993 apology to the sex slaves, were his clearest statement as prime minister on military brothels known in Japan as ”comfort stations.”

Found at the NYTimes. Someone ought to post the whole article from here:
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/world/AP-Japan-Sex-Slaves.html (registration may be required)

It’s an interesting article is provides some background on the circumstances surrounding this topic.

Let’s assume for a moment that the substance of Abe’s statement, if construed narrowly, is true. It’s still a spectacularly stupid and unnecessary comment to make in light of the foreseeable diplomatic repercussions and the absence of any real gains, political or otherwise.

[...] Now, I usually like what JP over at Japundit says, but I have to say, I was a bit surprised to hear this during his last podcast (which, as I’ve pointed out, are outstanding—join in now if you haven’t already): Excuse me, but until I read this report I had a lot of sympathy for the cause of comfort women. But if you look at the site of the Asian Women’s Fund, you will see that it deals with the misdeeds of the Japanese military in a very straightforward manner, admits guilt, and apologizes for it. As reported above, former comfort women are also eligible to receive compensation, which many of them are rejecting. If all of this is true, it would appear that the comfort women organizations are more intent upon embarrassing Japan than in bringing the matter to any type of settlement. [...]

I was hoping the news report about Abe’s comments would pass by without anyone noticing, but…. (Just kidding!)

You really have to wonder just what in the heck it is they are trying to accomplish with this.

He’s got Roh of Korea coming at him from one side a couple of days ago, and then there’s Mr Honda on the other side. And rather than do the statesmanly thing and actually address the issue, seems he’s more concerned with losing face. And seems he might actually be paying attention to those popularity polls and wrong-headedly believes that this is showing leadership skills.
I’m grabbing at straws but I just can’t imagine why else he’d choose to spout this errant nonsense, particularly at this time.

[...] Japundit: Comfort women discomfort [...]

[...] Honda, who is sponsor of the resolution telling Japan to apologize formally for the “comfort woman” brothels its military set up during WWII now is asking the [...]