U.S. House to Japan: Apologize!
The U.S. House of Representative has passed its resolution demanding that Japan issue a formal apology for forcing women into service as comfort women during World War II.
Though largely symbolic, the nonbinding resolution has caused unease in Japan and added tension to an otherwise strong alliance. Officials in Tokyo say their country’s leaders, including Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, have apologized repeatedly for the Imperial Japanese Army’s forcing of women to work in military brothels in the 1930s and 1940s.
The resolution’s supporters, however, say Japan has never assumed responsibility fully for the treatment of the women.
Rep. Tom Lantos, D-Calif., labeled as “nauseating” what he said were efforts by some in Japan “to distort and deny history and play a game of blame the victim.”
“Inhumane deeds should be fully acknowledged,” said Lantos, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “The world awaits a full reckoning of history from the Japanese government.”
The resolation demands that Japan “formally acknowledge, apologize and accept historical responsibility in a clear and unequivocal manner.”
After decades of denial, the Japanese government acknowledged its role in wartime prostitution after a historian discovered documents showing government involvement. In 1993, the government issued a carefully worded official apology, but it was never approved by parliament. Japan has rejected most compensation claims, saying they were settled by postwar treaties.
Japan ought to immediately pass a resolution demanding the USA grant monetary reparations to all black people that the USA allowed to be enslaved, after all, the US government actually charged the captains importing slaves a per head customs levy.
Who asked them to have an opinion on the matter?.
July 31st, 2007 at 1:26 pmInhumane deeds should be fully acknowledged, The world awaits a full reckoning of history from the US government.
[rolleyes]
July 31st, 2007 at 1:28 pmI don’t think the World should hold its breath while it “awaits”..
July 31st, 2007 at 1:34 pmWell, I think it should be noted that Honda’s actions are typical of the left - which is the part of US politics so adored by many in New Zealand and Western Europe. It doesn’t represent serious Americans, as few of those as there seem to be these days.
Still, I remember Japan and millions of Japanese petitioning the US to change its gun laws a few years back. Tit for tat.
Personally, I am waiting for Tunisia and other North African states to apologize and pay reparations for enslaving hundreds of American merchant sailors in the late 18th century.
July 31st, 2007 at 1:54 pmWell, why draw the line at past wrongs committed by Japan and the U.S.?
Not to demean what happened in the U.S. during the slavery era, but wasn’t the slave system originally established by European countries? Have those countries conducted a full reckoning, issued apologies, and paid appropriate compensation?
Also, there are countries that were around long before the U.S. was founded, long before North America was even discovered, that committed atrocities against other countries and peoples in the past. Have they all conducted a full reckoning, issued apologies, and paid appropriate compensation?
Should the world hold its breath awaiting a full reckoning from them?
July 31st, 2007 at 2:45 pmThe ‘black armband’ view of history..some might say.
not my term - I am not a subscriber - its foolish to hold ones breath as well.
rem.
July 31st, 2007 at 2:58 pmYou are perfectly right JP. But then, the world isn’t passing resolutions condemning Japans (Even in my own opinion, too limited ) previous admissions as insuffuciant. The USA has done, so I was reacting to that.
I mean, I am part Nagti Kahangunu, part Te Arawa. We ATE some US and British whalers once apon a time. AND kept some as sort of slaves/unwilling guests. And We ain’t said sorry yet, let alone formally. Anyone care?.
I think that people will use this as a stick to beat Japan with, that themselves, are guilty of similar refusals to apologise for things that SOMEONE ELSE DID, 60 years ago, 100 years ago, 300 years ago. I mean, I seem to remember a massacre of civilians under a bridge, near Seoul once, that still hasn’t had offical acknowledgement of being WRONG even, let alone an appology.
Just seems damned stupid thing to do, to me. People who live in a street of glass houses, ought not be the ones to start throwing stones through their neighbours windows.
July 31st, 2007 at 4:01 pmI agree with you about the U.S. House’s strange stance, Tigger. Actually the throwing-stones-in-glass-houses point is exactly the same as the one I was trying to make.
Once we start going down the apologies/compensation road, the next question is how far down it are we willing to go.
By the way, which tasted better? The Brits or the Yanks?
July 31st, 2007 at 4:37 pmWhat is an apology going to do. This has said nothing about reparations and honestly I think it ridiculous of both sides. Whether it be “We already said sorry but we don’t need to issue a formal apology”…wtf…or “you did bad things…say sorry”…again wtf. I have yet to see anyone truly affected by this whole situation complaining and therefor am confused as to why this is a situation at all. I understand wanting to stick up for those that cannot stick up for themselves but this whole ordeal seems nothing more than a childish playground argument. Is there nothing else in this world that we could be solving? No REAL issue that should be acted on?
forgive me if I seem rude towards anyone of whom this may really ‘hit home’.
July 31st, 2007 at 4:39 pmOY!!! The US house ought to butt the hell out. How many people in power in Japan now were in power when the atrocities of WW2 occurred? I hope Shinzo Abe gives Pelosi and company a very big long middle finger on this issue.
July 31st, 2007 at 8:56 pmAs an American voter sitting here in Ohio, I think
the politicians should worry less about what Japan
is doing and more about what they should be doing.
They always have to stick their noses in other
peoples business and their hands in every body’s
pocket.
They think they know better and are better than the
rest of us.
Mike D.
July 31st, 2007 at 9:51 pmAbe Shinzo should not made those remarks claiming there was no proof of coercion in the first place. He should have let Aso make all the off-colour remarks in his place.
Now the world is more aware of the issue and American politicians have an expectation to criticise Abe over his remarks.
Losing a domestic election for losing pension records and now tarnishing Japan’s reputation abroad. Now Mori Yoshiro is publicly saying Abe is inexperienced….
July 31st, 2007 at 11:48 pmForcing someone to apologies for crimes committed by others in a bygone era. Doesn’t sound like the ideal path to forgiveness or remorse.
August 1st, 2007 at 1:07 amWhat bugs me most about political stunts like this is that invariably deflect attention away from the real victims on whose behalf their sponsors are ostensibly acting.
On the other hand, I somehow doubt that there will be any significant bilateral fallout arising from this resolution.
August 1st, 2007 at 1:35 amI wasn’t joking about my family having eaten people, JP.
I never met Great-Nana Campbell, ne Nonori Tamehana, who helped eat a Reverend Vaulkner when she was 4 or 5, but my elder brothers and sister did. She used to say to sissy, “Come here mokopuna, sit on Nannas knee”. My sister would, frightened by the really old lady who used to ham it up like a showman. Great nana would quietly stroke Lindas hair, then pinch her bicep, and say “not fat enough yet”.
All the uncles and aunties would giggle like mad, while sissy would head for the underneath of the guest bed.
Quite interestingly, one side of my whanau were allied to the Crown right from early days, pre the Treaty even. And some of the other members, were from the “King country” which was the seat of the troubles we called “The Maori Wars”. Some of the “Crowns maori” of my family, married into the Crowns army, and some married into the defeated King country maoris, all jumbled up.
I never ate men, nor met anyone who has, but to me, it isn’t such an awful thought. If I was hungery . . well, maybe not myself, but if any woman or child relied on me, and was starving . . . I would make them some nice soup, and the moral crime would be on my shoulders, and rest quite light I think.
August 1st, 2007 at 8:18 am