Yes, I Apologize, But…

It was as if perpetual motion of speaking for justifying himself. A co-leader of Japan Restoration Party, Toru Hashimoto, held a two-and-a-half-hour press conference at the Foreign Correspondent Club of Japan on Monday. Although he apologized his words to have recommended US Marine Commander in Okinawa to use sex business for restoring order in the troops, he rejected to withdraw his comment that recognized the necessity of comfort women in the wartime. Hashimoto again and again denied the involvement of Japanese government in abduction or human trafficking, only to further harm international relationship of Japan.

Hashimoto insisted that there were no coercion to comfort women, making an argument that this point was the most important issue for Korean people. But, it has actually been the discussion only for some eccentrically conservative politicians and bureaucrats in Japan. The argument in the world is that it is Japan that was responsible, regardless whether the government was directly involved in. Focusing on the responsibility of government is recognized as the justification of Japan, trying to take people’s eyes off of his wrong statement.

Hashimoto also reiterated that Japan should apologize for comfort women, with the acknowledgement of involvement of Japanese Imperial Army. About the Kono Statement which recognized Japan’s governmental involvement in comfort woman issue, he avoided denying it, while arguing that was insufficient in terms of lacking the viewpoint of official involvement. Once this argument gets into whether the involvement was official or not, it is regarded as a reviewing Japan’s apologies, making all argument invalid. He, as a political novice, did not know that.

Embarrassingly enough, Hashimoto began criticizing other countries, such as United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Korea or Soviet Union, as experienced the same wrong doings as comfort women. Obviously, he confused rapes with employing sex slaves. If a traffic violator complained with overlooking many other violators, police will not tolerate his violation. Similarly, Japan’s complaint of “Why they accuse only us?” does not make sense, as long as it diffuses mixed message to the world.

After all, Hashimoto was simply trying to survive in political scene as a young fresh dude by shifting his word from right to left, or reverse. “It is election when a politician takes his responsibility. If I had been wrong, our party will lose in next election. Then, there may be the time when my colleagues discuss about my stepping down,” said him. So, it will be the Japanese voters who are responsible for taking responsibility for the victim of comfort woman system.