Shinzo Abe administration submitted Budget Committee of the
House of Representatives a report of investigation over Kono Statement of 1991,
in which the government of Japan apologized to South Korea of involvement of
Japan Imperial Army in “comfort women” scandal. The result revealed that there had
been a number of consultations between the two nations over how to describe
Japan’s responsibility in the statement. Although Japanese government denied reviewing
the statement, the conservatives in Japan excited with those new historical
facts as justification of Japan’s accusation against the Koreans.
The investigation started in February when a former Deputy
Chief Cabinet Secretary indicated a possibility of consultation between Japan
and South Korea right before delivering Kono Statement. The submitted report
found that Japanese side consulted with South Korean government without distorting
the facts. The main talking points were involvement of Japanese Army in
settling brothels and in enrollment of comfort women, and coercion of
enrollment.
Kono Statement admits that the brothels were build with
request from Army, that enrollment was operated by private organizations with
request from Army, and a lot of enrollments were overwhelmingly against the will
of those women, along with temptation and coercion, and some governmental
officials were involved in it. On the building brothels and enrollment, South
Korea required describing it to be done by Army’s “order,” the expression which
Japan rejected in the consultation. On coercion in enrollment, Korean side
insisted on avoiding an image of volunteer enrollment. The expression became
“overwhelmingly against the will.”
Both governments had been concealing the fact of
consultation to their people. South Korean government expressed deep regret on
Japan’s unilateral decision to reveal the historical fact, saying “the result
of verification included substances which might erode credibility of Kono
Statement.” On the other hand, it focused on the standpoint of Abe
administration succeeding Kono Statement.
Conservative newspaper, Yomiuri, criticized Japanese
government as ignoring facts, putting priority on South Korean opinion and
inviting broad misunderstandings about direct involvement of Japanese Army.
However, even after the report revealed secret consultation
between two governments, Japan is still responsible for embarrassing fact of
comfort women, regardless it was operated by Japanese Army or private
organization. Questioning legitimacy of Kono Statement is nothing more than
complacency of the conservatives.
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