CNN Reports that "Japan PM apologizes to sex slaves." What do these words mean? Is this an apology on behalf of his government and his military or is he simply sorry for their pain and suffering? There is a difference. Here's what the report says, in part:
TOKYO, Japan (AP) -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, under fire for denying that Japan forced women to work as sex slaves during World War II, offered a fresh apology Monday but stopped short of clearly acknowledging Japan's responsibility for the front-line brothels.
"I express my sympathy toward the comfort women and apologize for the situation they found themselves in," Abe told a parliamentary debate, using a euphemism used by Japanese politicians to refer to former sex slaves.
"I apologize here and now as prime minister," he said.
Abe's apology was his clearest yet since the conservative leader triggered international furor earlier this month by saying there was no evidence that women were coerced into sexual service during the war.
Still, his remarks fall short of victims' demands for Abe to clearly acknowledge that the military forced the women into prostitution.
200,000 women and girls across Asia did not just "find themselves" in a "situation" they were abducted. They were imprisoned. They were systematically raped. It wasn't an accident. Nobody paid them. Nobody invited them. Nobody stopped when they said no. But somebody gathered them up. Somebody jailed them. Somebody abused them sexually, emotionally and mentally.
The Japanese government must take responsibility. It is not enough to say you're sorry they were hurt. We are all sorry they were hurt. The Comfort Women need for you -- on behalf of the Japanese government and its Japanese Imperial Army -- to take responsibility for these acts of abduction and the systematic rape and enslavement of a generation of women. 200,000 of them.
And where is the language of compensation? Of reparation?
We can read between the lines, Prime Minister Abe. You have, once again, stopped short of a sincere apology. That is not good enough.
TOKYO, Japan (AP) -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, under fire for denying that Japan forced women to work as sex slaves during World War II, offered a fresh apology Monday but stopped short of clearly acknowledging Japan's responsibility for the front-line brothels.
"I express my sympathy toward the comfort women and apologize for the situation they found themselves in," Abe told a parliamentary debate, using a euphemism used by Japanese politicians to refer to former sex slaves.
"I apologize here and now as prime minister," he said.
Abe's apology was his clearest yet since the conservative leader triggered international furor earlier this month by saying there was no evidence that women were coerced into sexual service during the war.
Still, his remarks fall short of victims' demands for Abe to clearly acknowledge that the military forced the women into prostitution.
200,000 women and girls across Asia did not just "find themselves" in a "situation" they were abducted. They were imprisoned. They were systematically raped. It wasn't an accident. Nobody paid them. Nobody invited them. Nobody stopped when they said no. But somebody gathered them up. Somebody jailed them. Somebody abused them sexually, emotionally and mentally.
The Japanese government must take responsibility. It is not enough to say you're sorry they were hurt. We are all sorry they were hurt. The Comfort Women need for you -- on behalf of the Japanese government and its Japanese Imperial Army -- to take responsibility for these acts of abduction and the systematic rape and enslavement of a generation of women. 200,000 of them.
And where is the language of compensation? Of reparation?
We can read between the lines, Prime Minister Abe. You have, once again, stopped short of a sincere apology. That is not good enough.
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