Japan Calls Proposed US Congressional Resolution on ...
Japan's Foreign Minister Taro Aso has denounced a draft resolution being considered by U.S. lawmakers that demands Japan apologize for forcing women to work as sex slaves during World War Two. Speaking in Japan's parliament Monday, Taro Aso called the draft regrettable and not based on objective facts.
Last Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives held a hearing on the proposed resolution, which says Japan should formally acknowledge and apologize for its use of so-called "comfort women" in a clear and unequivocal manner. Members of Congress heard graphic testimony about alleged mistreatment from three now elderly women from South Korea and Australia.
Japan has never adopted a formal resolution recognizing its wartime government's role in forcing around 200-thousand mostly non-Japanese young women to work in Japanese army brothels. Historians say the military forced those they called "comfort women" to have sex with millions of Japanese soldiers during the war.
日本外相麻生太郎对美国国会正在考虑的一份决议草案表示谴责。这项草案要求日本为二战期间强迫妇女充当慰安妇作出道歉。麻生太郎星期一在对日本国会讲话时说，这一草案让人遗憾，没有以客观事实为基础。
上星期四，美国众议院就这一草案举行了听证会。草案要求日本明确和毫不含糊地正式承认在二战期间使用慰安妇，并为此道歉。在听证会上，三名来自韩国和澳大利亚的老年女性向国会议员详细讲述了她们作为慰安妇所遭受的虐待。
日本从未正式承认其二战期间政府参与了大约20万年轻女性为日军充当慰安妇的活动。这些女性大多数是其它国家的公民。历史学家说，日本军方在二战期间强迫这些女性为数百万日本军人充当性奴。
