2007.04.27: April 27, 2007: Headlines: Figures: COS - El Salvador: Politics: Congress: Asian Week: Honda Won’t Drop Apology Bill
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2007.04.27: April 27, 2007: Headlines: Figures: COS - El Salvador: Politics: Congress: Asian Week: Honda Won’t Drop Apology Bill
Honda Won’t Drop Apology Bill
— Congressman Mike Honda (D-CA) expressed his determination to pursue an apology in the wake of Japanese Prime Minster Shinzo Abe’s expression of his personal sorrow for Japan’s brutal World War II role forcing young women into sexual slavery, often named by the Japanese as "comfort women." Honda, a Japanese American, has sponsored a non-binding Congressional resolution condemning the Japanese military during World War II for coercing young Asian women to serve as sex slaves. While his effort to hold Japan accountable for wartime atrocities drew silence from some Japanese Americans, Honda argued that it is the right thing to do. Congressman Mike Honda of California served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in El Salvador in the 1960's.
Honda Won’t Drop Apology Bill
Honda Won’t Drop Apology Bill
AsianWeek Staff Report, Apr 27, 2007
SAN FRANCISCO — Congressman Mike Honda (D-CA) expressed his determination to pursue an apology in the wake of Japanese Prime Minster Shinzo Abe’s expression of his personal sorrow for Japan’s brutal World War II role forcing young women into sexual slavery, often named by the Japanese as "comfort women."
Honda, a Japanese American, has sponsored a non-binding Congressional resolution condemning the Japanese military during World War II for coercing young Asian women to serve as sex slaves. While his effort to hold Japan accountable for wartime atrocities drew silence from some Japanese Americans, Honda argued that it is the right thing to do.
"While I sincerely appreciate Mr. Abe’s personal concern for the suffering of ‘comfort women,’ I believe that meaningful reconciliation over this historic injustice requires an unequivocal, unambiguous official governmental apology," said Honda.
"The United States government learned this lesson as a result of the unjust internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. My congressional resolution calls for a similar official apology by the Japanese government, and I remain very confident of its passage by Congress," he said.
Abe’s remarks were intended to soften the U.S. backlash that has included Honda’s resolution, over his claim last month that the Japanese government was not directly involved in forcing women to work in military brothels.
The comments also directly contradicted Abe’s earlier claims that there "was no historic evidence" of such a matter and that Tokyo would not apologize. Between 80,000 and 200,000 women from World War II occupied countries – including Korea, China and the Philippines — were forced into sexual slavery by Japan’s military.
Last Thursday, protesters from Amnesty International USA, 121 Coalition and a sex slave survivor Young Soo Lee held a "Dignity March" outside the White House where Abe was to meet President Bush. Survivor winner Yul Kwon supported the march with an online video.
Last week, Japanese historians — citing newly found post-war trials of Japanese criminals — refuted government denials that Japan’s military coerced Asian women into sexual slavery.
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Headlines: April, 2007; RPCV Mike Honda (El Salvador); Figures; Peace Corps El Salvador; Directory of El Salvador RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for El Salvador RPCVs; Politics; Congress; California; Peace Corps Bibliography; Peace Corps Countries of Service; Peace Corps History; Peace Corps Message Board; Recent Peace Corps News
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Story Source: Asian Week
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