Does Japan owe an apology for WWII crimes 60 years on? - Instablogs
Does Japan owe an apology for WWII crimes 60 years on?
Pankaj , Shimla: Nov 29 2007
Made Popular Nov 29 2007

Does Japan owe an apology for WWII crimes 60 years on?
Canada’s parliament has unanimously passed a motion calling on Japan to apologize for forcing some 200,000 women to serve as wartime sex slaves. Similar motions have been adopted in the US and the Netherlands.
Yes # This isn’t crime against 200,000 women. It’s crime against humanity and all of the world’s citizens have a responsibility to speak out against it.
# Forced prostitution at this level is unpardonable and Japan’s failure to acknowledge it is a huge hurdle in establishing good relations with its neighbors.
No # If Japan is forced to apologize for WWII crimes then US and other western nations should also come right out to apologize to Africans for its legacy.
# Since the US and many other western states didn’t officially protest during or immediately after the atrocities transpired, to do so now is unfair to modern Japanese who like the victims, must also live with the memory of their military’s regrettable wartime policies.

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1 Stars
Disagree
Pooja
Shimla, India
War never comes alone it accompanies destruction irrespective of the region or people. Both the US and Japan were equally responsible for bringing about appalling situation, however I feel reviving this old wound won’t be able to bestow any kind of justice, after all the carnage pulsated under the emperor and not by the current democratic government.

The international authorities must seek a lesson from this and instead of nourishing the old wounds they must take a step forward with pledge of not committing the same mistake again!
7 Stars
Disagree
Demanding apology from Japan is nothing but mere pretext to kindle unnecessary commotion. Past has left, leaving behind its teachings. Future lies ahead. Therefore, instead of demanding apology for the ignominious act of sex slavery, it would be much better if efforts are made to curb the re-emergence of such situations. So, the long and short of the matter is that it would be much better, if attention is now focused on what lies ahead, instead of harping on what has gone; lying defunct.
8 Stars
Disagree
Vikas Shekhawat instablogs.com
Churu, Rajasthan, India
Japan PM Shinzo Abe already apologized for the “comfort women” in March this year. It’s strange why global community is raising a hue and cry over a generation old issue again and again. Now, when Canada’s parliament has unanimously passed a motion, it’s clear the world is still not ready to bury the past and move on. WW is dead and so the people involved in it. It’s better we wage a fresh war on poverty, drugs, and sick people with arms designed to dig innocents’ graves and brains designed not to bury them. Japan doesn’t have to apologize, Japan is not guilty, the world is guilty!
0 Stars
Agree
Vinod
Shimla, India
Whatever the situation so far was – lacking the evidences against Japan, Japan never recognizing the evil, or the victims not coming out openly due to social dogma… since the proves have come to the fore now, Japan now owes apology… apology for all amoral deeds that are committed in the name of war… the atrocities that were inflicted on the innocent humanity … for making the hell of innocent girls who suffered enormous brutalities! Some may argue what apology will do, and yes, however, it will be a regard to humanity at least, for those humans who lived in the hell while being alive. Apology from all who were involved with a pledge to endeavor for not to repeat the same again, as world is on the same path again!
0 Stars
Agree
I strongly believe that Japan should apologize for the crimes done during World War II, the crimes are unpardonable and Japan cannot get rid of the crimes by giving it a name of “Comfort Women”. Come on Japan, developing robots for all tasks isn’t going to change your image in the world, you have to remember that what your soldiers did during that time was wrong and you have to apologize for that any number of times it is desired.
4 Stars
Disagree
Ramya.
Chennai, India
I wish and pray to god that these kind of worst things should not happen in future atleast. Not only in Japan such intolerable actions happen all over the world, and definitely there must be some end for this. BUT WHEN and HOW, no one knows.
I agree with what Mr. Anupam has said. What will people get with an apology? Instead if the people are given some assurance that such things will be strictly not repeated again, would be of some help and meaningful.
0 Stars
Agree
Mitchell
bermingham, United Kingdom
‘Comfort Women’ the very phrase makes my heart pump more blood than it usually does! Shame on Japan! Shame on everyone involved, and those wretches particularly who forget the humanity in the spark of war. Those tearful eyes waited and waited and waited for the justice, those gotta be revered… but there was none to hear. Alas! the world heard the gravest plights with deaf ears. Even still no adherence. Is humanity no more in this world? Very true, perhaps there is no guardian for humanity... its gonna be not more than a word used for playing politics, a phrase or a word with no depth, no meaning
1 Stars
Disagree
A Japanese apology for its wartime atrocities has been the sincerest wishes of a few Japanese post War leaders and a large section of the Japanese population as well. However this is not possible because:

a) An apology will mean victims and their families would then have a legal weapon to sue for compensations. Remember, after Japan was defeated, the Allied forces let Hirohito to continue as the Emperor of Japan in a constitutional monarchy setup. The current Japanese government is still technically the government of the monarchy that carried out the Asian Holocaust. Japan apologized for the Korean Comfort Women and was subsequently sued by many. A comprehensive apology is not going to be in the interest of the Japan.

b) Many Japanese believe that some of the war criminals were national heroes and they worship them in temples such as this. This is a very sensitive issue for many Japanese.

Besides the above two reasons, the US of A has not apologized yet for its nuclear attack on Japan obliterating two cities and causing deaths of millions of civilians over time as a result of it. If there has to be an apology, it should come as a reconciliation package where all the parties of the War should work towards correcting historical atrocities if that means apologies from all sides.
0 Stars
Agree
Harshpaul
shimla, India
Japan should apologize because it was the government that had given a nod to these activities and so it should be held accountable. Sands of time cannot be a good excuse for countries to shy away from the disasters they perpetrated. It is necessary for Japan to apologize not because other nations demand it, but simply because it is in the interests of morality and humanity.
0 Stars
Agree
I may be biased to write for yes, but let me bring some lines which i went though while looking for the matter, which make me personally feel that it’s not about an excuse that Japanees should not apologize as others as well did the same in their respective times. nothing can be changed as past is gone, but it was brutal and what will happen if they will apologize for it again.


Ten Dutch women were taken by force from prison camps in Java by officers of the Japanese Imperial Army to become forced sex slaves in February 1944. They were systematically beaten and raped day and night in a so called ”Comfort Station”. As a victim of the incident, Jan Ruff-O’Hearn testified to a U.S. House of Representatives committee, ”Many stories have been told about the horrors, brutalities, suffering and starvation of Dutch women in Japanese prison camps. But one story was never told, the most shameful story of the worst human rights abuse committed by the Japanese during World War II: The story of the “Comfort Women”, the jugun ianfu, and how these women were forcibly seized against their will, to provide sexual services for the Japanese Imperial Army. In the so-called “Comfort Station” I was systematically beaten and raped day and night. Even the Japanese doctor raped me each time he visited the brothel to examine us for veneral disease.”
0 Stars
Agree
Of course, Japan should make an apology for his past deeds. Millions of innocent people lost their lives for nothing. It’s all because of Japan who created such adverse circumstances i.e. provoked US to drop little boys on its two cities. Attack on China n Pearl Harbor r few inexcusable mistakes that Japan did during WWII n I find nothing wrong in it if Japan has to apologize for that.
0 Stars
Agree
the so called ’comfort women’ was one of the most egregious violations of human rights in the 20th century. It might not be in parallel with the Holocaust, but it was no less a hideous crime against humanity.

It is regrettable that people can talk of it as irrelevant now after 60 years and in some cases considering the ’world guilty’ for helping the victims relieve their pain and restore their human dignity.
0 Stars
Agree
I don’t understand why we are debating on the issue. Forced prostitution in any situation is totally unpardonable and is indeed crime against humanity. Japan definitely owes an apology.
0 Stars
Agree
Jacinta
queensland, Australia
dead right clara merely condoning what happened in hiroshima, nagasaki won’t make forget Japanese brutalities easily. for japanese were dead bound to fight last, no matter what the means were and ‘Comfort Women’ were among the foul, but until the nuclear bombs denied them the chance. They should admit now and compensate and … as its no more hidden they definitely should appologise
0 Stars
Agree
By capturing 200,000 women to serve as wartime sex slaves I think Japan should really apologize for this intolerable sin. Japan this is really... really....really not fair and now the time has striked to bow down your head in shame for your vicious mistake.

But still I don’t think that your this injustice with wartime women slaves should be excused and moreover for this you should get some big punishment so that no other nation can ever think to commit this grave peccadillo again.
2 Stars
Disagree
@ Pankaj, Rajni, Madan, Jolly, Vinod, clarareve, and all those who are taking up the ’comfort women’ issue.

Japan has already apologized for the crimes against Korean women who were used as sex slaves for the Imperial Japanese Army. In 1995, Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama did that, offered a ’profound’ apology. Check this out. Japan has however denied legal liability for this.

Now, are you confusing this with the demand for a Japanese apology for the Asian Holocaust? Or, is it simply financial compensation for the comfort women?

Please make up your minds.
0 Stars
Agree
As all my pals above said Japan should apologize for its vicious doings by forcing some 200,000 women to serve as sex slaves, I too say that now its time to bow down your head with shame and this black spot of inhumanity will never ever fade away from your flag.
4 Stars
Disagree
Tom
Helmond, Netherlands
It’s been long while the mess is over! Do these people want to do that again? Something that US did while calling the Armenian slaughter as genocide and now Canada following the suit! Really worth remembering that bloodshed and atrocities! Rather but the futile exercise of empty mind dragging the whole world to those dark ages? No apology, no remembering of that dark era and foolishness to spoil future because of blunders committed in the past. Do away with this!
4 Stars
Disagree
Jason
Auckland, New Zealand
Uh… prigs harping same old tunes! Absolutely not! What for? That was the war time and every thing was plausible? Leave it its past now, don’t dig the grave again! And moreover, why only Japan? Others even did nothing different! Why not the US files an apology for bombing Japan with nuclear arsenal? What apology will do after all? Merely adding the salt to injury!
3 Stars
Disagree
Aneez
Mumbai, India
Take a bigg showel and start digging old graves, and be prepared to face some of your own kindreds.
Its human tendency to scratch a healing wound n Canada is no exception. Anyway, if at all Canada wants to show its competency, I would suggest it take a descending route - starting from Iraq, going through Afghanistan... and so on... And I’m sure, by the time it reaches Japan, it comes around some scarred faces presenting a black page in the history of Hiroshima n Nagasaki too.
It will be a nice journey down the memory lane - one which will certainly make Canada, and the World, forget their stupd cry for apologies.
I’m not not familiar with this subject called history, but as a layman, I find that Japan’s crime is very pale in comparison with other graver war crimes committed by other nations.
So, to seek or demand an apology from Japan is a kiddish act by Canada.
1 Stars
Disagree
Siddhesh
Pune, India
No.....if Japan’s to apologize then why not US for using nukes....or Germans for massacre of Jews? Moreover, Britain should apologize the whole world including India coz its imperial rule left this nations impoverished till today! No use of digging up history and debating who should do what for which mistakes.....there will be no end to it!!
0 Stars
Disagree
Rekha
Bangalore, India
Most countries have acted in heinous ways at some point in their history. It’s better they do some soul-searching before accusing others and demand apologies for the past crimes.

It’s the individuals who did the crime who should feel the remorse and I guess it would have pricked their conscious sometime or the other in their life.

There are enough issues to worry about than start bickering over such things.
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