3-31-07, 8:52 am
Distortion of historical issue of sex slaves coincides with constitutional revision
Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo used his news conference on March 26 in Kofu City to criticize Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Shimomura Hakubun for denying the existence of comfort women who were forced to serve the Imperial Army during WWII.
On a commercial radio program broadcast on March 25, Shimomura said, “Although there were war nurses and war correspondents, there were no comfort women serving the Imperial Army. However, it is true that comfort women existed. I think it was a fact that some parents sold their daughters, but the Imperial Army was not involved in it.”
Shii said, “Reuters news agency and Korean newspapers reported Mr. Shimomura’s remark. His remark amounts to denying the 1993 statement by then Chief Cabinet Secretary Kono Yohei that admitted the Japanese Army’s involvement and apologized for it. We must not overlook Shimomura’s remark because it conflicts with his responsibilities as a deputy chief cabinet secretary.”
Prime Minister Abe Shinzo also repeatedly claims, “There is no evidence to support the allegation that many comfort women were recruited against their will.”
The United States and the rest of the world are questioning Japan’s definition of human rights.
Pointing out that the remarks that distort historical facts coincide with the ongoing moves towards constitutional revision, Shii said that whether to defend the Constitution or not will be a major issue in the coming elections.
“Advocates of constitutional revision are attempting to have the bills on procedures for constitutional revision enacted in the current Diet session. They also distort the historical facts concerning the issue of comfort women. Pro-constitutional revision forces who refuse to reflect on Japan’s past war of aggression want to turn Japan into a country that can fight wars abroad by adversely changing Article 9 of the Constitution, thus raising deep concerns and criticism among Asian nations.”
Withdraw SDF from Iraq, scrap bill to establish procedures for constitutional revision: JCP Ichida at anti-Iraq War rally
On March 20, marking the fourth anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, various actions took place throughout Japan calling for the withdrawal of the Self-Defense Forces from Iraq and in opposition to a constitutional revision.
In Tokyo, labor unions and civic groups staged a sit-in protest in the morning against the ruling Liberal Democratic and Komei parties’ move to enact a bill to establish procedures for constitutional revision in the current session of the Diet.
In the evening, about 2,500 people took part in a rally at the Hibiya amphitheater. Speaking on behalf of the organizers, Ban’nai Mitsuo, the president of the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren), stated that the revision of Article 9 is sought to enable Japan to use force in cooperation with the U.S. forces in U.S. wars like the one in Iraq. He called on the participants to mark that rally as a springboard for further strengthening actions in opposition to constitutional revision.
Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Ichida Tadayoshi delivered a report about the situations in the Diet and stated, “The rapid increase in the movement in opposition to constitutional revision is upsetting the pro-constitutional revision forces. Let us quickly reveal the dangerous agenda hidden in the bill to the public and have it scrapped.”
After the rally, the participants marched in demonstration to the Diet Building.
From Akahata
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