China urges Japan to face historical facts of 'comfort women'

A Chinese envoy to the UN on Monday urged the Japanese government to squarely face up to the historical facts regarding the use of a large number of war-time sex slave, or "comfort women," and make formal and sincere apologies to the victims.

"A lot of historical evidence points to the fact that the Japanese military forcefully drafted a large number of the ' comfort women' as sex slaves in an organized manner from China, the Republic of Korea and many other countries during WWII," said Wang Min, the Chinese deputy permanent representative to the UN, at the General Debate of the 58th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women.

The women and girls forced to be "comfort women" were victimized by horrific sexual violence, Wang said. "70 years later, only a few of them have survived, with unhealed physical and psychological trauma still haunting their twilight years. Most of them have left the world without seeing justice served."

"In total disregard of the repeated calls of the UN human rights mechanisms, the Japanese government refuses to assume legal responsibilities and take concrete actions to compensate the victims," said Wang, adding that senior leaders of the Japanese government have attempted to negate the history of aggression.

Under international pressure, the Japanese government has recently stated that it has no intention to revise the Kono Statement but would continue with the so-called investigation into the circumstances surrounding the statement.

They try every means in their attempt to whitewash and exonerate the Japanese militarists from this crime against humanity, he said.

The Kono Statement, made by then Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono in 1993, acknowledged the Japanese government and its army were involved in the use of war-time sex slaves.

Wang also lashed out at Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's recent move to blatantly pay homage to the Yasukuni Shrine where 14 Class A war criminals from WWII are honored.

"These war criminals were the chief culprits responsible for the drafting of the 'comfort women.' What the Japanese leaders have done constitutes a serious affront to the rights and interests of the 'comfort women'victims," Wang said.

"It is a blatant provocation to human conscience and historical justice. It is a gross challenge to the post-WWII international order. It has met the strong condemnation and denunciation of the international community," he said.

Wang called on women's organizations around the world to unite as one and urge the Japanese government to squarely face the historical facts and make formal and sincere apologies to the victims "so as to let those deceased rest in peace and the traumatized souls of the survivors be consoled."