Kono declaration
The Kono Declaration is a speech given by the Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yōhei Kōno on August 4, 1993 based on a study commissioned by the government in December 1991. In this statement, the Japanese government first admitted that during World War II the Japanese Imperial Army forced women to work as so-called comfort women in military-run brothels . Up to this point in time this was always disputed. Kono apologized to the comfort women and spoke of "immeasurable pain and incurable physical and psychological wounds".
Newer development
As part of a policy that the press describes as historical revisionist , the Japanese government wants to “review” the basis of the Kono Declaration. Speaking in August 2015 on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, Shinzo Abe mentioned that Japan had repeatedly expressed feelings of deep remorse and sincere apology for its actions during the war, and that such positions of previous governments remained “unshakable”. However, he himself did not speak of an apology, but rather “deep sorrow” and “sincere condolences”.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ German Press Agency (DPA): Japan is examining excuses for "comfort women". In: Kölnische Rundschau . February 28, 2014, accessed August 19, 2015 .
- ↑ Yohei Kono: Statement by the Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono on the result of the study on the issue of "comfort women". In: Homepage of Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. August 4, 1993, accessed August 19, 2015 .
- ↑ Mari Yamaguchi / AP: Japan struggles with its history. In: Tages-Anzeiger . June 1, 2013, accessed August 19, 2015 .
- ↑ Carsten Germis: "Consolation women" shake the bad reputation. In: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ). January 29, 2015, accessed August 19, 2015 .
- ↑ DPA: Japan has apology for forced prostitution reviewed. In: Süddeutsche Zeitung . February 28, 2014, accessed August 19, 2015 .
- ↑ Patrick Welter: Sorry - but the distrust remains. In: FAZ. August 14, 2015, accessed August 19, 2015 .