Japan and South Korea agree WW2 'comfort women' deal

[terranMarine]

Japan and South Korea have agreed to settle the issue of "comfort women" forced to work in Japanese brothels during World War Two, in their first such deal since 1965.

Japan has apologised and will pay 1bn yen ($8.3m, £5.6m) - the amount South Korea asked for - to fund victims.

The issue has been the key cause for strained ties. South Korea has demanded stronger apologies and compensation.

Only 46 former "comfort women" are still alive in South Korea.

The announcement came after Japan's foreign minister Fumio Kishida arrived in Seoul for discussions with his counterpart Yun Byung-se, following moves to speed up talks.

Up to 200,000 women were estimated to have been forced to be sex slaves for Japanese soldiers during WW2, many of them Korean. Other women came from China, the Philippines, Indonesia and Taiwan.

Japan-South Korea's 'comfort women' deal

• Japan will give 1bn yen to a fund for the elderly comfort women, which the South Korean government will administer
• The money also comes with an apology by Japan's prime minister and the acceptance of "deep responsibility" for the issue
• South Korea says it will consider the matter resolved "finally and irreversibly" if Japan fulfils its promises
• South Korea will also look into removing a statue symbolising comfort women, which activists erected outside the Japanese embassy in Seoul in 2011
• Both sides have agreed to refrain from criticising each other on this issue in the international community

After the meeting Mr Kishida told reporters that Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe offered a heartfelt apology.

"Prime Minister Abe expresses anew his most sincere apologies and remorse to all the women who underwent immeasurable and painful experiences and suffered incurable physical and psychological wounds as comfort women," Mr Kishida said.

The wording of the deal does not explicitly state that the "comfort women" will receive direct compensation, but states that the fund will provide "support" and bankroll "projects for recovering the honour and dignity and healing the psychological wounds".

Some former "comfort women", such as Lee Yong-soo, have taken issue with this.

The 88-year-old told the BBC: "I wonder whether the talks took place with the victims really in mind. We're not after the money. If the Japanese committed their sins, they should offer direct official government compensation."

Another former "comfort woman", 88-year-old Yoo Hee-nam, said: "If I look back on my life, we've lived a life deprived of our basic rights as human beings. So I can't be fully satisfied.

"But we've been waiting all this time for the South Korean government to resolve the issue legally. As the government worked hard to settle deal before the turn of the year, I'd like to follow the government's lead."


Japan and South Korea agree WW2 'comfort women' deal - BBC News

 

[Reashot Xigwin]

About time.

 

[Khafee]

@Nihonjin1051 As per the '65 normalization agreement, the S.Koreans were paid some 800m US$ or yen? So why is this issue still open?

 

[Keel]

It is time for China to add a lot more pressures on Abe's government for admitting their atrocities in writing by their PM/Emperor and accompanying that with a sum of equitable compensation

This is an effective step initiated by the S Koreans

Right on various locations including the japanese embassy!

Take a look at what the japanese protesters were doing some months ago:

Agony of the 'Comfort women' still waiting for an apology after 70 years | Page 2

 

[Zsari]

It is time for China to add a lot more pressures on Abe's government for admitting their atrocities in writing by their PM/Emperor and accompanying that with a sum of equitable compensation

This is an effective step initiated by the S Koreans

Right on various locations including the japanese embassy!

Take a look at what the japanese protesters were doing some months ago:

Agony of the 'Comfort women' still waiting for an apology after 70 years | Page 2

Remember that Japan is under pressure from the US to settle its historical difference with S.Korea so they can bring S.Korea into the coalition against China. Japan is not doing this out of remorse, and it is not S.Korea that pressured the Japanese government into apologizing.

 

[nang2]

stupid title. It is an agreement, not a deal. The word "deal" sounds like women in exchange.

 

[Keel]

Remember that Japan is under pressure from the US to settle its historical difference with S.Korea so they can bring S.Korea into the coalition against China. Japan is not doing this out of remorse, and it is not S.Korea that pressured the Japanese government into apologizing.

This is understood
What I was saying is a case out of which a "precedent" is hereby confirmed by the japanese governrnent and thereupon it is setting the peg for our next move

 

[anon45]

not sure if this is going to matter 1 iota.

Hopefully it helps the Koreans get some closure and move on.

 

[seven7seven]

Too late and not enough but at least Japanese is making an effort. But again, it's not enough and most of the affected women and now deceased.

Japan needs to extend this act of contrition and show all the countries, that suffered under Japanese aggression, that they properly acknowledge their wrong-doings of the past.

Japanese denials of WW2 atrocities are an open wound for most East and Southeast Asian nations. Only genuine reflection and show of remorse, on Japan's part, can start the healing process.

 

[LowPost]

Remember that Japan is under pressure from the US to settle its historical difference with S.Korea so they can bring S.Korea into the coalition against China.

This could also be a clue that the Liancourt Rocks dispute will be settled soon.

 

[Kyle Sun]

stupid title. It is an agreement, not a deal. The word "deal" sounds like women in exchange.

not sound like a deal. it is a political deal.

 

[anon45]

Too late and not enough but at least Japanese is making an effort. But again, it's not enough and most of the affected women and now deceased.

Japan needs to extend this act of contrition and show all the countries, that suffered under Japanese aggression, that they properly acknowledge their wrong-doings of the past.

Japanese denials of WW2 atrocities are an open wound for most East and Southeast Asian nations. Only genuine reflection and show of remorse, on Japan's part, can start the healing process.

Only countries i've read making a big deal about Japan are South Korea and China.

 

[EAsian]

Only countries i've read making a big deal about Japan are South Korea and China.

Because we are pround people.

 

[XiaoYaoZi]

The issues will become more complicated. If that issue is so easy to solve, it has been solved tens of years ago. The country that has not undergone enough long history is always so naive, politicians of US that promoted this deal are enough idiot, they have overrate the political influence on others themselves thinking they can change everything.
The blood debt can only be paid by real blood.

 

[+4vsgorillas-Apebane]

Hmmmm.

Eight million dollars to settle?

I seriously doubt it. The apology is a good step but with the precedent of past Japanese retracting, downplaying and watering down of the issue the matter will not be settled so easily. The South Korean Vox populi will definitely not change their opinions this easily.

In the context of a country that has been on the receiving end of horrific Japanese aggression since, well, probably as long as there has been a Korean identity, relations will be frosty for a long time yet. the Imjin war happened in the 16th century and even that Invasion is well remembered in modern day Korean psyche.

The cycle of hate will unfortunately continue and East Asia will remain divided.