Taiwan demands Japan’s apology, compensation to WWII ‘comfort women’

CNN reports that activists in South Korea estimate that there were more than 200,000 Korean victims during the war but only a few of them came forward.

“Until now Japan has not issued any apology to Filipino comfort women, while the apology issued yesterday to the Korean women, even if it contained “most honest apologies and remorse” lacked the admission that they have sought all through the years of clamor”, said Ilagan.

“We need to first learn what Taiwanese comfort women’s views are over the Japan-South Korea deal and form a consensus within our country before we can pitch our demands to Japan”, Lin noted.

“Lie, lie and lie”.

Japan said on Monday it was offering one billion yen ($8.3 million) to help victims and an apology from the prime minister.

But for critics of the deal, Abe’s apology statement was not specific or convincing enough.

The long-time campaigner was lured to leave her village aged 14 with a promise of a factory job, and forced to serve in military brothels in China and Southeast Asia.

“We will continue to fight to make Japan take formal legal responsibility and apologise so that victims who have already perished will have justice”, Ms Lee added. She continued, “Are you a Japanese ambassador?”

Demonstrators held portraits of the victims and waved banners condemning the deal, particularly Seoul’s pledge to try to remove the statue from outside the embassy.

Many Japanese officials consider the 1.5 meter statue at the site of the weekly rallies an affront to national dignity. Prime Minister Abe said future Japanese generations can not be forced to apologize repeatedly for things they did not do. “It is a humiliating and an unspeakable act of our government, and none of our citizens endorse it”, said supporter Kim Ki-man. But activists and numerous elderly victims were furious Tuesday.

Chinese ties with Japan have always been troubled by a territorial dispute and Japan’s failure to properly atone for wartime atrocities. The average age of the remaining 46 survivors is 89 years old, and though their government has reached an agreement around their cause, Wednesday’s protests suggest the issue is far from resolved for numerous victims.

While the South Korean government was receptive toward the apology, some South Koreans are angry about part of an agreement between the two countries that states they will “refrain from accusing or criticizing each other regarding the issue in the worldwide community, including at the United Nations”.