New Jersey town's monument to Korean sex slaves upsetting Japanese officials
New Jersey town's monument to Korean sex slaves upsetting Japanese officials
NATIONAL MAY. 20, 2012 - 06:30AM JST ( 170 )PALISADES PARK, New Jersey —
Japanese officials are asking a small northern New Jersey town with a large Korean immigrant population to remove a public monument dedicated to women who were forced into sexual slavery by Japanese soldiers during World War II.
The New York Times reported that Palisades Park administrators were surprised by the request from two delegations of visiting Japanese officials.
Town officials have declined the request to remove the plaque. It was dedicated in 2010 to the “comfort women” of World War II, many of whom were Korean.
Chejin Park of the Korean American Voters Council, which supported the Palisades Park memorial, tells the newspaper that the Japanese governments’ opposition to it is galvanizing efforts in Korean communities across the U.S. to build similar memorials.
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42
mitoguitarmanMAY. 20, 2012 - 07:08AM JST
That would be like the USA coming to Japan and asking them to remove A-bomb memorials. All victims of wars should be remembered. Hopefully the memorials will remind us to try and avoid war as much as possible.
24
Elbuda MexicanoMAY. 20, 2012 - 06:51AM JST
Hahahaha! Stupid, stupid Japanese government, trying to pull the same crap they do here in Japan but out in the USA??? I hope these Korean Americans make a BIGGER monument to the victims of sexual slavery of Dai Nippon Teikoku army etc..I can just imagine the shame, oh know some folk out in NJ will know what out Japanese did to other Asians, etc..
24
showmethemoneyMAY. 20, 2012 - 07:34AM JST
I do not hold Japanese born after the war responsible, or those who otherwise had nothing to do with it, such as the children of the time.
But any Japanese who has a problem with this plaque should have his head bounced off it until he thanks the makers of it for pointing out the truth of history. I would want the same for any American who had a problem with a plaque at the scene of the Mai Lai Massacre.
Defending murderers and rapists just because they were born in the same country is an offense that should come with corporal punishment.
15
imap2223MAY. 20, 2012 - 07:55AM JST
Hell with that. Build more of them. There is nothing wrong with it at all. The problem is that the J-officials want to whitewash history. You can do that here in Japan but not in the US. Good for them. Hopefully, others will follow suit. Get offended if you want, but most likely it was not you who did it. It was your grandfathers. So, what? My grandfathers were probably slave owners. It has nothing to do with me. I am not going to distort history by denying its existence.History is simply evolution, of which is violent, of which all nations are guilty of or they wouldn't be nations, would they?
11
showmethemoneyMAY. 20, 2012 - 08:41AM JST
It only failed to distribute the money to victims across the country. The issue on comfort women has settled.
First you say the money was not distributed then you say the issue is settled. Its got to be one or the other. The Japanese owed the victims, and they never got paid. That means its it is by no means settled, and the Japanese are not off the hook. Maybe next time they will pay the victims directly instead of entrust someone else with the money?
Plus, and this is a BIG plus. What is wrong with remembrance of the victims? All victims should be remembered whether issues are settled or not. I don't care how much money Holocaust survivors received. I don't care how many apologies they received. Holocaust history MUST be remembered same as the sex slave history. People denying it need a slap across the face, at least. Perhaps that discomfort will negate the discomfort felt by Japanese when confronted with their own history?
I can tell you you would be hard pressed to find a German in such denial. Japanese should be totally ashamed for these so called "officials". If they were Germans complaining over a Holocaust plaque, I have no doubt the country would be up in arms, and these fools would be looking for a new job. What the hell is wrong with Japan?
11
OMGhontoniMAY. 20, 2012 - 09:03AM JST
@paulinusa - great article, and pretty bloody shocking actually. The behaviour of the 4 "legislators" (LDP party members) is unbelievable. And even trying to bribe the town council to take the monument down with offers of cherry trees, youth programmes and culture books??!!! And the ambassador urging the town to make the "necessary adjustments" to smooth relations between the communities, but then declining to say what "necessary adjustments" means??! They are just making themselves look even worse.
@YuriOtani - correct me if I am wrong, I am not a historian, but didnt a large number of Okinawans die because the Japanese government ordered or coerced them into committing suicide?
However, I believe that in the end Japan will do right by these surviving women and set a standard that others will follow.
I wouldnt hold your breath. Its already been nearly 70 years and if they dont get a move on there wont BE any survivors left.
11
Thomas AndersonMAY. 20, 2012 - 10:15AM JST
They're UPSET? Good lord, these morons need to get a clue...
Japan needs to wake up. NO country in the world is on the side of Japanese war criminals.
10
MariaMAY. 20, 2012 - 06:56AM JST
Who were these officials representing - a local govt.? the national govt.? Some group of losers? This is just shameful.
10
zichiMAY. 20, 2012 - 01:27PM JST
Had Japan followed the lead of Germany with dealing with it's war past, it too could have moved on decades ago.
Around Japan, there are numerous memorials to wars, not just the last one. What the Koreans have erected is no different than those.
10
zichiMAY. 20, 2012 - 03:57PM JST
In my two decades of living in Japan, I've not understood the country's refusal to accept it's history and deny that it did anything wrong and even to the point of teaching revisionist history in the schools.
All of this is wrong and remains the sole reason why the countries in Asia can't have closure on this dark period of humanity.
I don't understand why the Japanese can't accept that it did during the occupation of Korea, parts of China and what it did during WW2.
If the country had not attacked America and started the Pacific war, there would have been no invasion of Okinawa and mainland Japan by American troops. There would have been no atomic bombings.
Japan can continue to deny what it did but that won't change the truth.
This story will continue for many decades until the Japanese can both admit it's war past, and teach the correct version of history in the schools.
That surly, will help to prevent any future war possibilities.
9
Mike DeJongMAY. 20, 2012 - 11:16AM JST
@TomokazuKowano Korea is not making a complaint here. The plaque was put up by some Korean ex-pats in America. What do they have to do with money that may or may not have been paid to the Korean government? Japan's hush money can not silence the feelings of exploited people. And if this issue is settled, then so is the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Yet we see memorials to these every year too, don't we? The Japanese are always playing the victim card, yet don't want others to remember their own victimizations.
9
dragsbyMAY. 20, 2012 - 12:44PM JST
Ironically, had the 'two delegations of visiting Japanese officials' said nothing, I have some doubts we'd be reading about it now. They seem to have quite effectively promoted the spread of this story. Everyone give them a big hand...
9
zichiMAY. 20, 2012 - 01:00PM JST
Although requested by many countries, Japan has refused to remove the remains of the War Criminals from the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo.
The Japanese can't deny the Korean comfort women didn't happen, it paid compensation?
This memorial, erected by private citizens is not the business of Japanese officials in the U.S. Do they trawl the news for stories, because I doubt this story even reached national level?
8
KariHarukaMAY. 20, 2012 - 07:30AM JST
This has even made me cringe..
8
carpboyMAY. 20, 2012 - 08:04AM JST
paulinusa - thank you, and this insightful gem from the link:
"the four Japanese legislators disputed the number of comfort women and claimed that they willingly served the soldiers"
8
gaijinfoMAY. 20, 2012 - 09:00AM JST
Good for you, Korean-Americans. Build a bigger one, build a big website, and convince all the Koreans around the world to do the same. Let the mealy-mouthed J-officials go back to their country and worry about their own impending economic doom instead of spending tax dollars traveling the world trying to get global buy in to their unique and special perspective on things.
8
DeadmanMAY. 20, 2012 - 09:43AM JST
Hellooo, this isn't Japan! I think these Japanese "officials" will regret their requests. What better way to make it into a big news story and inspire other Korean-American communities to put up their own plaques? And they're essentially offering the city a bribe to take the plaque down!! How totally culturally tone deaf can these people be?
6
Thomas AndersonMAY. 20, 2012 - 10:24AM JST
It's a shame that Japan feels need to even defend their WAR CRIMINALS. Oh, it never happened? That's BS, all military is corrupt in some ways, especially during the WW2 era. No country is perfect.
Japan, it's time to stop defending the acts of your war criminals. Nobody is criticizing YOU, they're criticizing the barbaric and inhumane acts of the war criminals, and they feel sympathy for the victims.
6
JeffLeeMAY. 20, 2012 - 10:51AM JST
Interesting attitude many Japanese have over the idea of "proof". They say "no proof" or "no documents" exist for the sex slaves. In fact, there's plenty of rock-solid info, but almost none of it was produced by Japanese people. Hence, in Japanese people's minds, knowledge or information doesn't exist unless it is produced or vetted by Japanese people or institutions.
This explains the bizarre attitudes of the LDP officials, who are telling Koreans that their beliefs are bogus because no Japanese person or institution has certified those beliefs. The Japanese live in their own little reality bubble that's starkly out of step with the rest of the world.
6
JimizoMAY. 20, 2012 - 11:43AM JST
Tomoki I don't think the comfort women story is in any way irrational. By denying that these women who suffered horrendously were coerced, you are committing an awful assualt on their dignity. It's so depressing to see that such ridiculous denials are not confined to crackpots like Ishihara and Tamogami. The Korean community are well within their rights to draw attention to a particularly ugly crime committed against their people.
6
yildirayMAY. 20, 2012 - 01:47PM JST
Had Japan followed the lead of Germany with dealing with it's war past, it too could have moved on decades ago.
I think you have hit the nail on the head there. Japan has tried revisionist policies many times and none have worked, I don't understand why they cannot just accept that bad things happened in the past and move on from them instead of hoping nobody notices!
6
glidingneedlesMAY. 20, 2012 - 02:03PM JST
Okay, first of all, let's bring the discussion back to the topic of the article - Comfort women
Second, let's review some history. Japanese Army commits crimes against humanity but the government still denies some parts of it, one of which is the issue of comfort women. Post WWII, the S. Korean government receives aid from Japan and normalizes diplomatic relationships. The S.Korean government also agrees that this aid is compensation for the atrocities committed - points already made by some of the folks.
Third, can we establish a relationship between the Korean government and the issue at hand? NO The monument is on U.S. soil, erected and funded by aid from local citizens. No S.Korea government involvement here and hence I see no logic in the argument that the S.Korea government should stop raising the issue - they did not. And yes, the government spent that aid for development rather than compensating the victims (remember, comfort women were not the only victims of atrocities committed) The S.Korea government will have to deal with this and will have to compensate the victims with its own budget.
More importantly, financial compensation does not bar anyone the right to honor and remember the victims. If I injure somebody and we settle, this limits the victim's right to sue me. It does not prevent the families or others from talking about/commemorating the issue. If you think that US$1.1bn just washes history away like that, you have much to learn. History never forgets. Nations still fret over issues that happened thousands of years ago.
One last thing, Japan really needs to stop embarrassing itself like this. I do not believe that any nationality or race is naturally superior than any other. We have good centuries as well as bad. The difference is how we face the bad ones. Unfortunately, WWII war tribunals were mostly arranged to address the crimes committed against the allied powers and hence a lot of issues that relate to Asians were never completely dealt with - comfort women being one of them. I do not think the Germans were morally superior than the Japanese, they simply had no choice but to face it then and there and look at the respect they receive now. The Japanese were never "forced" to do so and hence the wounds still remain. In today's world, when economic and political center of gravity is moving towards China and other Asian countries, it would be in Japan's best interest to address those wounds as soon as possible.
6
Ch1n4SailorMAY. 20, 2012 - 02:15PM JST
Good for them...!
Japan needs to follow Germany's Example and Start Building Memorials to the their Victims... Germany Has Memorials (And Laws) that are dedicated to the people THEY Victimized, NOT their OWN People, Germany has Memorials to ALL the people they killed... Japan, only has Memorials to themselves...
Japan Needs to build some Memorials to the victims of China, Korea and the other 30 or so Asian Countries that they Terrorized, NOT Memorial to themselves... What a bunch of Hypocrites...!
Hiroshima and Nagasaki are Dedicated to themselves.... Sorry, NO Sympathy Here Japan... You Need to come to terms with ALL THE CRIMES YOU COMMITTED... YOU ARE THE PROBLEM, You need to take responsibility and grow up...!
JAPAN YOU ARE NOT A VICTIM...!
5
FarmboyMAY. 20, 2012 - 07:36AM JST
The New York Times reported that Palisades Park administrators were surprised by the request from two delegations of visiting Japanese officials.
Yes, who were the officials, and what was their point of view? Were they denying sex-slaves existed? Did they think the monument was poorly made? Did they dislike New Jersey as a site for the monument? A little more info would be appreciated.
5
DenTok2009MAY. 20, 2012 - 08:04AM JST
I read the article and thought what nerve! There must be Japanese living in the area who are incensed enough to contact their shiakusho or whatever to report about the monument and complained loudly enough that steps were taken. If Japan was still in the bubble era and was providing Palisades Park with a good number of jobs, maybe their request would be taken with care. As it is, glad the PP town administrators gave the J officials a kick in the rear! Go PP!
5
DenTok2009MAY. 20, 2012 - 08:17AM JST
@paulinusa thanks for the info... read the article and I had to laugh over the LDP members claiming "historical inaccuracies". The offer to provide funding for the youth programs, books to the library and cherry trees for the town if the monument was so offensive and so Japanese. Money solves everything.
5
showmethemoneyMAY. 20, 2012 - 08:32AM JST
The problem is that the J-officials want to whitewash history. You can do that here in Japan but not in the US.
Eerm...let me rephrase that for you to make it true. The problem is that the J-officials want to whitewash JAPANESE history. You can do that here in Japan, but you cannot whitewash JAPANESE history SO MUCH in the US. But history in general is whitewashed just as much in America.
5
JoshuYakiMAY. 20, 2012 - 08:48AM JST
I agree with showthemoney. It's the same as Germans requestiong the removal of a Holocaust memorial. The germans would never dare do that. Oyaji need lessons in compassion and respect.
5
paulinusaMAY. 20, 2012 - 09:11AM JST
The strange thing is that this a relatively small town of 20,000 people so making a big fuss and attracting attention to the monument would seem counter productive ( or indicate some very thin skinned people )
5
TeachmeteachyouMAY. 20, 2012 - 10:57AM JST
How shameless of them, to ask to remove a memorial to innocent victims of sexual slavery, just because they'd rather forget it all happened! I only hope there will be more memorials and the word will spread.
5
JannettoMAY. 20, 2012 - 11:43AM JST
Apart from honouring the victims, which can be done regardless of whether a matter is "settled" (!), isn't another point of these types of tributes to make sure that history doesn't repeat itself??
Oh wait, if it never happened, it can't happen again. Silly me.
Well said Al Stewart - everyone has the right to remember.
5
herefornowMAY. 20, 2012 - 02:24PM JST
This is the definition of unmitigated gall and all Japanese with any moral compass or ability to judge history objectively should be embarrassed by it. Japan basically tells SK and China to mind their own business when they protest the J-leaders going to Yasukuni every year, but they somehow feel the right to go to the U.S. and tell a group of Korean immigrants what to do. Shameful and the epitome of hypocracy -- which is completely unsurprising for Japan, unfortunately.
5
JimizoMAY. 20, 2012 - 03:17PM JST
'Fake history' -.depressing. If only the insanitary views of revisionist historians could be safely confined to Japan, we could worry less. Unfortunately, this ugly nonsense taints the reputation of decent Japanese, reinforces outdated stereotypes and damages business.
4
soldaveMAY. 20, 2012 - 08:33AM JST
Japanese officials trying to change history so that Japan's actions don't seem as bad as they were? Shurely shome mishtake!
4
Al StewartMAY. 20, 2012 - 10:38AM JST
They have a right to put up any statue they want in a park they basically own. How are you going to come to my park and tell me to change something. These officials are over reaching. Or they assumed that the statue was owned by the gov.
@NeoJamal
That's a poor analogy, because the US government feels well justified about nuking Japan.
Do you really think that the US just said "Hey lets drop a bomb"? If so you really need to read up on the war again. It was not an easy decision and there were many details about the drop. Most importantly, the US gave ample warnings and requests for surrender before the drop and then Japan STILL refused to surrender after the first bomb was dropped. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_bombings_of_Hiroshima_and_Nagasaki
ModeratorMAY. 20, 2012 - 01:24PM JST
Readers, no more analogies please. Focus your comments on what is in the story.
4
cruzian1MAY. 20, 2012 - 11:35AM JST
Kawano I don’t understand what is wrong with the Japanese government talking directly with the surviving South Korean comfort women. Clearly, the issue is not settled, and talking to the women directly is an honorable thing to do. I agree that compensation to the South Korean government is highly inappropriate (since money was paid before), but by Japan not addressing the concerns of the surviving women will only make the issue bigger globally. The Japanese government should invite the SK women to Japan and speak to them privately. I think that many people around the world would see such a meeting as step in the right direction.
4
BernieKMAY. 20, 2012 - 03:30PM JST
You just know, if you forget this 'wartime comfort women' issue, history will repeat itself. I have two daughters and their gonna know about this.
4
Thomas AndersonMAY. 20, 2012 - 04:23PM JST
The ultra far-rights (the majority of the J-gov basically) will silence anyone who would dare to speak out the truth about the war atrocities caused by Japan. I mean can you believe it... a Japanese historian who has dared to write about the Japanese war history truthfully was harassed day and night every single day until his death by the uyokus. This is the reality of Japan... a country which is at least 100 years stuck in the past. No modern or enlightened thoughts realistically exist in Japan. Everything has to do with who can coerce the most by using the most amount of force. No logic, no reason, no rationality, no morality, just brute, barbaric force.
4
zichiMAY. 20, 2012 - 08:17PM JST
GW,
yes, agreed. Could have all been over decades ago.
4
imap2223MAY. 21, 2012 - 11:05AM JST
@Yuriy Since Japan is not its own planet, but just a member of one, I think it is imperative that the world tell Japan, "NO, this is not acceptable to us". It is the world's business because the actions took place outside of Japan. If it was something that happened inside of Japan, then no bid deal, but this was due to actions that Japan did. Therefore it is fair game to the world.
4
NetNinjaMAY. 24, 2012 - 10:30AM JST
Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls. The fun never ends. This is just one example of Japan's efforts to change history and rule everything they disagree with..
This same group also contacted Google and asked them to change Google Earth's maps to reflect their version of the world. Especially the disputed areas.
History books are even being changed to alter the perception of the war and the depth of Japan's invasion into some nations.
Most Japanese still feel they are the divine race.
3
paulinusaMAY. 20, 2012 - 07:45AM JST
I live not too far from this town. Here is a link from a local newspaper which will provide details.
http://www.northjersey.com/community/history/events/051012PalisadesParkceremonyrememberscomfortwomen.html
3
paulinusaMAY. 20, 2012 - 07:52AM JST
Go to northjersey.com, go to search and enter "palisades park comfort women"
3
NeoJamalMAY. 20, 2012 - 08:41AM JST
That would be like the USA coming to Japan and asking them to remove A-bomb memorials. All victims of wars should be remembered. Hopefully the memorials will remind us to try and avoid war as much as possible.
That's a poor analogy, because the US government feels well justified about nuking Japan.
3
WilliBMAY. 20, 2012 - 11:27AM JST
Tomokazu Kawano:
"
I have no idea why Koreans have put up a statue like this everywhere. Apologies and compensation have already been given to the Korean government. "
Umm... apologies? Where? The Japanese delegation claimed that comfort women did not exist, and that seems to be the Japanese government position. Are you saying the Japanese government apologized for something that they insist never happened?
You can not have it both ways. Either you apologize or your protest that it did not happen.
3
smithinjapanMAY. 20, 2012 - 12:42PM JST
Good on the Korean/American community for putting up this monument, and I hope indeed they are successful in putting up many more not only in the US, but in nations across the world. Just because Japan can change it's textbooks and wants to avoid addressing its horrific (at times) past doesn't mean they can do it the world over. In fact, how much do you want to bet that the same people who were upset by the monument are now upset by the fact that their being upset is being printed in the news?
3
FullM3taLMAY. 20, 2012 - 03:30PM JST
Always in denial. I think the problem is that J-Gov thinks that the shame of accepting the issue of comfort women will be too great, and so they try to change history in order to show themselves in better light. What the J-Gov fails to realize is that nobody gives will blame the current generation for what their grandfathers did. Somebody needs to tell them that denying these issues reflects more poorly on them than actually accepting the issue, reconciling and moving on.
3
PhantomPhoneixMAY. 20, 2012 - 04:51PM JST
Wow first time I have ever had a comment removed on JT. I didn't think I was that off topic. I was using that as a example not as a personal attack. Sorry JT I didn't mean to give that off topic. This is unacceptable as I am better then this. What a let down I have been to JT community. I pride myself on my posts & I am sincerely sorry letting you all down. I will work harder to be a better contributor as there is no excuse for this. So to try to redeem myself I will try this once again. Japan has no right to say how Koreans in New Jersey or anywhere else how they represent their fallen. Japan was upset about the Enola Gay restoration project as well.
Yet I have yet to see many make the same efforts toward Pearl Harbor in retrospect. It is a two way street and both sides need to admit to their own transgressions. Yet Korea does the same thing so I won't let them off the hook either. If Japan, Korea, China are ever to have normal relations with one another. They first need to look at themselves in the mirror. You can't expect things to move forward when none are willing to take responsibility for their own actions. The point I made about Japanese Americans was relevant to this article.
Japanese are doing the same thing with Koreans as we did in retrospect during our treatment of Japanese Americans during WWII. Maybe some don't like that reference but it is true nevertheless. Yet we don't go around saying those events never took place. The controversial bronze monument, depicting a girl seated on a chair with an empty space, led the Japanese government to request its removal as well. So this isn't the first time Japan has done this.
In contrast the group, cosponsored by the state-backed All China Lawyers Association and China Legal Aid Foundation, also said sexual exploitation of young women continued after the end of the war in one of the Japanese military brothels. This has created much tension among China & Japan relations as well. It's time people put the past in the past and work on bettering our relations through common interest. Not through decades old disputes which serve no purpose other then for nationalistic or political gain. Both sides want to save face but neither is willing to meet each other in the middle. Time we put this issue to bed for good. Otherwise we are failed to repeat the same mistakes again of which our children will pay the price.
3
ReformedBasherMAY. 20, 2012 - 05:00PM JST
Who are these officials?
I think the war has gone on long enough myself, but these "officials" are an embarassment to Japan. They should be sacked.
3
TakahiroDomingoMAY. 20, 2012 - 10:19PM JST
why are japanese officials upset? japan should be proud of its past in general, but should also have the decency to acknowledge any past cruelty, and have the courage to say "i'm sorry", and get over it. german officials do not get upset because of hitler. germany does not deny the monster hitler, and that almost all of the german people at the time supported the monster. please grow up japan, you are a great culture, don't join the ranks of the turkish officials denying armenian genocide, of the iranian officials denying the jewish holocaust.
3
GWMAY. 21, 2012 - 09:05AM JST
imo I think its good to put as many memorials to J-atrocities around the world in the off chance a few Japanese will run into them & maybe learn something.
But in travels past in Singapore I stumbled upon a WWII memorial but the Japanese I saw everywhere else I went were no where to be seen.
Then a few years later in Thailand J-tourists by the busload were everywhere I went, EXCEPT when I went to see where they bridge over the river Kwai was built, then again the J-tourists evaoporated into thin air LOL!
But hey the world needs to try to educate Japan, I mean really its for their own good if you truly think about it, but then again it may just be too late for Japan with their decades upon decades of denial Japan has a pretty tough road back even if she decided to change direction, sadly.
3
imap2223MAY. 21, 2012 - 10:55AM JST
@Yuri So, if we disagree with Japan whitewashing history and not letting people just forget about it, which seems to embarrass you, then we are JAPAN BASHERS? That's not exactly fair. Germany deals with its history just fine. Why do Japanese people continue to want this one to be swept under the rug? That is as you say in Japanese "ZURUI".
Now guys you have drawn worldwide attention to the thing. Yes, and that is good. People are not just going to allow Japan to sweep it under the rug as many here in Japan seems to favor. Criminal behavior should never just go unexposed. Every time Hiroshima and Nagasaki comes around, Japan does all it can to paint itself the victim and that is just not fair.
Now there is going to be a monument in every town in the USA with a Korean population. The Koreans should give you metals for promoting their cause.
I am cool with that, but I think that is an exageration to say the least. It amazes me how you can feel upset about this. They were victims. Victims have the right to put up statues. Don't you have many monuments here in Japan that honor the victims of the war? Since your country was the aggressor and you have those, don't you think that they, the victims should have that right to even more??????
As long as Japan continues to try to hush up this issue, these things will happen. But if you own up to your history, you will be held in respect by other countries' people. Germany has received a lot of respect for its frank view of its own history. I don't think there are that many people who look down on Germany for what it has become today. Most, if not everyone knows that Germany pays homage to its victims and most people respect them for it. When Japan does these kinds of things, it just incites people to do these things.
3
cactusJackMAY. 21, 2012 - 02:58PM JST
I guess the LDP has nothing better to do than erase history.
3
JohhnyGlitterballMAY. 22, 2012 - 11:44PM JST
@YuriOtani; the good thing the allies did was win and give you the right to speak in such a manner without any fear.
3
AnonymousNJMAY. 24, 2012 - 06:04AM JST
Wow, I didn't realize this was going on in PP. (And the article link is broken for me....) We do have a size-able amount of Korean Americans in Bergen County, so I'm not surprised by this. Palisades already has a memorial set up for the Korean War. I don't think the Japanese Americans, living around Palisades and Fort Lee, have much of an issue with this. But on the other hand, I'm not surprised that the Japanese government would have an issue. I don't think it matters where they are when it comes to the issues of comfort women.
I always wonder if there is going to be a day when the J-government accepts the victims' stories for what they are and move on?
3
MocheakeMAY. 24, 2012 - 10:03AM JST
I love Palisades Park and see nothing wrong with what they have done.
3
Frank RizzoMAY. 25, 2012 - 02:20PM JST
I'm afraid that Thomas Anderson nailed the situation in Japan when he wrote above:
The ultra far-rights (the majority of the J-gov basically) will silence anyone who would dare to speak out the truth about the war atrocities caused by Japan. I mean can you believe it... a Japanese historian who has dared to write about the Japanese war history truthfully was harassed day and night every single day until his death by the uyokus. This is the reality of Japan... a country which is at least 100 years stuck in the past. No modern or enlightened thoughts realistically exist in Japan. Everything has to do with who can coerce the most by using the most amount of force. No logic, no reason, no rationality, no morality, just brute, barbaric force.
Few people realize the extent to which the right wing holds Japan prisoner. They effectively prevent anyone from publishing or even speaking the truth about Japan's wartime atrocities, from discussing the role fo the emperor in the war, even from questioning the present political structure of modern Japan. Make no mistake, Japan is a fascist country and the people all know this. Why do you think they never talk seriously about politics and adopt a passive "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil approach"? Because they know that people get shot in the back or wind up tormented by the black trucks for the rest of their lives if they speak out. This is super convenient for the government, which is largely right-wing to begin with, because they don't have to engage in propaganda or oppression and assassination directly - they know that there's a private army of goons ready to do their bidding at all times.
Don't forget Japan's bloody history of political assassinations. The fact is: this is still going on. Ask any really clued in Japanese person (like an independent journalist) and they'll tell you: about half the time some outspoken person "commits suicide" by jumping off a roof, they didn't jump: the were pushed kicking and screaming. The whole society is united in a conspiracy of silence about this. That's why Japan appears to really inquisitive souls as "a dictatorship without an obvious dictator" (quoting from the book "Atomic Sushi").
So, will Japan ever really own up to its wartime crimes, teach history properly and discuss the role of the emperor in WWII? The answer is simple: No. Because very few people are willing to die to tell the truth and most Japanese can't read English well enough to find the truth in foreign media (leading one to wonder if Japan's horrible English education system is intentionally bad - but that's for another post).
Bringing this back to the main topic of this thread: Damn right the people in that town in New Jersey have the right and should keep that monument: since Japan will never take responsibility for its actions and teach its people the truth, it's up to the rest of the world to see that the "truth is out there."
3
FadamorMAY. 26, 2012 - 02:39AM JST
On last point....atrocities are committed by the losers of the conflict. When the same acts are committed by the victors we call that "collateral damage."
Not quite correct. Atrocities are intentional acts, "collateral damage" is incidental deaths of people other than the intended target. Here's an example of the differences:
During the attack on Pearl Harbor, anti-air defenses (once they finally became active) threw tens of thousands of rounds into the air and some of them riddled civilian cars in town when the rounds fell back to earth. The civilians killed by those rounds could have been classified as "collateral damage", but the term hadn't been coined until the Vietnam War.
Late in WWII, the U.S. changed to a policy of firebombing entire cities in Japan. The targets were selected not because of a military installation in the city, but based on how many wooden structures could burn and how many civilians could potentially be killed by the bombs. This is a prime example of an atrocity.
But to support your claim in a round-about way, one of the architects of those firebombing runs commented afterwards that had the U.S. lost the war, they most certainly would have been tried and convicted as war criminals. The victors most certainly CAN commit atrocities, they just don't go to trial because of it.
3
bass4funkMAY. 26, 2012 - 09:29AM JST
Koreans are in denial of their own complicity in the Comfort Women program.
I think you're totally not getting the point.
2
paulinusaMAY. 20, 2012 - 07:47AM JST
Sorry ,try this.
http://www.northjersey.com/community/history/events/051012PalisadesParkceremonyrememberscomfortwomen.html
2
Al StewartMAY. 20, 2012 - 10:44AM JST
@Yuri the girl was 12 not six. not that it makes it better. But saying she was 6 does make it seem worse. And the US did not rule with an iron fist. JP did after annexing Okinawa. JP fortified the peaceful island and forced many of the people of okinawa to fight. Also filled their heads with propaganda.
for others, there are memorials for comfort women in okinawa.
2
BradG91MAY. 20, 2012 - 04:34PM JST
Stupid move by those japanese officials for 1 its here in the US and they have the freedom to build a monument for them and 2 its US citizens your talking to not your own and they dont have to do what you ask lol
2
CletusMAY. 21, 2012 - 07:52AM JST
YuriyChekalin
"Japanese are well known to have committed atrocities in all the countries they had occupied during Second World War." That is still debatable.
Im sorry but there is nothing what so ever debatable about the fact that the Japanese did commit atrocities across their whole sphere of conquered territory. The only thing that is debatable is the numbers not the fact that these events actually occurred.
2
valued_customerMAY. 21, 2012 - 02:41PM JST
Why wouldn't the World, that committed a lot of atrocities itself, mind its own business instead?
Nope. I applaud all people who stand up and point out atrocities, even innocent Japanese people pointing out the atrocities committed against them (as opposed to Japanese who are not innocent).
And I decry all people who deny atrocities against overwhelming proof to the contrary, even when its Americans trying to tell us other Americans never committed atrocities.
I don't care what country you are from. This is not about countries. This is about good people and bad. Those denying the sex slaves are bad people.
2
Thomas AndersonMAY. 24, 2012 - 09:51AM JST
Why do we have to admit it if it never happened?
Because there is evidence...
2
bass4funkMAY. 25, 2012 - 09:49AM JST
@Yuri
Not trying to bash you, but you need to understand a few things. Growing up between Germany and the U.S., I can honestly say, the road was hard and painful for Germany to make a comeback, before the 1970's whenever you mentioned Germany, most of Europe had a foul taste in their mouths but with sensitivity and with campaigns, education, renouncement of Nazism, visiting and giving tolerance speeches Germany has come a long way, they are NOT a perfect nation, but they put in years and years of effort to regain the trust of the international community and continue to do so. When you talk to the average German most of the time they don't have a problem either talking about the war or admitting how wrong they were following a madman. No monuments, no yearly commemoration, now by contrast, if you talk about the war in Japan, it is white washed, excuses given, Japan feeling that they were the ones victimized, the constant visiting of government officials visiting Yasakuni shrine, basically doing the exact opposite from what Germany is doing and as long as Japan keeps making excuses and denials the wounds will never heal. No country is perfect, every country has blood on their hands, but in Japan's case, Japan cannot say or request any country to aid in covering up or softening the pains of war that Japan wants to so often glaze over which doesn't help Japan's image. There is nothing wrong with the admission of guilt to passed atrocities, it's how you move forward.
2
Zach OdleMAY. 26, 2012 - 08:47AM JST
i like to see them try that in my home state the would get chased by a angry mob
2
WolfpackMAY. 26, 2012 - 09:48AM JST
The problem for Japan is that they keep refusing to accept responsibility for anything they did during WWII. The comfort women issue is one that they cannot get rid of no matter how much they whine and complain about it. In America, you can find communities of people from just about every corner of the world. It's not surprising that there are people here that remember what the Japanese did in Korea during the first half of the last century and decided to keep the matter alive. Japan needs to do what the Germans did and just admit they were aggressors and get over their need to protect their fragile pride. All peoples have made mistakes in the past. Admit to your mistakes and become better people in the future.
It's an embarrassment that Japanese officials would actually attempt to quell a community rememberance in a foreign country. It is petty and will surely backfire on them. Come on Japan, dig deep into your hearts, show some compassion and do the right thing - admit your mistakes and move on. You cannot be forgiven if you never ask for forgiveness.
1
FarmboyMAY. 20, 2012 - 08:42AM JST
PaulinUSA,
Thanks for the link to a great story!
1
cruzian1MAY. 20, 2012 - 08:56AM JST
The Japanese government in my opinion should just meet with the surviving SK comfort women, and start the process of healing. All around the world young people have begun to mobilize to address historical atrocities and at the same time promote global peace and reconciliation. Nations and territories from Denmark and the United States Virgin Islands, Britain and Kenya, Germany and Namibia, France and Haiti, and the United States of America and Guam are dealing with similar issues. However, I believe that in the end Japan will do right by these surviving women and set a standard that others will follow.
1
willynillyMAY. 20, 2012 - 09:29AM JST
showmethemoney@
any Japanese who has a problem with this plaque should have his head bounced off it until he thanks the maker
a bit violent, eh!
1
NessieMAY. 20, 2012 - 09:31AM JST
More snippets from the story.
http://www.northjersey.com/community/history/events/051012PalisadesParkceremonyrememberscomfortwomen.html
The moving tribute, however, comes just days after four officials from Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party claimed that there is no proof sex slaves existed and asked for the monument’s removal, saying it portrayed historical inaccuracies, Palisades Park Mayor James Rotundo said
The monument in Palisades Park, which counts more than half of its 19,622 residents as Korean
That session came days after Shigeyuki Hiroki, Japan’s consul-general in New York, met with Rotundo. The mayor said he was told that Japanese officials were interested in funding local youth programs, donating books on Japanese culture to the library and planting Japanese cherry blossoms in the town — if the monument were removed
On the one hand, it looks slimey.
On the other hand, although there were American sex slaves, the issue is largely tangential to American history. I'm Irish and American, and it's not like I would support an anti-British memorial in my hometown commemorating the 1972 Bloodly Sunday massacre. I would certainly support a monument in Derry, though.
1
GWMAY. 20, 2012 - 10:40AM JST
Read the bit on that NJ homepage, pretty pathetic these ldp scum bags, I wish they were named so we cud shame them, what an embarassment to humanity these losers are!
And to have the NYC Consulate offer a bunch of bribes, the a-hole included cherry trees, clearly stupid beyond belief. If this ever got bigger then you cud end up with places having to go & CHOP DOWN cherry trees planted over the years, what an idiot.
I just cant believe how incredibly STUPID so many politicians & beaurocrates are, there are being brought into the present by a time machine set 50-100yrs ago!
Truly beggars belief, shame on all them!
1
Louise12MAY. 20, 2012 - 12:15PM JST
I saw a video in youtube about "Taboo of Korean residence in Japan", and it's saying about the Koreans committed crime in Japan after Japan lost in the WWII, such as raped the Japanese females, robbed the stores in Japan, and killed the polices, I don't know if it's true or not but my friend's grandmother (she's Philippines) said that she had Japanese friends and they were all nice but (I forgot was it before or during or after the WWII) the Japanese armies who arrived there are cruel because they were Koreans (or half-Koreans). And the comments here are saying like the Koreans ARE pure and put the blame on Japanese. It's not like ALL the Japanese are involved in the WWII. I mean, it's okay to remember, but who knows the real truth? what IF the history are being changed? like what VANK usually do. Ah, and do you know that in the SK National museum there's something (don't remember what) saying that "Jesus was born in Korea" isn't it the same with trying to change the history? If the SK can do this, what about the other countries? what if the history we're learning is not the same? What about try to compare your country's history with other countries' histories? Are they all the same? I'm saying IF here, I'm not saying my opinions are true.
1
imap2223MAY. 20, 2012 - 03:12PM JST
The only fake history is the one being shoveled in your school system. If you don't like others meddling in your county's affairs don't meddle in other country's affairs.Those j-officials have no business asking the people of New Jersey to take down the monuments. We need more of them.
@JIMIZO AMEN TO WHAT YOU SAY.
1
Silvana KajiMAY. 20, 2012 - 04:46PM JST
in this case the money to compensate the damage did not solve anything. every nation has its own fault because of the wars. that would be like the Germany coming to Italy and asking them to remove all memorials monuments that recall the victims of war and concentration camps and Nazi extermination.This is absurd. but Japan is like a swamp that amending everything.
1
biculturalMAY. 20, 2012 - 05:54PM JST
Pretty soon these old officials will all die off and hopefully we can put an end to this nonsense.
1
GWMAY. 20, 2012 - 07:30PM JST
I don't understand why the Japanese can't accept that it did during the occupation of Korea, parts of China and what it did during WW2
Zichi,
Indeed Japans inability to learn from its own history is an embarassment to the whole world. Just imagine if Japan came clean decades ago, then if China, Korea or elsewhere tried to bring this up Japan cud say THAT was in our past, we acknowledged our past, so shut the hell up!!
But alas Japan has TOTALLY UTTERLY SCREWED the whole thing up, Japan is 150% to blame for this stuff. And now that Japan is headed south no other countries are going to put up anymore with Japan BS!
The thing that gets me is your average Japanese TOTALLY gets what Germany did, but when it come to Japans own history 1930-45 its incredibly sad that people are so ignorant & ill informed still to this day.
And Japan has & will continue to pay a heavy price, my guess the heaviest price is still off in the future, not sure I wanna be around for that set of payments & all the while the natives are so clueless for the most part.............Japan has only itself to blame for this!
1
FeihuMAY. 21, 2012 - 12:23AM JST
The idea of building this monument and others like it in a THIRD country seems to have plenty of ulterior motives behind it. If these were Muslims wanting to build a monument to civilians that were killed in Lebanon by Israeli military forces the hue and cries of opposition would be tremendous and the American Muslims would be condemned as terrorist supporters or worse. These types of monuments should be built in the countries where these acts took place and not involve any THIRD parties. It's simply poor manners and bad diplomacy especially since both of the principles have been hashing this problem out for decades and have made progress in admission and restitution by the Japanese.
One also might winder that if the purpose of this is to remind overseas Japanese of the problem why not build it in Brazil where there are far more Japanese-Brazilians than there are Japanese-Americans in the US and the number of Korean-Brazilians, while not as numerous as Koreans- Americans, there are still enough to be noticed. Obviously this monument in New Jersey is not a message to the Japanese but one to the Americans. But to be fair perhaps those Koreans would also put up a monument to the Chinese, Australian, American and British flyers executed by ethnic Korean prison camp guards wearing Japanese military uniforms during the war in China and the Pacific.
The moral here is , "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone."
1
Elbuda MexicanoMAY. 21, 2012 - 05:10AM JST
Yuri Otani is right on the money! Next, getting off the airplane in Honolulu/LAX/SFO etc..we will see these cool memorials to the victims of sexual slavery by the Japanese Imperial Army, thanks to a couple of idiot Japanese politicians out in the middle of no where NJ, boy oh boy! I can not wait to see these memorials all over the place! Thanks stupid old fart ojayis from the LDP??
1
showmethemoneyMAY. 21, 2012 - 06:53AM JST
I am not asking for an opinion or for your BELIEFS.
He gave you what was the decision of the U.S. Congress and many other governments. They have decided the sex slaves were a fact and that Japan still owes compensation.
Compensation for sex slaves was not a part of the 1965 agreement or settlement money. The Japanese government has never paid any money for sex slaves.
1
CletusMAY. 21, 2012 - 08:01AM JST
Japanese officials are asking a small northern New Jersey town with a large Korean immigrant population to remove a public monument dedicated to women who were forced into sexual slavery by Japanese soldiers during World War II.
As for this, l am sick to death of Japan, Japanese people and the Japanese government thinking that they can tell other countries what they can and cant do on their own soil. What they can and cant remember of their own history and what they can and cant print in their own media. Japan needs to worry more about Japan and less about what the rest of the world does.
What annoys me most is these Japanese are offended by a plaque in another nation that remembers what their country (Japan) and their countrymen did to other nations people yet they have the nerve to ignore world opinion and keep remembering that actual perpetrators of these crimes at the Yasukuni shrine, and Atami shrine in Shizuoka.
To me this is a more disgusting act than Koreans in the US actually remembering what the Japanese did to them after invading their country. What is Japan so afraid of, everyone knows what they did, everyone knows of their disgusting behaviour, and everyone has the right to commemorate those that suffered at the Japanese hands.
1
CletusMAY. 21, 2012 - 09:08AM JST
YuriyChekalin
Cletus what is the point In other words you have NO facts about Korea. Just as I thought.
Yuri, there are plenty of facts, from the comfort women issue, to forced labour and killings, to executions, and forced medical experiments. The fact is l am not bothering as 1. they will be deemed off topic, 2. you will just deny them, 3. you will complain again to the mods and have them removed.
So what is the point, just because you hide you head in the sand and refuse to believe anything other than your own sanitized history. And yes it is sanitized, l have read your version of events, l have visited your museums and memorials and read your descriptions of events. So l can quite comfortably say your version is sanitized.
ModeratorMAY. 21, 2012 - 09:20AM JST
Cletus and YuriyChekalin, please stop bickering. Better still, please do not address each other any further on this thread since neither of you are willing to be polite.
1
chris-kunMAY. 22, 2012 - 04:46AM JST
I love Japan so much for being a strong country in tough times, but the reality is that they were cruel to some other Asians (Chinese and Koreans). It all goes in the supremacy of the race..I mean really?
In my opinion,countries should be united no matter their differences so that way we can enjoy this world and our lives better.
1
GWMAY. 22, 2012 - 11:51AM JST
This issue will never be closed as the Korean people need to bash Japan to feel good about themselves.
Yuri,
This is very true, BUT have you ever wondered WHY this is, that is the key!
The answer as to the why is simple, Japan has offered totally insincere mumblings about WWII for decades, denied what they did on massive scale, again for decades, which sadly continues to the present.
Yuri, that is WHY Korea, China & other criticise Japan, simply because Japan derserves it, hasnt learned much about its own history BUT wants the rest of the world to forget, when that isnt going to happen.
If Japan had been honest & dealt with its history it cud tell China, Korea etc to all just BUZZ OFF, but Japan cant because it still lies & denies its history, this is ALL 100% MADE IN JAPAN.
1
JohhnyGlitterballMAY. 23, 2012 - 04:07AM JST
OssanAmerica; People like Koreans collaborate during times of war as many Koreans did in a time of war. It is human nature that some will do so. So what, the military machine was run by the Japanese Empire. Let these Koreans remember, maybe some in the town had family members who were wictims.
The crime isof those that denied it happened, those LDP guys and your anger as ever is at the Koreans. Now, is that not a little queer?
1
Bloom YangMAY. 23, 2012 - 10:51PM JST
Thanks guys. I'm Korean, and I saw articles about this happening, and saw all replies. I'm very embarrassed. And I want to say about a "demonstration".
We called it "Demonstration of Wednesday." Every Wednesday, women who were forced into sexual slavery and NGO have demonstrated in front of Japanese Embassy. BECAUSE OF THIS.
and Thanks everyone! I will say this as many people as possible.
1
Thomas AndersonMAY. 24, 2012 - 06:05AM JST
^Still in denial. These guys are completely brainwashed... Japan just cannot admit that they can make a mistake. They have to keep pretending that they're always perfect without a flaw...
1
FadamorMAY. 25, 2012 - 03:45AM JST
This one has me scratching my head. If you talk to Tokyo, Japan's part in the use of Korean conscripts was resolved in the 1960's with the treaty between Japan and South Korea. If a U.S. town made up of mostly Korean immigrants decides to memorialize those same conscripts, what business is it of Japan's?
Nice picture of the memorial here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/19/nyregion/monument-in-palisades-park-nj-irritates-japanese-officials.html?_r=2
1
FadamorMAY. 25, 2012 - 03:52AM JST
... but it's a shame there was no one in Bergen County, New Jersey who knows that "people" is already plural and doesn't need an "s" at the end.
1
RickyrabMAY. 26, 2012 - 04:50AM JST
I'm siding with my great state of New Jersey (it may not have all that much land, but it can pack quite a punch). First, Palisades Park is full of Koreans. They don't have to bother with Japanese requests if they don't want to. Second, Dai Nippon is making a mountain out of a molehill. So what if people have a memorial to unlikable history out in the middle of nowhere? (And, let's face it, Palisades Park isn't all that close to Japan.)
1
Michael Jun Sung ShimMAY. 26, 2012 - 06:46AM JST
The Japanese can cry foul and whine about those comfort women monuments as much as they want but since the memorials are in the U.S.soil,Japan doesn't have the right to demand that the US remove it. That Japan actually attempted to do so shows how weak-kneed Japanese diplomacy is..It goes to show how poor minded Japan Government is.Come on Japan You Get Real About This!! Face the truth and just don't repeat this sinful act again and go and reconcile with Korean comfort women and pay them compensation for having inflicted so much damage to those women.
Just apologize and compensation to the victims..Japan has lots of money for themselves but is very stingy on paying compensation to all non-Japanese victims of Japanese military aggression.Relations between Seoul and Tokyo can improve once you Japanese show some efforts for serious contrition and atonement..As I was reading other people's comments, most of them, who were Americans, made perfect sense when they said they backed Korean people's endeavour to tell the world the truth about the behind-the-scenes stories of what was going on regarding comfort women issue.
As to Korean military atrocities in Vietnam,those army people who did such things should offer an apology and even compensation to the victims.But the currently deceased Korean leader Kim Dae Jung(김대중) has already offered apology to Viet Nam on a governmental level which was on a news article written in Korea Times some years ago.I don't care whether the wrongdoer is Japanese or not..Anyone regardless of their nationality who harms his/her neighbour should apologize immediately and never hurt thy neighbour's feelings and emotions again and also pay compensation to the victims..
Please solve this 20th Century issue as soon as possible, I ask to the people and Government of Japan so that we can all move on and put the bitter past to rest FINALLY!! Koreans want peace with Japan and I hope Japan shows more compassion and understandings of Koreans who had to suffer under Japanese rule.I also want to exchange ideas freely with Japanese people on those important historical issues that affect our bilateral relations.My message to peoples of both Korea and Japan is to try to understand each other by opening up your minds and hearts and souls.Europe reconciled its internal wars by opening up to each other and facing the music and there is no reason why China,Korea and Japan cannot do likewise..
1
WolfpackMAY. 26, 2012 - 09:56AM JST
Far too many Koreans are also in denial that some 240,000 Koreans willingly served in the Japanese military in WWII and made use of the Comfort Women system.
Japan forcibly annexed Korea at around 1910 and instituted propaganda and educational indoctrination throughout the country. They were a Japanese colony. The Korean people can't be held responsible for what the Japanese people did to them during this period of time. Japan was in charge and the people were slaves to the Japanese government of that time.
What happened back then at a different time and by a different Japan does not mean that the Japanese people of today are not just as decent and peace loving as anyone else. However, denying history like this will cause others to question their level of decency and respect for the Koreans and the people of so many other nations affected by the Japanese war in the Pacific.
1
SunnysideUpMAY. 26, 2012 - 11:15AM JST
Some just can't face the shameful truth. Sweeping dirty laundry under the rug does not extend across the Pacific.
0
GG2141MAY. 20, 2012 - 10:45AM JST
Great article outlining the remarkably high level political goings on.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/19/nyregion/monument-in-palisades-park-nj-irritates-japanese-officials.html
0
Christina O'NeillMAY. 20, 2012 - 11:13AM JST
Dont appreciate the monument, tough!
0
smithinjapanMAY. 20, 2012 - 12:48PM JST
Anyway, if after the war ended some South Koreans (or half-Koreans) tried to take out their anger on Japanese people here or overseas they are almost as bad as the Imperial soldiers who committed atrocities against South Korea (and everywhere else in Asia). That doesn't mean the people who DID suffer at the hands of others cannot lament it, nor does it mean they cannot put up a monument in the memory of those who suffered.
0
smithinjapanMAY. 20, 2012 - 06:51PM JST
Dog: "and SmithinJapan normally I normally like your posts but it's utter stupidity to compare people who took their anger out on Japanese people here or overseas as being almost as bad as the Imperial soldiers who committed atrocities. The Japanese killed more than 30,000,000 Asians, directly or indirectly, as a result of their 1931-45 wars of expansion"
If you think I'm comparing acts of hostility or aggression you took my post all wrong. I believe I said SOME acts may have occurred, and I think I even went on to say they in no way near compared to what Imperial Japan did to its neighbours. I know all about the atrocities, I was merely admitting to a certain poster that a few incidents may have occurred here as reciprocity in the minds of those who did it. There is no way in hell they are even comparable in terms of scale, so please do not get me wrong.
0
smithinjapanMAY. 20, 2012 - 06:53PM JST
bicultural: "Pretty soon these old officials will all die off and hopefully we can put an end to this nonsense."
You would hope so, but given the amount of money spent and efforts by nationalists, including these old officials, to alter history and avoid embarrassment (save that they embarrass themselves by trying to do so!), the younger generation will know no different.
0
CrickyMAY. 20, 2012 - 06:56PM JST
It's just embarrassing when other countries acknowledge the crimes you claim as false.
0
Thunderbird2MAY. 20, 2012 - 09:35PM JST
I agree with CaptainJohann (though he left out that German soldiers during WW2 also raped their way across Europe) that all conquerors commit atrocities... by its very nature war has a dehumanising effect on people.
The countries which carried out said atrocities have made amends and accepted their guilt... apart from Japan.
Come on... time to accept what was done in the name of the Emperor and then we can all move on.
0
whiskeysourMAY. 20, 2012 - 10:09PM JST
It's america, Japan reps. can come and visit. But not instruct people to remove it. It's regrettable if they do !!!!
0
Charles RoviraMAY. 20, 2012 - 11:59PM JST
The problem with the realistic attitude of not denying that some or other events happened is that Japanese psyche is based on ancestor worship.
They feel that it is being impolite to their ancestors to put them in a bad light.
If your grand-pa was an utter bastard to Korean women, then deal with it, (viz: those were different, less enlightened times) and progress on from there.
In truth, if you're Japanese, your grand-pa or great-grand-pa was probably a bit xenophobic, but mine was a Spanish civil war draft-dodger. The idea of kamikaze and sacrificing himself for a cause was anathema to him.
Different times and different problems.
0
DogMAY. 21, 2012 - 12:50AM JST
Good| Bad YuriyChekalinMay. 20, 2012 - 11:13PM JST
In our case, local government obviously gave its ok to building a monument. Which means that local American government has decided to side with Koreans on the issue that is still being debated
This is not a debate outside of Japan. it's a fact.
0
CletusMAY. 22, 2012 - 04:48PM JST
GW
Yuri, This is very true, BUT have you ever wondered WHY this is, that is the key! The answer as to the why is simple, Japan has offered totally insincere mumblings about WWII for decades, denied what they did on massive scale, again for decades, which sadly continues to the present. Yuri, that is WHY Korea, China & other criticise Japan, simply because Japan derserves it, hasnt learned much about its own history BUT wants the rest of the world to forget, when that isnt going to happen. If Japan had been honest & dealt with its history it cud tell China, Korea etc to all just BUZZ OFF, but Japan cant because it still lies & denies its history, this is ALL 100% MADE IN JAPAN.
You are entirely correct. Sadly Yuri can only see the anger other nations show towards Japan but not the reason for the anger. If you look at the example of Germany post WW2, the Germans came to terms with their actions they made their apologies, they have acknowledged their actions and they are now accepted by those they once invaded.
Now look at the Japanese they have half heartedly apologised while continuing to worship the criminals who committed the atrocities, they have half heartedly apologised while arguing that they didnt do this or that and it wasnt as bad as portrayed. That is the big difference here Germany has accepted its actions and moved on the Japanese havent, and l truly believe on of the biggest reasons for this was the fact that the chief instigator of the war was left in power after its end.
Yuri keeps saying these countries need to move on and forget the past yet Japan is the one who constantly plays down its past and refuses to fully acknowledge its past actions. Until this happens then no other nation will move on or put this behind them. If the Japanese truly want forgiveness and countries to move on its up to them to fully come to terms with their own actions.
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Pukey2MAY. 23, 2012 - 01:30AM JST
ossanamerica:
They can build all the monuments they want in Korea but not in the United States.
Well, they must have gotten permission from American authorities.
If you want foreign monuments removed, then remove the Statue of Liberty. That's French.
Yuri keeps saying these countries need to move on and forget the past yet Japan is the one who constantly plays down its past and refuses to fully acknowledge its past actions.
Yeah, I'm all for moving on. So are we going to see the end of certain displays of victimhood every August?
0
OssanAmericaMAY. 23, 2012 - 03:10AM JST
Pukey2May. 23, 2012 - 01:30AM JST ossanamerica: They can build all the monuments they want in Korea but not in the United States. Well, they must have gotten permission from American authorities.
No, municiplaties don't need permission from the Federal government to build or not build any monuments. Small towns simply need municipal votiing and board approvals, and in cases where the Koreanm immigrant population is hiuge, like Palisades Park and Fort Lee, N.J. something like this is easy. My poiint is that the Greek-Americans and Armenian-Americans do not build monuments villifyng the Ottoman Turks, and unike the holocaust which is heavily documented the whole Koean claim to the comfort women issue is vague because far too many Koreans are in denial that the Japanese government paid the South Korean government compensation in 1965, and it was the South Korean government tht kept it a secret from it';s on people. Far too many Koreans are also in denial that some 240,000 Koreans willingly served in the Japanese military in WWII and made use of the Comfort Women system. Yes, Koreans were shootting and killing Allied troops in WWII. It;s only on Japan's defeat that they suddenly started crying "we're victimsd too", a policy GHQ accepted because of the impending confrontation with the USSR. The Chinese suffered far more than the Koreans ever did.
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sf2kMAY. 23, 2012 - 05:39AM JST
It's not about money, it's about recognition of a past event. How many memorials in Japan to the Koreans and Chinese who died? Only Japanese. That reflects badly on today's Japan unable to face history thus unable to move on to a prosperous future. I believe this decanting of history is also responsible for the very odd tendency to replace the Japanese language with Engrish as a new mangled kanji. Since history cannot be accepted, language isn't respected either. There's a large lack of self respect. There needs to be a deep psychologically healing process along with the foregoing of the tendency to play victim if anything is to change for the better. Just my theory.
I had a long discussion about war history memorials and it's ongoing shrine issues with a Japanese friend. Through that and my own experiences many Japanese are very upset by this but believe they can control spirits so the dedication of the war criminals cannot be undone in their minds. This means as well since they don't respect Koreans historically speaking they also believe they can control their spirits too. Hence the odd actions of the J-Gov officials from our perspective.
However if they create a new shrine, not dedicate war criminals, then use that, many other Japanese would more likely use that and the old shrines would not be used again, possibly causing them economic hardship. So nothing is done, and Japan's reputation continues to stagnate.
This Korean memorial dedicates an important sad part of history. A part of a long history where unfortunately Japan has had it against Koreans for hundreds of years. I don't doubt it will take time to get over history. But I'm glad that many young people I know are doing so, and are not held back and respect their own language. There is hope .
This Korean memorial is only there to remind us all, anyone who should pass, to remember a time and a way of thinking that cannot be allowed to return. That is something to be embraced by everyone, not challenged. By challenging it this stains Japan again.
This is international news btw. I read this in a local paper then later here in JT. Money follows conviction. But it is a mistake to constantly bring up money and compenstation and then ignore conviction. The issue will remain about conviction towards a greater morality. Japan as a nation has to stop looking away. There are many Japanese who can do that and I thank them. It could not have been easy.
This is all about healing. All of us need time to heal in their own way and help those to move on.
Whenever China, SK and Japan can figure it out, that will be fantastic! But it can't happen by forgetting the past, only by working together.
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Thomas AndersonMAY. 23, 2012 - 06:31AM JST
Looking at the comments, it's amazing and embarrassing that some of the Japanese are STILL in denial...
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Thomas AndersonMAY. 25, 2012 - 09:55AM JST
In Germany, if you deny that the Holocaust had happened then you'll be arrested.
In Japan, if you deny that the Nanking massacre had ever occurred, then you'll get re-elected again and again.
In Germany, there are monuments dedicated to the Holocause victims in their own country.
In Japan, officials get pissed if other countries try to build monuments dedicated to victims of war crimes.
Just some of the differences in attitudes that these two countries have...
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Thomas AndersonMAY. 25, 2012 - 09:57AM JST
Japan really needs to stop being so selfish and self-absorbed... and start feeling more sympathy for the victims, and anger and resentment toward the war criminals. But Japan instead worships their war criminals and spite the victims... unbelievable. Sometimes I wonder if some of the Japanese have any real morals at all.
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FeihuMAY. 26, 2012 - 05:20AM JST
Fadamor: "Not quite correct. Atrocities are intentional acts, "collateral damage" is incidental deaths of people other than the intended target. Here's an example of the differences."
You are, of course, correct in the literal meaning of the phrase but I am referring to it in a more political sense so it becomes more a question of semantics rather than a question of "meaning" . I elude more to what you mention in your final paragraph. It is sarcasm about the often hypocritical usage of this rather nebulous but very unpleasant expression. IMO we might also include the episodes of "carpet bombing" and defoliation as war crimes as well. It's something like the case of Ethan Allen, a hero and a freedom fighter to the Americans but akin to a terrorist to the English.
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FeihuMAY. 26, 2012 - 05:40AM JST
Recount!!! At least on my part. I still standby my statement that the USA is the wrong place for this monument since the Japanese-Americans of that time suffered a great injustice by the US government and had no part in "The Empire of Japan's" war crimes.
That said the entire argument above is due to the fact that "Japan Today" is guilty of incomplete reporting. Here is a more complete and accurate picture of the situation: The JT version borders on journalistic misrepresentation.
http://www.japanprobe.com/2012/05/24/the-comfort-women-monument-in-new-jersey/
The JT version borders on journalistic misrepresentation. Shame on you JT .
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Thomas AndersonMAY. 26, 2012 - 05:51AM JST
Comfort Women, your message is propaganda.
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showmethemoneyMAY. 27, 2012 - 07:09PM JST
Not quite correct. Atrocities are intentional acts, "collateral damage" is incidental deaths of people other than the intended target.
Overall a very good and very welcome post Fadamor.
The trouble is that the term collateral damage is being used when the attacker knows damn well civilians will die but they claim a specific target and claim they are not targetting the civilians.
There really is no difference between a suicide bomber blowing himself up in the market place intent on killing American soldiers there, and blowing up a house some militants just ran into. But the U.S. military sure wants us to believe there is a difference.
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Comfort WomenMAY. 27, 2012 - 11:13PM JST
A "comfort girl" is nothing more than a prostitute. The political propaganda of South Korea.
Report No. 49: Japanese POW Interrogation on Prostitution http://www.exordio.com/1939-1945/codex/Documentos/report-49-USA-orig.html Date of Report: October 1, 1944
PREFACE This report is based on the information obtained from the interrogation of twenty Korean "comfort girls" and two Japanese civilians captured around the tenth of August, 1944 in the mopping up operations after the fall of Myitkyin a in Burma. The report shows how the Japanese recruited these Korean "comfort girls", the conditions under which they lived and worked, their relations with and reaction to the Japanese soldier, and their understanding of the military situation. A "comfort girl" is nothing more than a prostitute or "professional camp follower" attached to the Japanese Army for the benefit of the soldiers. The word "comfort girl" is peculiar to the Japanese.
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mdepaivaMAY. 28, 2012 - 02:39AM JST
Who were these so called "Japanese Officials" representing? Was it political or business. Either way, the Japanese government has never atoned for what it did concerning the "comfort women". The German government a long time ago came to grips with the Holocaust. Although it took a long time the USA apologized for the interminet of Japanese civilians during WWII. The way it looks right now, hell will freeze over before the Japanese government comes around.
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ivanobich985MAY. 28, 2012 - 03:05PM JST
Hey, I was going to read the "Report No. 49". But I am not sure. It says the report was prepared by "T/3 Alex Yorichi". "Yorich" sounds like a Japanese name. Is this person still alive?
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NessieMAY. 28, 2012 - 04:16PM JST
they did soethjing no other colonial ruler ever did, gave all Koreans Japanese citizenship
Factually untrue. Look at New Zealand.
ModeratorMAY. 28, 2012 - 04:21PM JST
Back on topic please. New Zealand is not relevant to this discussion.
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YongYangMAY. 20, 2012 - 09:35AM JST
The truth hurst when you have never heard it. WAKE UP!
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whateverzMAY. 20, 2012 - 12:22PM JST
They have a right to put up any statue they want in a park they basically own. How are you going to come to my park and tell me to change something. These officials are over reaching. Or they assumed that the statue was owned by the gov.
Correct all the way. And to those who talk about the 1965 treaty, I agree that the comfort women issue is legally settled. The problem with this story is that the people of this town are setting up a monument in the US. They, as in the town residents, have every right to put it up. What made it even worst was that these bureaucrats tried to "bribe" the officials to remove it. Sadly, that is truly disgusting behavior.
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tomokiMAY. 20, 2012 - 02:18PM JST
I don't think Japanese government has paid compensation for Comfort woman. More Japanese now days believe that it has not happened.
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SquidBertMAY. 22, 2012 - 11:24AM JST
I think it would serve the Japanese officials involved well to read up a bit on the Streisand Effect, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Streisand_effect
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Max_PayneMAY. 23, 2012 - 11:18AM JST
So far nobody was able to answer to YuriyChekalin's challenge with facts. I wonder why.
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ubikwitMAY. 24, 2012 - 03:34AM JST
@zichi
Had Japan followed the lead of Germany with dealing with it's war past, it too could have moved on decades ago.
i fully agree with that statement.
but since you've pointed out that you don't understand the motivation for the japanese disposition, let me mention a book or two you might find interesting, and simply to point out that the history of the West in East Asia, at least since the time of the opium wars in China, is somewhat abysmal.
before mentioning the books, i'll point out that relations between japan and korea were good before the meiji restoration, having been restored by the tokugawa after the horrendous failures of hideyoshi's misguided invasions. the reason that relations soured during the meiji period was because the korean court refused to recognize the "restoration" of the emperor as sovereign of the divine country of japan.
anyway, before the moderator interferes, let me recommend a book: sakamoto ryoma and the meiji restoration by marius jansen
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bass4funkMAY. 25, 2012 - 10:20AM JST
@Thomas
I think it boils more down to education and historical distortion, conditioning and indoctrination. I blame more the powers that be, rather than the younger generation. The previous generation will never change and that is a darn shame, but at least they can do a lot as to not repeat the past and that is to be open, honest and self-admitting. because the only way you can make a better future is to understand your past.
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FeihuMAY. 25, 2012 - 10:14PM JST
To me the point still remains that this is still washing your dirty laundry in a third persons front yard. It also speaks to the problem of exacerbating an already existing racism and ethnocentrism that is already in in this country and is a purely internal problem. The age old animosities and hatreds of the Koreans and the Japanese does little to help quell the already high racial tensions that exist between black and white or white and Hispanic. This isn't the only case but it is a good example of bring in outside problems that impede the progress of racial equality within the USA.I grew up in this type of situation where main land Italians absolutely hated Sicilians and Northern Italians couldn't stand Southern Italians. The situation has somewhat resolved itself over the years but the animosity is still just below the surface. How to such attitudes foster the idea of American equality??... they don't. There are dozens of other examples where hirst generation immigrants have brought unsavory ideas or customs to their new country and these customs have created problems where none should exist.
How would you feel about the following situation? Over the past three decades and large population of Vietnamese have moved to Spain where the live by fishing and farming. Many live in the Northeast. Now suppose these people decided to build a monument to commemorate those innocent civilians who died at the hands of American soldiers...starting with the atrocity committed at Mi Lai. In about a New York second you'd have a group of US politicians so loudly decrying this effort by the Vietnamese that these Japanese politicians in New Jersey would look like deaf mutes.. I would support those politicians because that monument needs to be built but in New Orleans or Houston or even Saigon but NOT in Spain. Would you build a monument to General Sherman in Atlanta or in Trenton? Go figure.
There are about 9,000 Korean-Americans in Palisades Park and maybe 10 Japanese. What's the purpose of the monument? To remind a dozen Japanese who are probably mostly all victims of Executive Order 9066? I don't think they really care. But the monument should be built. Where? IMO it should be built in Osaka where the largest number of Korean-Japanese in Japan are living.... about 75000. Both a very large number of Japanese and Koreans would see this monument and be reminded, on a daily basis, of the incident and see that it should never happen again.
On last point....atrocities are committed by the losers of the conflict. When the same acts are committed by the victors we call that "collateral damage."
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Comfort WomenMAY. 26, 2012 - 05:04AM JST
In addition, the Japanese government has denied this article. Is said to send Cherry blossoms to Palisades Park Japanese government, Cherry blossoms are a lot to the United States. IT is lie think of South Korea people .
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Thomas AndersonMAY. 26, 2012 - 06:00AM JST
@Frank Rizzo yep, there's no question that the Japanese war history is tightly controlled and revised by the far-rights. I mean if these atrocities really didn't occur, then why are they not allowing people to debate freely about the issue? They're just outright denying that it ever occurred from the start and they're not letting anyone get to the truth of the matter.
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Thomas AndersonMAY. 26, 2012 - 06:47AM JST
It is truly sickening... some people are saying "there is no evidence" but that's only because they've been DESTROYING evidence...
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KabukiloverMAY. 27, 2012 - 06:10PM JST
What this ugly incident goes to show is that Japan has not changed. Officially it is still denying truth about comfort women and their other crimes against humanity. Japan lost face thanks to what its diplomats pulled in Palisades Park, New Jersey. Tell you what the problem is at its base. Japan's imperial government was ultimately responsible. That means even though Hirohito was never tried as a war criminal, war crimes invariably besmirch the imperial system. Without this institution it is possible that the Japan government would have been more forthright. But maybe not.
As an American I am all for Palisades Park and would like to see millions of similar memorials sprout all over my fair land.
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LH10MAY. 28, 2012 - 04:49AM JST
ummm lol
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JFBarnesMAY. 28, 2012 - 08:58AM JST
The Year of 2001
Dear Madam,
On the occasion that the Asian Women's Fund, in cooperation with the Government and the people of Japan, offers atonement from the Japanese people to the former wartime comfort women, I wish to express my feelings as well.
The issue of comfort women, with an involvement of the Japanese military authorities at that time, was a grave affront to the honor and dignity of large numbers of women.
As Prime Minister of Japan, I thus extend anew my 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.
We must not evade the weight of the past, nor should we evade our responsibilities for the future.
I believe that our country, painfully aware of its moral responsibilities, with feelings of apology and remorse, should face up squarely to its past history and accurately convey it to future generations.
Furthermore, Japan also should take an active part in dealing with violence and other forms of injustice to the honor and dignity of women.
Finally, I pray from the bottom of my heart that each of you will find peace for the rest of your lives.
Respectfully yours,
Junichiro Koizumi Prime Minister of Japan
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/women/fund/pmletter.html
Do a search on 'wartime comfort women'
Uchinachu
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just-a-bigguyMAY. 20, 2012 - 12:54PM JST
Because there was no monument to honour those Japanese ladies being sexually assaulted by allied occupation forcces since 1945 and until now the Japanese govt shall never speak up for justice if sex assault happened on their soil!
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DogMAY. 20, 2012 - 03:45PM JST
Tomokazu KawanoMay. 20, 2012 - 10:56AM JST
In 1965, Korea agreed that it would make no more complaints on the war instead of receiving 1.1billion of financial aid from Japan. It however breached the agreement.
Normally I'd stay out of this discussion but you keep bringing uo the issue of reparations having been paid and that closed the issue.
Let's put 1965 into perspective. South Korea was being run by a military dictatorship and Japan wasn't that rich at the time, and Japan promised that if their financial situation improved with time, the issue of further recompense would be considered by Japan.
What Japan paid relative to the damage Japan had done (and SmithinJapan normally I normally like your posts but it's utter stupidity to compare people who took their anger out on Japanese people here or overseas as being almost as bad as the Imperial soldiers who committed atrocities. The Japanese killed more than 30,000,000 Asians, directly or indirectly, as a result of their 1931-45 wars of expansion) is a bit like someone smashing up your new Porsche and pleading poverty, when you ask for recompense. The next day that vandal of your car wins the lottery, as Japan did with her economic miracle, and refuses to pay the full compensation for the repair of your car. Even though they had agreed that financial recompense was a evolutionary process.
Apart from international law, concerning what are or are not valid agreements between governments, and the 1965 treaty Japan signed with the South Korean junta, under the terms of Ultra Vires, by no stretch of the imagination would be considered as a valid treaty, there is the common human empathy how you would feel towards the vandal, who now has the means to fully recompense you for the wanton damage he/she did to your Porsche, but refuses to pay.
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DogMAY. 20, 2012 - 08:33PM JST
@ Nippon Nation.
The town has a large Korean Japanese population and unlike Japan's much larger Korean population, they are citizens of the USA and they can put what the hell they want to put up in their own country, within the constraints of the First Ammendment, and no foreigner, Japanese or otherwise, can stop them.
By the way I am not pro-Korean or anti-Japanese, I'm just anti north east Asian and their victimhoods. Korea too, in Vietnam, has a lot of wrongs to apologize for and recompense their Vietnamese victims. However like the japanese, and the Chinese, they're too busy playing the self pity card to see through their own BS, which makes them, through such incidents as this, a luaghing stock.
The disappiontment is that I expect better of the Japanese than the Chinese or Koreans.
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CletusMAY. 21, 2012 - 08:40AM JST
YuriyChekalin
"Have asked". Asked. Exactly.
Correct they have asked. Why have they asked? What right do they have to ask? And why should anyone listen to them? And thankfully they have been politely told where to go.....
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nigelboyMAY. 26, 2012 - 06:48AM JST
Feihu
Thanks for the link. The poster named "Gray" gets it right about this "Comfort Women, Inc." issue for they are hell bent on continuing for generations.
If I may add, the Japanese government officially does not "DENY" the existence of the comfort women. What is being questioned/debated among the public are the "Comfort Women Inc." version of the events in which they claim "200,000 were abducted by Japanese Imperial Army" when such evidence does not exist.
The reality of the Korean comfort women back in the days were that they were sold by their own families for advance payment or willing participants just like the prostitutes of modern day Korea where it is estimated that 100,000 Korean prostitutes operate outside Korea. Granted, there were evidence of Korean brokers who recruited these women under false pretenses as evidenced by newspaper articles indicating arrest made by Korean police during the annexation period. In addition, there was a memorandum issued by the IJA to be aware of such practices and that such method should be prevented. Ironically, the left wingers of Japan used the aforementioned memorandum as "evidence" to show that IJA was involved in recruitment of comfort women.
This particular memorial is basically a by-product of Korean Americans extending their Korean anti-Japan education onto American soil. They have sued Japanese School in U.S. for distribuing Japanese textbook that indicated Takeshima to be of Japanese territory. (The case was dismissed). Some Koreans go far as paste "East Sea" stickers on top of "Sea of Japan" on maps inside the libraries all across the continent.
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OssanAmericaMAY. 26, 2012 - 07:56AM JST
JohhnyGlitterballMay. 23, 2012 - 04:07AM JST OssanAmerica; People like Koreans collaborate during times of war as many Koreans did in a time of war. It is >human nature that some will do so. So what, the military machine was run by the Japanese Empire. Let these >Koreans remember, maybe some in the town had family members who were wictims. The crime isof those that denied it happened, those LDP guys and your anger as ever is at the Koreans. Now, is >that not a little queer?
Not at all. KOREA is not a victim of the Japanese Empire in the same way that China and other asian nations were. Koreans were serving in the Japanese military, using those very same comfort women. Koreans were known for the brutality towards allied POWs and many of them were tried and convicted as Class B criminals. Koreans are in denial of their own complicity in the Comfort Women program. They are in denial of their own governments agreement with Japan in 1965. And that their own government did not distribute the moneyt to individuals as they were suppose to. All they can do is harp on the "evil Japanese" as if they have done no wrong. AS for denial, only a few minority JP rightwing wackjobs "deny" anything happened. But the silly idea that 200,000 Korean women were all kidnapped doesn't wash. Why would 240,000 Korean men willingly serve in the Japanese armed forces when their wives, sisters and daughters are getting kidnapped all around them? You can't put together a program of that size without recruitment, which there was. And undoubtedly many were victims, sold by their families, tricked by others, but all impossible to accomplish without a great many Korean collaborators.
I find it hard to sympathize with many Korean claims because of this one sided attitude and denial of any responsibility. As long as that continues, any apologies are impossible to attain.
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OssanAmericaMAY. 26, 2012 - 10:43PM JST
WolfpackMay. 26, 2012 - 09:48AM JST The problem for Japan is that they keep refusing to accept responsibility for anything they did during WWII.
No you are wromng. http://www.jiyuushikan.org/e/reparations.html
WolfpackMay. 26, 2012 - 09:56AM JST Japan forcibly annexed Korea at around 1910 and instituted propaganda and educational indoctrination throughout >the country. They were a Japanese colony. The Korean people can't be held responsible for what the Japanese >people did to them during this period of time.
The Korean annexation was aided and supported by some Koreans, while other koreans were against. Korea became a Japanese colony, just like Australia, India and Singapore were British Colonies and Vietnam was a French colony. Yes the Japanese instituded propaganda and indoctrination, just ike all other colonial rulers. But they did soethjing no other colonial ruler ever did, gave all Koreans Japanese citizenship. They also built the backward country in terms of schools, roads, infrastructure. Koreas are in denial about all the benefits they gained whole harping on all the negatives. If Japan had not annexed Korea in 1910 Koreans would have been part of Russia. Remember that the Russians landed troops on the Korean Penninsual earlier than the Japanese, and' the Japanese military presence on the Korean Penninsual as well as the Russo-Japanese War of 1904/05 all stemmed from this race between the two countries for strategic dominance.
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YuriyChekalinMAY. 20, 2012 - 11:13PM JST
They have a right to put up any statue they want in a park they basically own. How are you going to come to my park and tell me to change something.
Veeeery simple. For instance, in US even if you own your house you cannot just do whatever you want to it. You need to get a permission first. So people can and do tell you what to do with your own property.
In our case, local government obviously gave its ok to building a monument. Which means that local American government has decided to side with Koreans on the issue that is still being debated. That, in my opinion, what Japanese officials were trying to say. And it is a sound argument.
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whateverzMAY. 21, 2012 - 03:06AM JST
They never apologized. I don't know if they paid any damages?
Incorrect. Please do some research.
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YuriyChekalinMAY. 21, 2012 - 08:37AM JST
What is wrong l dont understand the article clearly states that Japanese officials have asked for the memorial to be removed that is a fact.
"Have asked". Asked. Exactly.
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OssanAmericaMAY. 22, 2012 - 10:44AM JST
I agree with Nessie. They can build all the monuments they want in Korea but not in the United States. Keep your old history, hatred, arguments and prejudice in your own country, don't import it here where both Korean-Americans and Japanese-Americans have a history and identity of their own as Americans.
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Max_PayneMAY. 24, 2012 - 09:50AM JST
^Still in denial. These guys are completely brainwashed... Japan just cannot admit that they can make a mistake. They have to keep pretending that they're always perfect without a flaw...
Why do we have to admit it if it never happened?
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Larry WoodworthMAY. 26, 2012 - 07:32AM JST
Yeah, that whole "East Sea" vs. "Sea of Japan" nonsense is ridiculous. Should we start an uproar because non-English speaking countries aren't using "Pacific" to describe the ocean Hawaii is located in? Those Korean fools once ran a full-page ad in the Washington Post, chastising the Post for calling that body of water the "Sea of Japan". If that's the number one problem they have, perhaps this "Comfort Women" issue isn't so important to them after all.
ModeratorMAY. 26, 2012 - 07:45AM JST
Stay on topic please.
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tomokiMAY. 27, 2012 - 04:05PM JST
How can Japanese face the lies concocted by Koreans? This is motivated by hate, not reality. Show the facts and have the open debate about the facts before going nuts and making fool of themselves.
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cleoMAY. 20, 2012 - 10:59AM JST
That's a poor analogy, because the US government feels well justified about nuking Japan.
the US gave ample warnings and requests for surrender
The dinosaurs who are upset about the comfort women will probably tell you the women brought it on themselves/the soldiers' need for relief justified the situation/at least it was foreign women not Japanese etc etc etc. All of which are just as bogus as American justifications for dropping the bombs.
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YuriOtaniMAY. 21, 2012 - 03:52AM JST
To the Japanese diplomats, just ignore the thing. Saying anything at all falls into the hands of the Japan bashers. Now guys you have drawn worldwide attention to the thing. Next time think before saying something stupid. Now there is going to be a monument in every town in the USA with a Korean population. The Koreans should give you metals for promoting their cause.
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YuriOtaniMAY. 22, 2012 - 11:38PM JST
Cletus, actually Germany is getting hit hard about their WWII past now. My reference is to the Greek crisis. Kissing censored and a full bend over does nothing for the real cause of their hatred. Read some of the nice names the Greeks have been calling the Germans. Look bub! all sides did some of the most reprehensible acts during the war. If you look at what they did, what makes the allies so good?
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YuriOtaniMAY. 23, 2012 - 09:53PM JST
Sf2k, the memorials at Nagasaki and the peace park in Okinawa have all of the names. Some American families have fought to have theirs removed.
About this one in New Jersey could care less, I do not have to look at it!
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Max_PayneMAY. 24, 2012 - 12:43PM JST
Because there is evidence...
For example?
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peanut666MAY. 25, 2012 - 02:17AM JST
The plaque is honoring their good service. There were no comfort women that were forced into their situation. They chose or their family chose their situation. It is similar to prostitutes working American streets. They weren't "forced" into their profession. They CHOSE it due to their circumstance.
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NessieMAY. 20, 2012 - 09:15AM JST
First you say the money was not distributed then you say the issue is settled.
The Japanese community should erect a monument commemorating the Korean government's pocking of the compensation paid by Japan.
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NessieMAY. 20, 2012 - 09:26AM JST
pocking-->pocketing
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YuriyChekalinMAY. 21, 2012 - 08:14AM JST
Cletus
As for this, l am sick to death of Japan, Japanese people and the Japanese government thinking that they can tell other countries what they can and cant do on their own soil.
Wrong. They are not telling anyone what to do, they are ASKING not to do certain things that distort their history. They certainly have the right to do so. Just as much right as U.S. Congress had asking them to apologize.
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YuriyChekalinMAY. 21, 2012 - 08:52AM JST
Correct they have asked. Why have they asked? What right do they have to ask? And why should anyone listen to them? And thankfully they have been politely told where to go.....
Why did US Congress asked Japan to apologize? "What right do they have to ask? And why should anyone listen to them?" And thankfully Japan did not listen.
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YuriOtaniMAY. 22, 2012 - 04:43AM JST
When did I ever deny what happened to these women? Somehow the Korean comfort women are the only ones to get proposed compensation. People makes these memorials and talk about the "evil" Japanese. The problem is even if Japan compensated these women, it would never be enough. This issue will never be closed as the Korean people need to bash Japan to feel good about themselves. Our politicians need never to mention the sex slaves and I will do the same. To the people of Korea, when you insist on opening old wounds and salt them, there will never be closure.
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oyatoiMAY. 20, 2012 - 02:39PM JST
Incidents such as this are the entirely predictable corollary of open borders and embrace of diversity. Whilst freedom of expression is a cherished American ideal, such in-your-face provocation has the potential to do damage to Americas wider interests. Accordingly, officials would be well advised to seek a solution acceptable to both the justifiably aggrieved Korean immigrant community and also Americas large population of Nisei and Japanese tourists who are the collateral damage in all this.
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YuriyChekalinMAY. 21, 2012 - 01:00AM JST
This is not a debate outside of Japan. it's a fact.
I am not asking for an opinion or for your BELIEFS. I am asking if you have any facts. Obviously you don't. Otherwise you would've already listed them here.
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YuriyChekalinMAY. 21, 2012 - 01:28AM JST
Japanese are well known to have committed atrocities in all the countries they had occupied during Second World War.
That is still debatable.
I don't know if they paid any damages?
Oh, but they did. See, for instance, this discussion.
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YuriyChekalinMAY. 21, 2012 - 07:22AM JST
He gave you what was the decision of the U.S. Congress and many other governments.
Which "many other governments" EXACTLY?
U.S. Congress ASKED Japan to apologize. U.S. Congress=politicians that should be asked to apologize for a lot of war crimes of the past and present. No wonder Japan did not comply.
U.S. Congress cannot "decide" history.
I asked YOU to show me FACTS. Instead you stayed an OPINION of U.S. Congress, which was influenced politically. It's not a proof, it's a very poor, childish excuse. Try again.
The Japanese government has never paid any money for sex slaves.
Riiiight. And the money they paid to Korea ...?
-11
Nippon NationMAY. 20, 2012 - 07:49PM JST
A small monument was erected in memory of the so-called comfort women in a U.S. Park by a group of Korean organizers. This was done in order to preserve the memory of those who were brutally mistreated by the Japanese military. My question. Why? And why did the mayor of a small town agree to allow it to be built in a U.S. Park? What purpose does it serve other then to stir up bitter sentiments from 70 years ago, something that does not serve the needs of the community as a whole.
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YuriyChekalinMAY. 21, 2012 - 09:11AM JST
But hey the world needs to try to educate Japan
Why wouldn't the World, that committed a lot of atrocities itself, mind its own business instead?
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Tomokazu KawanoMAY. 20, 2012 - 10:56AM JST
In 1965, Korea agreed that it would make no more complaints on the war instead of receiving 1.1billion of financial aid from Japan. It however breached the agreement. No victims have received money? If so, it is the Korean government to blame, not Japan. As mentioned earlier, the issue has settled. If Korea wants to discuss further on the comfort women issue once again, then first give all the money back to Japan. That is the start. I personally don't mind if Koreans keep putting up statues everywhere in the world until they become satisfied. I only find it shameful though.
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Tomokazu KawanoMAY. 20, 2012 - 08:04AM JST
I have no idea why Koreans have put up a statue like this everywhere. Apologies and compensation have already been given to the Korean government. It only failed to distribute the money to victims across the country. The issue on comfort women has settled. Korean ought to face and deal with what they did in Vietnam during the WW II.
caution!! these images are nauseating!!
(mochi)
i think they prompt speculation like the above painting.
the dead naked woman opens his crotch is from Tungchow Mutiny 通州事件.
the victim who suffer a lot of insult are not Korean nor Chinese, just japanese women.
i am frightened against the European prejudice..
The Tungchow Mutiny (通州事件 Tsushu jiken?, Chinese: 通州事件; pinyin: Tōngzhōu Shìjiàn), sometimes referred to as the Tōngzhōu Incident, was an assault on Japanese civilians and troops by East Hopei Army in Tōngzhōu, China on 29 July 1937 shortly after the Marco Polo Bridge Incident that marked the official beginning of the Second Sino-Japanese War.
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