The Marmot’s Hole

4 Comments

1. colontos
   Posted March 27, 2007 at 9:12 am | Permalink

   Yawn.

   Didn’t need to be said, nobody cares that it was said, nobody really wanted to hear it. Move along, folks.

2. railwaycharm
   Posted March 27, 2007 at 10:37 am | Permalink

   Makes one wonder whose history needs to be coddled?
   Japan says oops, sorry, it happened and we regret it. Perhaps it is Korea’s turn to be accountable for the answer. The constant, unrelenting whining only detracts from the atrocity. I think Glen Fry had a little ditty called “GET OVER IT”

3. kgirlpoetics
   Posted March 29, 2007 at 10:20 am | Permalink

   Abe Issues an Empty Apology
   Japan apologizes to WWII sex slaves
   March 26, 2007, 3:10PM
   by Hiroko Tabuchi (AP)
   © 2007 The Associated Press

   “I express my sympathy toward the `comfort women’ and apologize for the situation they found themselves in,” Abe told a parliamentary committee, using the euphemism for sex slaves that is used by Japanese politicians. “I apologize here and now as prime minister.”

   Abe on Monday rebuffed criticism in American media for his efforts to champion the cause of Japanese citizens kidnapped by North Korean agents decades ago while refusing to admit Japan’s own past kidnappings.

   North Korea’s “abductions and the `comfort women’ issue are a completely different matter,” Abe told reporters. “The issue of the abductees is an ongoing violation of human rights, while it is not as if the `comfort women’ issue is continuing.”

   —–

   Please correct me if I’m wrong, but does it not seem extremely absurd that Abe is making a big fuss about the 13 Japanese citizens that were abducted by North Korea in the face of the estimated 200,000 women that were forced into sexual slavery (not to mention all the other attrocities)? It will remain a “continuing issue” so long as you keep uttering such remarks which in effect keeps the issue piping hot.

   Additionally, the apology that he issued doesn’t even address what he said in his earlier speech.

   “…apologize for the situation they found themselves in, …”

   He doesn’t even admit to the fact that they were forced into sexual enslavement by the Japanese government which is really the issue here. It’s a carefully worded “apology” that doesn’t say much of anything!

   It’s hypocritical to put so much weight on the abductee issue without addressing the comfort women issue in a morally responsible way. How can anyone take him seriously when he fails to see the enormous termite ridden plank in his own eye?!

4. ponta.
   Posted March 29, 2007 at 10:51 am | Permalink

   “Please correct me if I’m wrong,”

   “does it not seem extremely absurd that Abe is making a big fuss about the 13 Japanese citizens that were abducted by North Korea in the face of the estimated 200,000 women that were forced into sexual slavery”
   No it does not.
   Abe is making a big fuss because the right of Japanese citizens is being violated.
   The right of comfort women were violated, but the apology and compensation was offered.

   “Additionally, the apology that he issued doesn’t even address what he said in his earlier speech.

   “…apologize for the situation they found themselves in, …”

   He doesn’t even admit to the fact that they were forced into sexual enslavement by the Japanese government which is really the issue here. ”

   So just give me evidence that Japanese troop orchestrated and systematically abducted women.
   If there are such evidences, I am willing to agree with you on this point.

   “It’s hypocritical to put so much weight on the abductee issue without addressing the comfort women issue in a morally responsible way. How can anyone take him seriously when he fails to see the enormous termite ridden plank in his own eye?!”

   I am not a big fan of Abe.
   But it seems much more hypocritical to turn a blind eye to the abductee issue and forced prostitution in Korea after Japanese rule while keeping complaining of comfort women issues when Japanese government set up the fund and apologized.