[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 68 (Thursday, April 26, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E875]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         DEFENDING THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF COMFORT WOMEN SURVIVORS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 26, 2007

  Mr. TOWNS. Madam Speaker, today, Washington welcomes Prime Minister 
Shinzo Abe of Japan, a country that has been our good and trusted ally 
in Asia. The Prime Minister's visit promises to further cement this 
important and expanding U.S.-Japan relationship.
  Our strong ties depend upon our shared values of democracy and human 
rights or as his Foreign Minister notes, a ``values oriented 
diplomacy.'' Unfortunately, the rhetoric does not consistently match 
Tokyo's actions towards its neighbors and allies. This is dramatically 
true in regard to the Comfort Women tragedy where possibly as many as 
200,000 women and girls were pressed into sexual servitude for the 
Imperial Armed Forces of Japan.
  My colleague, Mr. Honda, is the leader on this issue and introduced 
on January 31, 2007, H. Res. 121, legislation that calls upon Japan to 
``acknowledge, apologize, and accept historical responsibility in a 
clear and unequivocal statement for Imperial Japan's Armed Force's 
maintenance of a system of sexual slavery, presently known to the world 
as `Comfort Women,' during its colonial and wartime occupation of Asia 
and the Pacific Islands.''
  On February 15, 2007, Mr. Faleomavaega, chairman of the House 
Committee on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and the 
Global Environment, held a moving hearing with three survivors of this 
abusive Imperial Japanese government sanctioned and maintained system. 
It was clear from their testimony that these women needed, but had not 
received an adequate apology for their suffering and humiliation from 
the Government of Japan.
  Clearly their experience is neither new nor has this sort of violence 
against women stopped. The topic of sex slavery is not merely a 
historical footnote, but has relevance to today's world where human 
trafficking is exploding and rape is a feature of ethnic conflict. 
Thus, it should come as no surprise that H. Res. 121 has substantial 
bipartisan support, with nearly 100 cosponsors.
  To date, a careful analysis of the Japanese political process shows 
that Japan has never provided an official governmental apology to the 
Comfort Women. This is incredible. Do the Japanese think we do not 
understand their political system, nor care to?
  It is also a concern of Congress that Tokyo's apparent insensitivity, 
it's surprising and insistent focus on narrow definitions and self-
seeking legalisms convincing to no one but a few, even in Japan, is 
harming U.S. relationships in Asia and adding instability to an already 
volatile region.
  An unequivocal admission of past wrongdoing toward the Comfort Women 
would remove an outstanding moral issue weakening the ties between 
Japan and major U.S. allies in the region. But more important, it would 
demonstrate Japan's commitment to human rights, women's rights, and 
underscore its very new efforts to combat human trafficking. Officially 
apologizing to the surviving Comfort Women is ``value oriented 
diplomacy.''
  Getting history right and taking formal responsibility for historical 
misdeeds are the marks of a great nation. An apology from Japan with 
respect to the Comfort Women would enhance Japan's over 60-year history 
of constructive and responsible membership in the today's world 
community and our alliance.
  Madam Speaker, for all these reasons, I hope that my colleagues will 
join in co-sponsoring H. Res. 121 to signal that the U.S. is very 
concerned about this important request for social justice and human 
dignity from Japan.

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