[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 123 (Monday, July 30, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H8870-H8876]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SENSE OF HOUSE THAT JAPAN SHOULD APOLOGIZE FOR ITS IMPERIAL ARMED
FORCE'S COERCION OF YOUNG WOMEN INTO SEXUAL SLAVERY
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
resolution (H. Res. 121) expressing the sense of the House of
Representatives that the Government of Japan should formally
acknowledge, apologize, and accept historical responsibility in a clear
and unequivocal manner for its Imperial Armed Force's coercion of young
women into sexual slavery, known to the world as ``comfort women'',
during its colonial and wartime occupation of Asia and the Pacific
Islands from the 1930s through the duration of World War II, as
amended.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows
H. Res. 121
Whereas the Government of Japan, during its colonial and
wartime occupation of Asia and the Pacific Islands from the
1930s through the duration of World War II, officially
commissioned the acquisition of young women for the sole
purpose of sexual servitude to its Imperial Armed Forces, who
became known to the world as ianfu or ``comfort women'';
Whereas the ``comfort women'' system of forced military
prostitution by the Government of Japan, considered
unprecedented in its cruelty and magnitude, included gang
rape, forced abortions, humiliation, and sexual violence
resulting in mutilation, death, or eventual suicide in one of
the largest cases of human trafficking in the 20th century;
Whereas some new textbooks used in Japanese schools seek to
downplay the ``comfort women'' tragedy and other Japanese war
crimes during World War II;
Whereas Japanese public and private officials have recently
expressed a desire to dilute or rescind the 1993 statement by
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono on the ``comfort women'',
which expressed the Government's sincere apologies and
remorse for their ordeal;
Whereas the Government of Japan did sign the 1921
International Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic
in Women and Children and supported the 2000 United Nations
Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and
Security which recognized the unique impact on women of armed
conflict;
Whereas the House of Representatives commends Japan's
efforts to promote human security, human rights, democratic
values, and rule of law, as well as for being a supporter of
Security Council Resolution 1325;
[[Page H8871]]
Whereas the United States-Japan alliance is the cornerstone
of United States security interests in Asia and the Pacific
and is fundamental to regional stability and prosperity;
Whereas, despite the changes in the post-cold war strategic
landscape, the United States-Japan alliance continues to be
based on shared vital interests and values in the Asia-
Pacific region, including the preservation and promotion of
political and economic freedoms, support for human rights and
democratic institutions, and the securing of prosperity for
the people of both countries and the international community;
Whereas the House of Representatives commends those
Japanese officials and private citizens whose hard work and
compassion resulted in the establishment in 1995 of Japan's
private Asian Women's Fund;
Whereas the Asian Women's Fund has raised $5,700,000 to
extend ``atonement'' from the Japanese people to the comfort
women; and
Whereas the mandate of the Asian Women's Fund, a
government-initiated and largely government-funded private
foundation whose purpose was the carrying out of programs and
projects with the aim of atonement for the maltreatment and
suffering of the ``comfort women'', came to an end on March
31, 2007, and the Fund has been disbanded as of that date:
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of
Representatives that the Government of Japan--
(1) should formally acknowledge, apologize, and accept
historical responsibility in a clear and unequivocal manner
for its Imperial Armed Forces' coercion of young women into
sexual slavery, known to the world as ``comfort women'',
during its colonial and wartime occupation of Asia and the
Pacific Islands from the 1930s through the duration of World
War II;
(2) would help to resolve recurring questions about the
sincerity and status of prior statements if the Prime
Minister of Japan were to make such an apology as a public
statement in his official capacity;
(3) should clearly and publicly refute any claims that the
sexual enslavement and trafficking of the ``comfort women''
for the Japanese Imperial Armed Forces never occurred; and
(4) should educate current and future generations about
this horrible crime while following the recommendations of
the international community with respect to the ``comfort
women''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Lantos) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-
Lehtinen) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
General Leave
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include
extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution,
and I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, let me first commend my good friend and our
distinguished colleague, the gentleman from California (Mr. Honda), for
introducing this very important resolution and for all his hard work to
give voice to the so-called ``comfort women.''
Mr. Speaker, the true strength of a nation is tested when it is
forced to confront the darkest chapters in its history. Will it have
the courage to face up to the truth of its own past, or will it run
from that truth in the foolish hope that truth will fade with time.
The Government of Japan's unwillingness to offer a formal and
unequivocal apology to the women forced by its Army to be sex slaves
during World War II stands in stark contrast to Japan's positive role
in the world today. Japan is a proud global leader and a valued ally of
the United States, which makes its unwillingness to account honestly
for this part of its past all the more perplexing.
The U.S.-Japan relationship, Mr. Speaker, is the bedrock of peace and
stability in the Asia-Pacific region. Our reliance and friendship are
based on mutual respect and admiration. And together, we have helped
promote our shared values of democracy, economic opportunity and human
rights throughout Asia. Yet Japan's refusal to make an official
government apology once and for all to the women who suffered as so-
called ``comfort women'' is disturbing to everyone who values the U.S.-
Japan relationship.
No nation can disregard its own past, neither the actions of a few
nor the actions of many. Inhumane deeds should be fully acknowledged, a
spotlight shined on the whole truth. This is essential to national
reconciliation, and it helps the victims to heal. Withholding that
acknowledgment only compounds the cruelty.
{time} 1445
Post-war Germany, with the most horrendous crimes in its history,
made the right choice. Japan, on the other hand, has actively promoted
historical amnesia.
The facts, Mr. Speaker, are plain. There can be no denying that the
Japanese Imperial military coerced thousands upon thousands of Asian
women, primarily Chinese and Koreans, into sexual slavery during the
Second World War.
The continued efforts by some in Japan to distort and deny history
and play a game of blame-the-victim are nauseating. Those who posit
that all of the ``comfort women'' were happily complicit and acting of
their own accord simply don't understand the meaning of the word
``rape.''
On June 14, members of the Japanese Government took out a shocking
advertisement in The Washington Post that attempted to smear the
survivors of the comfort women system, including those who bravely
testified before our own House Foreign Affairs Committee. The ad
suggested that these women, who were forcibly and repeatedly raped by
soldiers, were engaged in ``licensed prostitution that was commonplace
around the world at the time.'' This is a ludicrous and infuriating
assertion.
Our resolution calls on the Government of Japan officially to
acknowledge and to apologize for the appalling acts that Imperial Japan
committed against the so-called ``comfort women.'' It seeks admission
of an appalling truth. Failure to do so would signal to others around
the globe that such horrors can be perpetrated again and treated just
as cavalierly as they have been in this case.
But most importantly, Mr. Speaker, it speaks out for the victims of
this monstrous system who were terrorized and brutalized by men at war.
It gives voice to these courageous women whom others have tried to
silence through shame, bigotry, and threats of further violence.
It is appropriate that this House stand up for these women who ask
only that the truth be honored. The world awaits a full reckoning of
history from the Japanese Government.
I strongly support this resolution, and I urge all of my colleagues
to do the same.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I rise also in support of this resolution, which strikes an important
balance, protecting the integrity of history and recognizing present-
day reality. It also addresses an issue of great significance for the
peoples of the Asia Pacific region.
The tragedy of the ``comfort women,'' the thousands of Asian and
European women forced into sexual slavery by the Imperial Japanese Army
during the first half of the 20th century, was a horrific crime. For
the surviving ``comfort women'' these issues are not historical; they
are profoundly personal. Some of them were in our Foreign Affairs
Committee when this bill was marked up. Attempts to deny or minimize
these facts are a disservice to future generations.
The case of Darfur, which we spoke about earlier today, Mr. Speaker,
reminds us all that the issue of the use of military force to abuse
women, to abuse children through rape and exploitation is one which we
need to look at and one which unfortunately continues to this very day.
At the same time, the resolution makes clear that Japan has been a
vital ally of the United States and a generous benefactor of the
international community through several decades. It has been a strong
ally of the United States on issues relating to, for example,
nonproliferation.
It was recently reported that three Japanese banks have stopped
engaging in any new business with Iran and that Japanese financial
institutions are restricting loans and rejecting an Iranian request to
pay for oil imports in currency other than dollars.
[[Page H8872]]
So we are proud of the U.S.-Japan alliance and grateful for the
friendship of the people of Japan. At the same time, we should also
recognize that the issue of unresolved historic grievances from the
Pacific war is one that cannot be ignored. It is through reconciliation
of these issues that our Asian allies can work constructively together,
as is the case with our European allies, and the achievement of
regional harmony is in America's vital national security interests
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 5 minutes to my good
friend and our distinguished colleague from California (Mr. Honda), the
principal author of this important resolution.
Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my unconditional and
heartfelt support for those euphemistically known to the world as
``comfort women.''
Let me at the outset thank Chairman Lantos; the vice chair of the
subcommittee, Eni Faleomavaega; and the ranking member, Ileana Ros-
Lehtinen. I really appreciate your support and your strong, clear
statements.
Today, the House will make history as we consider the passage of H.
Res. 121, a resolution I introduced which seeks an official apology for
what the ``comfort women'' endured under Japan's Imperial Armed Forces
during World War II.
On this day, I must recognize my good friend and mentor and former
colleague, Representative Lane Evans, whose irreproachable character
gave these women hope. The legacy of his spirit has remained with me
throughout this incredible journey, during which it has been my
personal honor to have carried this torch, and I know that his spirit
is with me today too. If he is watching, I would like to thank him for
his unparalleled courage and tireless efforts to bring justice and the
restoration of dignity to the ``comfort women'' survivors. Lane, semper
fi.
I would also like to recognize Ms. Lee Yong-Soo, a survivor of the
comfort stations who is here today with us. Ms. Lee has been a stalwart
and passionate advocate for herself and her fellow survivors.
On February 15 of this year, Ms. Lee was joined by Ms. Jan Ruff-
O'Herne and Ms. Kim Koon-Ja as witnesses in a hearing before the Asia,
the Pacific and Global Environment Subcommittee, chaired by my good
friend Eni Faleomavaega. I would also like to thank him and Chairman
Tom Lantos for their outspoken support for these women.
The survivors' riveting and gut-wrenching testimony about the horrors
they endured as former ``comfort women'' brought us all to tears and
impacted me profoundly. Their courage and indomitable spirit will
continue to inspire me every day.
Mr. Speaker, today the House will send a message to the Government of
Japan that it should deliver an official, unequivocal, unambiguous
apology for the indignity the ``comfort women'' suffered.
Too many times we've seen women victimized by war and conflict. The
experience of these women is a vivid reminder that the human rights of
women around the world are never fully secure. We know that rape,
sexual abuse and sometimes murder of women and girls in war are still
committed by armies in various countries. One thinks of Darfur, Bosnia,
and East Timor.
We must teach future generations that we cannot allow this to happen.
Mr. Speaker, encouraging our good friend and ally, the Government of
Japan, to officially and unequivocally apologize is, in my mind, my
heart and the minds and hearts of all those concerned about protecting
human rights, the right thing to do.
I have always believed that reconciliation is the first step in the
healing process, and I am proud to be here today on this truly historic
occasion to continue to advocate with every fabric of my being for that
principle.
I urge my colleagues to join me in support of protecting and
defending the human rights of ``comfort women'' by voting ``yes'' on H.
Res. 121.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time as he
may consume to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis).
Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong
support of H. Res. 121. I want to thank Mr. Honda, the chief sponsor
for this legislation, Chairman Lantos, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, Mr.
Faleomavaega and others who have helped bring this to the floor.
This resolution is long overdue. I'm a proud cosponsor of this
resolution because it is time for these women to tell their story to
the world. It is time for the world to know how horribly humans can
treat other humans in times of war and conflict, and it is time for the
Government of Japan to own up to the wrongs that it committed toward
these women.
During World War II, between 100,000 and 200,000 women were abducted
from their homes in Japan and occupied lands, including Korea and China
and the Philippines, and forced into the sex trade for the benefit of
the Japanese Army. To deny this tragedy is to allow it to happen again.
We prevent history from repeating itself only when we actually learn
from history, not when we try to deny and obfuscate the truth.
When U.S. Government placed Americans of Japanese descent into
internment camps in World War II, we were wrong; and we have since
apologized to the families of those victims. This is the measure of
responsible leadership. When we implore our friends across the Pacific
to apologize for their many mistakes, we ask for no more than what we
as Americans are willing to do ourselves.
Japan has been a strong ally of the United States for years, and I
believe both countries have benefited greatly from that relationship.
However, it is a true friend that will tell another when it is wrong,
and I believe the United States has an obligation as an ally to Japan
to stand up against this atrocity and to reveal to the world in
appropriate fashion.
It is time for the stories of the ``comfort women'' to be told. It is
because these courageous women are speaking out and refusing to be
silenced that the United States and the world can finally learn why
this issue is so important and why we must never allow it to be
repeated ever again on this planet.
I urge support for this resolution
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 5 minutes to my good
friend, the distinguished chairman of the Subcommittee of Asia, the
Pacific and the Global Environment, Eni Faleomavaega.
(Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to revise and extend
his remarks.)
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the distinguished
chairman of our House Foreign Affairs Committee, my good friend and
chairman, Tom Lantos, and also our senior ranking member, Ms. Ros-
Lehtinen, for their leadership and efforts in bringing H. Res. 121 to
the floor today.
I also want to thank our colleagues, and the gentleman from
California especially as the chief sponsor of this legislation, which
has the support of some 146 Members, both Republicans and Democrats,
fully supporting the provisions of this resolution.
I also want to note, this resolution was previously passed by the
International Relations Committee in the last Congress, under the able
leadership of our previous chairman, the gentleman from Illinois, Mr.
Hyde.
And I would be remiss if I did not also mention the name of another
gentleman from Illinois, my good friend Mr. Lane Evans, who was also a
champion of this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 121 seeks to express the sense of the U.S. House
of Representatives that the Government of Japan should formally
acknowledge, apologize and accept historical responsibility in a clear
and unequivocal manner for its Imperial Armed Forces coercion of
teenage girls and young women into a sexual slavery, euphemistically
known as ``comfort women,'' system during its colonial and wartime
occupation of Asia and the Pacific islands from the late 1930s
throughout the duration of World War II.
On February 7 of this year, the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia,
the Pacific and the Global Environment held a hearing on H. Res. 121,
the first time ever in the history of the United States Congress that
three surviving ``comfort women'' testified for the record.
{time} 1500
Ms. Lee Yong-Soo is with us today, and I want to especially commend
her and Ms. Koon Kim Lee and
[[Page H8873]]
Ms. Jan Ruff O'Herne for their courage and their faith and their belief
that one day their story would be told and, in part, their suffering
would be set right.
I encourage the world to read their moving testimony, which has
brought us to this moment when the United States of America will stand
arm in arm with these noble women in demanding an official apology from
the Government of Japan.
The comfort women system organized, managed and administered by the
Imperial Army of Japan is considered one of the 20th century's most
extensive cases of human trafficking and ignored violations of human
rights. It was unprecedented in its cruelty and magnitude as teenage
girls and young women were raped, systematically beaten, tortured,
drugged, mutilated and sometimes even murdered.
According to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, soldiers
of the Japanese Imperial Army abducted and forced some 200,000 young
teenage girls and young women from Korea, from China, from the
Philippines, from Indonesia, from the Dutch Indies, and other women,
forced them into sexual enslavement and abuse.
Today the Government of Japan contends that it has apologized and
accepted responsibility for its atrocities. But it wasn't until 1980s
and the 1990s that major publications in Japan began to describe the
details of the comfort women, and it also wasn't until 1992 in response
to these developments that Japan's Chief Secretary, cabinet secretary,
Yahei Kono, issued an official statement. After a 2-year period, the
foreign ministry of Japan conducted this research, and it did make the
admission.
I would include for the Record the full statement of Chief Secretary
Kono regarding the 2-year study by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In 1993, after a two-year study by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
under the supervision of the Chief Secretary of Cabinet, an equivalent
to the Chief-of-Staff of the White House, Mr. Yahei Kon stated:
The Government of Japan has been conducting a study on the
issue of wartime ``comfort women'' since December 1991. I
wish to announce the findings as a result of that study.
As a result of the study which indicates that comfort
stations were operated in extensive areas for long periods,
it is apparent that there existed a great number of comfort
women. Comfort stations were operated in response to the
request of the military authorities of the day. The then
Japanese military was, directly or indirectly, involved in
the establishment and management of the comfort stations and
the transfer of comfort women. The recruitment of the comfort
women was conducted mainly by private recruiters who acted in
response to the request of the military. The Government study
has revealed that in many cases they were recruited against
their own will, through coaxing coercion, etc., and that, at
times, administrative/military personnel directly took part
in the recruitments. They lived in misery at comfort stations
under a coercive atmosphere.
As to the origin of those comfort women who were
transferred to the war areas, excluding those from Japan,
those from the Korean Peninsula accounted for a large part.
The Korean Peninsula was under Japanese rule in those days,
and their recruitment, transfer, control, etc., were
conducted generally against their will, through coaxing,
coercion, etc.
Undeniably, this was an act, with the involvement of the
military authorities of the day, that severely injured the
honor and dignity of many women. The Government of Japan
would like to take this opportunity once again to extend its
sincere apologies and remorse to all those, irrespective of
place of origin, who suffered immeasurable pain and incurable
physical and psychological wounds as comfort women.
It is incumbent upon us, the Government of Japan, to
continue to consider seriously, while listening to the views
of learned circles, how best we can express this sentiment.
We shall face squarely the historical facts as described
above instead of evading them, and take them to heart as
lessons of history. We hereby reiterated our firm
determination never to repeat the same mistake by forever
engraving such issues in our memories through the study and
teaching of history.
As actions have been brought to court in Japan and
interests have been shown in this issue outside Japan, the
Government of Japan shall continue to pay full attention to
this matter, including private researched related thereto.
The Kono statement is often cited as Japan's official apology,
although it was never endorsed officially by any of Japan's prime
ministers and members of cabinets. At the time the chief cabinet
secretary was considered part press secretary, part chief of staff but
never an official member of cabinet, nor can he ever present himself as
an acting prime minister.
2001, Prime Minister Koizumi issued a statement. However, only
statements approved by the cabinet and not the prime minister, are a
definitive expression of government policy in Japan. Without the
approval of the cabinet, all declarations of contrition are considered
only personal views.
I want to close my statement and to say this: Someone once said,
``The greatness of a nation is not necessarily measured by its
accomplishments, by its ability, but by its ability to face honestly
its mistakes of the past and then take appropriate action to correct
them.''
I sincerely hope that this will be taken seriously by our good
friends and the leadership of the Government of Japan.
I urge my colleagues to support this resolution
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Tom Lantos of the Committee on
Foreign Affairs and our Senior Ranking Member, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, for
their leadership and efforts in bringing H. Res. 121 to the floor
today. I also want to thank our colleague, the gentleman from
California, Mr. Honda, for his sponsorship of this bill which has the
bipartisan support of some 146 Members of the U.S. House of
Representatives.
I also want to make note that this resolution was previously passed
by the International Relations Committee in the last Congress under the
able leadership of our previous Chairman, the gentleman from Illinois,
Mr. Henry Hyde. I would be remiss if I did not also mention the name of
our former colleague and friend, Mr. Lane Evans also from Illinois, who
championed this bill for years.
Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 121 seeks to express the sense of the U.S. House
of Representatives that the Government of Japan should formally
acknowledge, apologize, and accept historical responsibility in a clear
and unequivocal manner for its Imperial Armed Force's coercion of
teenage girls and young women into sexual slavery, euphemistically
known as the ``comfort women'' system, during its colonial and wartime
occupation of Asia and the Pacific Islands from 1930s and through the
duration of World War II.
On February 15, 2007, the Foreign Affairs' Subcommittee on Asia, the
Pacific and Global Environment held a hearing on H. Res. 121, and, for
the first time ever in the history of the U.S. Congress, three
surviving comfort women testified for the record.
Ms. Young Soo Lee is with us today and I want to especially commend
her and Ms. Koon Kim and Ms. Jan Ruff O'Herne for their courage and
their faith and their belief that one day their story would be told
and, in part, their suffering would be set right. I encourage the world
to read their moving testimony which has brought us to this moment when
the United States of America will stand arm in arm with these noble
women in demanding an official apology from the Government of Japan.
The ``comfort women'' system, organized, managed and administered by
the Imperial Army of Japan, is considered to be one of the 20th
century's most extensive cases of human trafficking and ignored
violations of human rights. It was unprecedented in its cruelty and
magnitude as teen-age girls and young women were systematically raped,
beaten, tortured, drugged, mutilated, and sometimes murdered. According
to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, soldiers of the
Japanese Imperial Army, abducted and forced some 200,000 young teenage
girls and young women from Korea, China, the Philippines, Indonesian,
Dutch, and other women--forced them into sexual enslavement and abuse.
Today, the Government of Japan contends that it has apologized and
accepted responsibility for its atrocities. But it wasn't until the
1980s and 1990s that major publications in Japan began to describe the
details of the ``comfort women'' system and that countries occupied by
Japan also began to speak out about it. I wasn't until 1992, in
response to these developments, that Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary
Yohei Kono issued a statement.
This ``Kono Statement'' is often cited as Japan's official apology
although it was never endorsed officially by any of Japan's prime
ministers and their cabinets. At the time, the Chief Cabinet Secretary
was considered part Press Secretary, part Chief of Staff, and never an
official member of Cabinet, nor can he ever present himself as an
Acting Prime Minister.
In 2001, Prime Minister Koizumi issued a statement. However, only
statements approved by the Cabinet, not the Prime Minister, are a
definitive expression of government policy in Japan. Without the
approval of the Cabinet, all declarations of contrition are considered
only personal views.
[[Page H8874]]
Interestingly, as this topic has gained widespread attention as
result of February's hearing, both the Japanese government and press
have ignored the fact that Members of Congress now understand both
Japan's legislative system and history of the Comfort Women tragedy. We
are not ignorant, as some reporters have suggested. We know what does
and does not constitute an official apology. We are also aware of the
propaganda being churned out by the Japanese press intent on revising
history by denying the validity of the ``Comfort Women'' controversy.
This year, Prime Minister Abe denied the existence of sexual slave
camps. Then he retracted his statement because of pressure from leaders
of the Asia-Pacific region. Now he says that he ``respects'' the
finding of the Kono Report of 1993. What does this mean?
I have a special love and affinity for the people of Japan. But more
sacred to me is our obligation to emphasize the fact a systematic
abduction and raping and abuse of women as a weapon of war is totally
unacceptable, and I believe the people of Japan agree. In fact, it can
be argued that H. Res. 121 reflects the will of the Japanese people. In
the only survey that the Japanese press appears to have published on
the Comfort Women issue, in 2001, Fuji TV's Hodo asked respondents if
they thought Japan has apologized sufficiently. 43.8 percent answered
no, 37.2 percent answered yes.
Some may say the past is the past and that the U.S. is also an
offender and violator of human rights. Maybe this is so. But nowhere in
recorded history has the U.S. military command as a matter of policy
issued a directives allowing for the coercion of teenage girls and
young women into sexual slavery or forced prostitution. On the other
hand, this is exactly what the Japanese military high command did and
it is an affront to truth for any government to downplay its history.
Civilized society cannot allow history to be revised or denied under
any circumstances. Regardless of what bearing this, or any other issue,
may have on bilateral relations, or U.S. foreign policy, civilized
society has a moral obligation to remember, to give voice to those who
have suffered, to pay living tribute to victims past and present, to
defend human rights. Otherwise we run the risk of holocaust.
Today, I want to commend my colleagues for their support and to call
upon the Prime Minister of Japan and his Cabinet to issue a formal
apology. No amount of money, not even payments set up by private
Japanese contributions or the Asian Women's Fund, can atone for the
suffering of the thousands of women victimized at the hands of Japan's
Imperial Forces before and during, World War II.
While I support any woman's right to lay claim to these funds, I do
not believe the Japanese government should suggest that a monetary
payment can make right a moral wrong. So, for me, any and all
discussions about the Asian Women's Fund sufficing as an act of apology
falls short of what is relevant.
What is relevant is that Japan acknowledge, apologize, and accept
historical responsibility for its Imperial Armed Force's coercion of
teenage girls and young women into sexual slavery during its occupation
of Asia and the Pacific Islands during WWII.
Mr. Speaker, I want to conclude by sharing with my colleagues this
statement--someone once said that, ``The greatness of a nation is not
necessarily measured by its accomplishments, but by its ability to face
honestly its mistakes of the past, and then take appropriate action to
correct them.''
Again, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to
the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Pearce).
Mr. PEARCE. I thank the gentlelady from Florida for yielding time and
also thank Mr. Lantos.
Mr. Speaker, we have to ask ourselves exactly why would we be
interested in this particular thing today. Some might claim that it's
an old circumstance, that it existed too far in the past. Others might
say that it simply is not our right, not our position, to enter into
the discussion.
As far as it being too far in the past, many times I go into the
district of New Mexico, the Second District of New Mexico, and I bump
into people from the Vietnam era, people my age. I was there in the
1970s, I flew in Vietnam. Many, many have hearts broken by the way a
Nation treated them, and just a word of encouragement, just a word of
saying welcome home, brother, brings tears that flow down men and
women's cheeks from long ago past.
We have a responsibility to impact those circumstances which were not
right, which were not just, and no better person than Mr. Lantos to be
talking about this today, because he understands that. He's a steady,
quiet voice for reason. Regarding Ms. Lee, who is with us today, I
would remember the words of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, who said that the
simple step of a courageous individual is not to take part in the lie.
One word of truth outweighs the entire world.
He went on in that same talk to say that one person of truth impacts
the whole world. So I think that we are called to quietly visit with
our friends, the Japanese, and I think they are very good friends. I
think that we, as good friends, should quietly say, Friend, it's time
to acknowledge; it's time to apologize; it's time to speak. Because the
healing just doesn't occur on the recipient's part, on those persons
who were wronged; the healing begins in the heart of those who have
perpetrated the actions. Admission brings a certain humbleness that
each one of us begins to recognize that we are not above righteousness,
we are not above rightness, that we are not above justice, truth. No
single one of us is.
So if we find ourselves at this curious point saying to a long-time
trusted friend, It's time to acknowledge; it's time to apologize; it's
time to recognize what we have done and to change, it's not a very
harsh statement. It's not one taken in anger, but it is one taken with
the noblest of objectives, and that is the recognition and the healing
of a long-overdue act.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished
colleague from California (Ms. Woolsey), a member of the Foreign
Affairs Committee.
Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution
121, and I thank my colleague, Mike Honda, for his leadership on this
issue.
I particularly thank Representative Lane Evans, who was with us up
until this year, and I hope he is watching today, because he was right
when he first introduced this legislation, and his reasons and his
legislation remains correct and right today.
Many may claim that the exploitation of the comfort women should be
left in the past. That could not be further from the truth. Anyone who
has met these brave women knows that they live with the haunting
memories in the present every single day. The sexual exploitation, some
would say enslavement, must be marked, and it must be remembered. The
acts of violence the comfort women faced were inhuman, and it cannot be
erased.
This should not be a day of sadness. Today is about accountability
and hope for the future. We will remember that those who did not live
to see this day and, yet, are still celebrated for their courage. In
their honor, we will speak for all of the world here: Never again.
The lesson will be learned. Women are not prizes of war. This has
been a long time coming, but there is no statute of limitations on
courage and on dignity, and that is what we honor today. We honor the
perseverance of comfort women. We call on governments worldwide to
accept responsibility for past deeds and work towards a just future.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time,
and I yield back the balance of our time.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to my good
friend from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee), a distinguished member of the
Foreign Affairs Committee.
(Ms. JACKSON-LEE asked and was given permission to revise and extend
her remarks.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. I thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I thank the
ranking member of this committee for creating the forum to recognize
atrocities that many have tried to forget.
Let me thank Mr. Honda, the moving force of this legislation and the
chairman of the Subcommittee on Asia, for his leadership, and I am so
glad we have all mentioned Lane Evans because of the spirit and the
enthusiasm and the determination in which he authored this legislation
earlier before he left Congress.
Let me also speak to Ms. Lee, who remains as a steadfast anchor for
all the women who cannot speak for themselves.
Mr. Speaker, I want to take a different approach. I hope that people
do not take lightly what acknowledgment, apologies and accepting
historical responsibility means. This is about sexual slavery.
I ask my colleagues to just think that if we were addressing the
question
[[Page H8875]]
today, which we have done in our Foreign Affairs Committee on sexual
slavery, the holding of women, the debasing of women, the degrading of
women, would most of us be rushing to the floor of the House to be able
to condemn those actions that might be around us and around the world?
This is no less degrading, and its historical perspective does not
diminish the responsibility of Japan and of this Congress to be able to
say to these comfort women, women who were sexual slaves, that we
apologize or ask Japan to apologize and hold the nation historically
accountable for those actions.
Do you know that today textbooks in Japan, many of them diminish the
actions of Japan and the activities that held the comfort women? These
were women engaged in sexual activities allegedly to give comfort to
the military.
So I would simply say, having gone through a number of debates about
apologies regarding slavery in America, that apologies do count. It
means something for those who have suffered in a way that they can
never, never find an expression for.
So I rise today to support H. Res. 121 and place it in a historical
context but in the context of today. We know that if any of those
issues arise before us, we would stand here in condemnation. The
comfort women's plight is no less deserving of our Nation, and, of
course, a recognition by Japan that an apology, accountability, will go
a long way in soothing the deeply embedded pain for those who no longer
live but for those who live and suffer.
I ask my colleagues to support H. Res. 121
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support
of H. Res. 121, which calls on the Government of Japan to formally
acknowledge, apologize, and accept historical responsibility for its
role in the coercion of young women and girls, euphemistically known to
the world as `comfort women', to serve as sex slaves in Japanese
military comfort stations from the 1930s through World War II.
I would especially like to thank Mr. Honda for his leadership on the
issue of `comfort women' and for his expression of solidarity with
these exploited women and urge each and everyone of my colleagues to
support this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, as you well know, the friendship and alliance that
exists between the United States and Japan establishes stability and
prosperity in Asia and the Pacific and is essential to our security
interests in that region. This resolution calls on the Government of
Japan to strengthen that tie by acknowledging the facts forever
enshrined in history and by publicly denouncing these past heinous
human rights abuses in one of the largest cases of human trafficking in
the 20th century.
Only in recent years have these victims of Imperial Japanese
brutality relayed their stories to the world. In fact, just this year,
on February 15, 2007, three women who knew firsthand the unequivocal
pain, suffering and horror of sexual servitude at the hands of the
Japanese military testified at a subcommittee hearing chaired by Mr.
Faleomavaega. These women relayed heartbreaking real life accounts of
years of torment, disease, and separation from their families. These
women are still plagued today by the physical and emotional scars of
the horrendous human rights abuses committed against them.
On April 26 of this year, my good friend and the former chairman of
the Foreign Affairs Committee, Henry Hyde and I co-authored an op-ed in
the Washington Times urging `the Japanese people to courageously
acknowledge and redress the wrongs perpetuated by Imperial Japan' on
these women and `to come to grips' with the history of their past. In
light of Japan's recent wavering on the accuracy of historical fact
regarding comfort women, I stand with my colleagues in urging the
Japanese Government to very clearly acknowledge, apologize, and accept
historical responsibility in a clear, unequivocal manner for its
Imperial Armed Forces' coercion of young women into sexual slavery.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr Speaker, I rise today in support of H.
Res. 121, which calls on the Government of Japan to accept formal
historical responsibility for one of the darkest chapters of World War
II history in Asia and the Pacific, the Japanese military's use of
``comfort women'', the practice of coercion of young women into sexual
slavery.
I would first like to acknowledge our distinguished colleague, Mr.
Honda of California, for introducing this important resolution and for
his persistent efforts in giving voice to the victims of these crimes
against humanity.
Japan, a loyal ally and one of U.S.' closest partners, plays a
critical role in maintaining the geopolitical balance in a still
volatile region. The Japanese government's refusal to acknowledge the
despicable war-time practice of its Imperial Army known as ``comfort
women'' stands in stark contrasts to the courageous humanitarian stand
the Japanese government has taken in a number of humanitarian crises
around the world and to its role as guarantor for peace in the region.
Facing up to one of the darkest chapters of its history is a genuine
test for the maturity of a nation. In the aftermath of World War II,
the German nation and its government found the courage to account for
war crimes that the Third Reich committed during the war and
occupation.
There can be no denying that the Japanese military committed those
crimes involving thousands of women, mostly of Chinese and Koreans
descent. It is particularly disturbing that some in Japan are still
trying to distort the historical record and are denying that these
crimes took place. The same parties are going even a step further and
blaming the victims for engaging into prostitution.
It is up to this House to call for the Japanese government to set the
record straight, not just for the sake of the past, but also because
rape has been used across the globe today as a weapon of war. By
supporting this resolution we send a strong and unambiguous signal to
the Japanese Government to acknowledge its historical responsibility.
We will also state Congress' strong l condemnation of rape as weapon of
war.
While support of the resolution will finally give voice of the
numerous victims of these despicable crimes, the Congress' intent is to
assure our ally Japan that the resolution aims at forging the process
of healing by facing certain historical experience and is not intended
as retribution against a partner and ally.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me In supporting this
important resolution.
Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 121, the Comfort
Women Resolution--a resolution that I have supported since its initial
introduction in the 109th Congress.
Beginning in the 1930s, the Imperial Government of Japan orchestrated
the enslavement of up to 200,000 young Korean women. Many were abducted
from their homes and sent to Japanese military brothels. Others were
lured from their homes under the false pretense of employment. In what
was one of the worst cases of human trafficking of the 20th century,
the trauma that these women suffered drove many to conceal their past,
either too embarrassed or scared to speak of it. The surviving victims
deserve the recognition that they so desire.
To this day, Japan maintains that this issue is closed and the
sufferings of individuals inflicted in the war have already been dealt
by treaties normalizing its ties with other Asian countries. Some have
pointed to Prime Minister Abe's April 27th statement as a formal
apology, yet both the Prime Minister himself and Japan's Foreign
Ministry went on record to disavow any alleged apology. It is important
that the Japanese government confronts this dark part of Japanese
history.
This resolution is as much about today as it is about yesterday. The
world's strength to oppose killing today is made greater by
accountability, for actions present, but also past. It's weakened by
denial of accountability and obfuscation of past acts. History is a
continuum that affects today and tomorrow. It's much harder to get
tomorrow right if we get yesterday wrong.
I urge my colleagues to support this important resolution.
Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that the House
today is considering H. Res. 121 which rightly recognizes the plight of
Korean comfort women during the 1930s and WorId War II. I was proud to
cosponsor this resolution which calls on the nation of Japan to
formally recognize and apologize for these crimes.
After the Japanese occupation of Korea in the 1930s, the army forced
young women to work in brothels. In some cases kidnapped women were
transported overseas for sexual servitude. At the end of WorId War II,
these women were left scarred and in many cases far from home with no
resources.
Sadly, there are some in Japan who still insist that the army was not
formally involved with these crimes or that the women chose to become
involved in prostitution. The evidence clearly demonstrates that this
was not the case. It is far past time for the Japanese government to
recognize the role the army played in these crimes.
Today, we call on them to apologize to the few women who continue to
live with the shame of the crimes committed against them. While the
relationship between Korea and Japan has improved as both countries
turned into thriving democracies, the issue of the comfort women
continues to come between them. I hope that this resolution will
promote reconciliation so that both countries can move together into a
future of cooperation and friendship.
[[Page H8876]]
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, we have no additional requests for time and
yield back the balance of our time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Hinojosa). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) that the House
suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 121, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
The title was amended so as to read: ``A resolution expressing the
sense of the House of Representatives that the Government of Japan
should formally acknowledge, apologize, and accept historical
responsibility in a clear and unequivocal manner for its Imperial Armed
Forces' coercion of young women into sexual slavery, known to the world
as `comfort women', during its colonial and wartime occupation of Asia
and the Pacific Islands from the 1930s through the duration of World
War II.''.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________