[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 126 (Thursday, August 2, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1698]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    GOVERNMENT OF JAPAN TO APOLOGIZE

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                             HON. DAVID WU

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 30, 2007

  Mr. WU. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 121 to call 
on the Japanese government to formally and unequivocally acknowledge, 
apologize, and accept historical responsibility for its Imperial Army's 
coercion of young women, known as ``comfort women,'' into sexual 
slavery during the World War II era.
  I would first like to commend my distinguished colleague, Mr. Honda, 
for introducing this important resolution and for his leadership and 
hard work on this critical matter. I further want to recognize the 
extraordinary friendship between Japan and the United States, a 
friendship which has spanned at least half a century.
  This resolution is being considered today so that the truth about 
comfort women will remain in the history books.
  An estimated 200,000 women were sexually exploited by the Japanese 
armed forces during Japan's military expansion and wartime occupation 
of Asia and the Pacific Islands from the 1930s through World War II. 
Although Koreans made up the majority of these euphemistically termed 
``comfort women,'' Chinese, Taiwanese, Filipino, Dutch, and Indonesian 
women also were victimized.
  Comfort women were used for recreational sex by Japanese soldiers as 
a military strategy to increase the soldiers' efficiency. These women 
were mentally and physically dehumanized and subject to extreme sexual 
violence. Only a few hundred of these courageous survivors of the World 
War II horror are still alive today.
  Undoubtedly, today's Japan is a world leader and a valued ally to the 
United States. It is not the intent of Congress to punish Japan, but to 
help Japan acknowledge comfort women as part of its wartime history. An 
official, unambiguous apology from the Japanese government for its 
wartime atrocities is vital for historical record, emotional healing, 
and the education of future generations.
  I support this resolution, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

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