【ニッポンの新常識】 Common Knowledge Revisited 51
朝日新聞も顔負け ジャパンタイムズの“驚くべき「性奴隷」記事”
Asahi Shinbun Put to Shame: Incredible Japan Times “Sex Slave” Article
http://www.zakzak.co.jp/society/domestic/news/20160130/dms1601301000004-n1.htm
The Japan Times was founded in 1897, and is the oldest surviving English-language newspaper in Japan. I have been subscribing since the 1980s.
It used to be a handy source for both world news and information on Japan, but lately it has been running “incredible articles” almost every day rivaling those of the Asahi Newspaper. So, while being offended, I continue to read it just as a monitor.
Following the agreement between Japan and Korea at the end of last year regarding the comfort women issue, many foreign media sources reported to the effect that “Japan admitted to, and apologized for, the forcible recruitment of 200,000 women by the Japanese military to serve as ‘sex slaves.’”
Since this allegation is without factual foundation, Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida naturally protested that “the term sex slave is inappropriate and should not be used.”
The Japan Times in its January 19th edition (January 18th online) carried a byline article concerning Foreign Minister Kishida’s statement. In part it reads as follows.
“It is the policy of The Japan Times that “sex slaves” is acceptable for referring to the women who were forced to provide sex for Japanese troops before and during World War II.”
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/01/18/national/politics-diplomacy/japans-foreign-minister-challenges-use-of-sex-slaves-term-for-comfort-women/#.Vp8YofnhDIW
It is true that in Japanese-occupied Indonesia, some 35 Dutch women were confined and raped by Japanese soldiers as “sex slaves” in what is known as the “Semarang Incident.” However, when the incident came to light, four comfort stations in Semarang were closed down under army orders, and the responsible officers were punished for violations of military discipline. This was a rarely seen blot on the Japanese military.
The biggest reason for establishment of comfort stations was to prevent rapes by soldiers. It is important to dispassionately consider the morality of this arrangement compared to the Russian troops, who were officially encouraged to commit rape, or the American troops, who were for all practical purposes free of restraints.
In August 1944, 20 Korean comfort women who worked in the Japanese military comfort stations in Burma were captured by the American army. The record of their interrogation is held in the American National Archives. I will quote a portion.
They were well-paid prostitutes, “they had plenty of money with which to purchase desired articles,” “they amused themselves by participating in sports events with both officers and men, and attended picnics, entertainments, and social dinners,” and “ they had a phonograph and in the towns they were allowed to go shopping.”
The Korean prostitutes arrested in Bellevue, Washington on January 8th were sold to a Korean criminal organization in order to pay off the debts of their families, and entered the United States illegally. Under total confinement, they were forced to engage in prostitution for up 12 hours every day. Perhaps I should write to the Japanese Times and inform them about these “true sex slaves.”
http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/crime/online-site-where-men-rated-prostitutes-is-shut-down-charges-to-be-filed/
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- Amazon.co.jp
