Congressman Faleomavaega announced today that the US House of Representatives unanimously passed H. Res. 121 which calls upon the Government of Japan to 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, euphemistically known as the “comfort women” system, during its colonial and wartime occupation of Asia and the Pacific Islands from 1930s through the duration of World War II.

“I want to thank our colleague, the gentleman from California, Mr. Honda, for his sponsorship of this bill,” Faleomavaega said. “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.”

“Chairman Lantos and Ranking Member Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of the Foreign Affairs Committee are also to be commended for moving this legislation to the Floor. I also recognize Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi for her solid support of H. Res. 121.”

“On February 15, 2007, the Foreign Affairs’ Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and the Global Environment held a hearing on H. Res. 121, and, for the first time ever in the history of the US Congress, three surviving women testified for the record. Ms. Yong Soo Lee attended today’s Floor debate and I want to especially commend her and Ms. Koon Ja 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 young women were raped, beaten, tortured, drugged, mutilated, and sometimes murdered. It is estimated that Japan’s military forced possibly as many as 200,000 young women from Korea, China, the Philippines, Indonesia, and elsewhere into sexual enslavement.”

“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. It also wasn’t until 1992, in response to these developments, that Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Kono Yohei issued a statement.”

“This “Kono Statement” is often cited as Japan’s official apology although it was never officially endorsed by the Cabinet. At the time, the Chief Cabinet Secretary was considered part Press Secretary, part Chief of Staff, and never second to the 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 as personal views.”

“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” system.”

“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?”

“Clearly, I appreciate that Japan is a close US ally. I also have a special love and affinity for the people of Japan. But more sacred to me is our obligation to emphasize the principle that rape 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% answered no, 37.2% answered yes.”

“Some may say the past is the past and that the US is also an offender and violator of human rights. Maybe this is so. But nowhere in recorded history has the US military as a matter of policy issued a directive allowing for the coercion of 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 US 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 calling upon the Prime Minister 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 upon thousands of women victimized at the hands of Japan’s Imperial Forces 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, acknowledge, apologize, and accept historical responsibility for its Imperial Armed Force’s coercion of young women into sexual slavery during its occupation of Asia and the Pacific Islands during WWII. Nothing less will do.”

“Faleomavaega concluded his remarks by sharing this statement. ‘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.’ For this reason, he urged his colleagues to support H. Res. 121.”