Among the most brutal experiences in Japan’s history was its
abuse of women in conquered nations during World War II.
Hundreds of thousands of women were forced into sexual slavery
by the invading Japanese forces and still to this day most of
neither received an apology or financial compensation for their
mistreatment. Azuma Konno, of Japan’s Democratic Party, said,
his “government has kept its eyes shut and ignored the issue.”
He spoke at the ninth Solidarity Conference for the Issue of
Military Sexual Slavery by Japan which met in the continual
effort to awaken Japan’s conscience for past misdeeds. “To build
our future,” said Konno, “we cannot remain blind to the past.”
The conference brought together both victims of the mistreatment
and concerned Japanese who want their nation to atone for past
behavior. They want an official government apology and rewriting
of school history books to teach children about the past. In so
doing, Japan restores its dignity.