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May 14th, 2013 
Peter Nolan
Hashimoto’s comments come amid mounting criticism at the prospect of Prime
Minister Shinzo Abe’s conservative government revising Japan’s past
apologies for wartime atrocities. Before he took office in December, Abe had
advocated revising a 1993 statement by then-Prime Minister Yohei Kono
acknowledging and expressing remorse for the suffering caused to the sexual
slaves of Japanese troops.
Abe has acknowledged “comfort women” existed but has denied they
were coerced into prostitution, citing a lack of official evidence.
Over the past two days, top officials in Abe’s government have appeared to
ease their concern over Japan’s past apologies, apparently to calm tensions
with South Korea and China and address U.S. concerns about Abe’s nationalist
agenda.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters Tuesday that “the
stance of the Japanese government on the comfort women issue is well known.
They have suffered unspeakably painful experiences. The Abe Cabinet has the
same sentiments as past Cabinets.”
Hashimoto is co-head of the newly formed Japan Restoration Party with former
Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara, who is a strident nationalist.
(Edited by Steve Wilson)
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