Japanese Government Statements and Ministry of Foreign Affairs Statements

The following links will take you to the statements that the Japanese government has made on the issue of the enslavement of women in military brothels during World War II.

  • January 1, 1992
    Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa, in a press conference, said: "Concerning the comfort women, I apologize from the bottom of my heart and feel remorse for those people who suffered indescribable hardships."
     
  • January 17, 1992
    Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa, at a policy speech on a visit to South Korea, said: "What we should not forget about relationship between our nation and your nation is a fact that there was a certain period in the thousands of years of our company when we were the victimizer and you were the victim. I would like to once again express a heartfelt remorse and apology for the unbearable suffering and sorrow that you experienced during this period because of our nation's act." Recently the issue of the so-called 'wartime comfort women' is being brought up. I think that incidents like this are seriously heartbreaking, and I am truly sorry."
     
  • July 6, 1992
    Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Koichi Kato on the Issue of the so-called "Wartime Comfort Women" from the Korean Peninsula
     
  • August 4, 1993 
    Statement by the Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono on the result of the study on the issue of "Comfort Women" (the "Kono Statement")
     
  • August 4, 1993 
    Ministry of Foreign Affairs summary of "Comfort Women" issue at the time of the Kono Statement
     
  • July 1995
    Statement by Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama following the establishment of the Asian Women's Fund
     
  • 2001
    Letter from Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to the former "Comfort Women"
     
  • June 2001
    Summary of policy on the issue of the "Comfort Women"
     
  • November 6, 2013
    Japanese government views on historical issues including the "Comfort Women"
     
  • June 2014
    Details of exchanges between Japan and Korea regarding the "Comfort Women" issue
     
  • October 14, 2014
    Ministry of Foreign Affairs summary of measures taken on the "Comfort Women" issue
     
  • December 28, 2015
    Joint Press Conference between Japan and Korea of "final and irrevocable" resolution of the "Comfort Women" issue