The Marmot covered a couple weeks ago about Congressman Honda’s resolution he passed through the US House of Representatives to pressure the Japanese government to apologize for the forced prostitution of Korean women during World War II. You can read the full resolution here.Â
What is interesting about this resolution is that if you actually read it, is that it spends more time recognizing Japanese accomplishments in regards to women’s right than it does demanding an apology from the Japanese government. The resolution even recognizes that the Japanese government had already apologized in 1993 for the forced prostitution of Korean women, but in the opinion of the Congressmen who sponsored the resolution, the Prime Minister of Japan needs to issue an apology as well.Â
Many commenters at the Marmot’s Hole felt that this resolution is probably motivated by Korean-American lobbying of the Congressman. Congressman Honda’s district is California’s 15th District which covers primarily the Silicon Valley area of San Jose and Santa Clara. This Donga Ilbo article tends to indicate that Congressman Honda does have a sizable Korean voting block in his Congressional district that wanted this resolution.Â
My opinion on this is that the Japanese Prime Minister should issue some kind of formal recognition and apology for Japanese actions during World War II, but I don’t believe it is an issue that US politicians have any obligation to stick their noses into. Especially a Congressmen as hypocritical as Honda. If Congressman Honda is such a champion of women’s rights how come he isn’t leading Congress in implementing a resolution condemning China for their modern day sexual slavery of North Korean women?Â
While on a trip to China to push his anti-Japanese issues, Honda had this to say about China’s own human rights abuses:
At the same time, he recognizes that China has its own historical blemishes. China’s human rights record needs improvement, he pointed out, but the United States should not isolate China because of that.
"My understanding of the judicial system in China is that it is very limited,†he said. “But with more exposure to the global community, things can change.â€
"Historical blemishes?" You mean like the 20-30 million Chinese that died during the Great Leap forward or the up to 500,000 who died during the Cultural Revolution? I guess the 2,000-3000 civilians who were gunned down by the Chinese military at Tianamen Square is also a "historical blemish". The continuing human rights abuses of Chinese peasants and the sexual slavery of North Korean women I guess is just more "historical blemishes" to Congressman Honda.Â
Shouldn’t we be more concerned with condemning those who implement modern day sexual slavery of Koreans today than condemning those who have already apologized for sexual slavery of Koreans 60 years ago? It is useful idiots like Congressman Honda that empower human rights abusers today like China and North Korea to continue to violate human rights because they know no politician will stand up to them. It is politically easier to attack the Japanese for something that happened 60 years ago than to stop sexual slavery now. I am willing to bet 60 years from now we will see a US Congressman pass a resolution condemning Chinese human rights violations today. However, that resolution does nothing to help the people in China or North Korea who are either being executed or having their human rights violated now.Â
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3:22 am on February 13th, 2007 1
Mike Hyundai needs to be fired.
1:31 pm on February 13th, 2007 2
[...] ROK Drop is critical U.S. Congressman Michael Honda’s sponsorship of a bill calling on Japan to apologize for its use of comfort women during WW2, calling Honda a “useful idiot.” [Link] [...]
10:31 am on February 14th, 2007 3
Is Honda of Japanese extraction? If so, perhaps that is why he’s stroking his Korean-American constituency.
3:51 pm on February 14th, 2007 4
Yes he is half Japanese and when he was 2 years old he spent time in a US Japanese internment camp. To his credit he was able to get the US government to apologize for the internment of Japanese-Americans during WW II. That was an issue he had every right to stick his nose into, unlike the comfort women issue between Korea and Japan. If he would stand up to China just as strongly as he is standing up to Japan than I would be willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Actually he should be standing up even stronger to China because they are the ones committing modern day sexual slavery.
2:31 pm on February 21st, 2007 5
i uh… i uh… dont jizz in the beaver
11:15 am on February 27th, 2007 6
Greetings from California!
Regarding this “useful idoit’s” attempt — many people (including Mike Honda himself) are totally missing the “point” the proposed resolution seeking apology (again!) from the Japanese government.
First of all, Korean women (strong and independent as you know) were never forced by the Japanese military or by any Japanese for that matter to become prostitutes. Prostitution by these women were all voluntary which was aggressively promoted by a “Korean” businessman. Two US military reports have these facts documented and acknowledge it as straight “business”.
These prostitutes earned 25 times more than the average Japanese army at the time, and even asked these soldiers to help send their earnings back to their families in Korea. And Japanese soldiers made sure their earnings were sent back.
What’s up with that? Talk about a total distortion of historical facts! As always, the Japanese are victims and casualty of communist propagandas and war movies. Where and when will it end?
Did you know that the first thing the US military did in Japan after the end of WWII, was to solicit Japanese girls as prostitutes for GI men? The US military ran an ad in the paper.
You’re absolutely right about US not having any business (or rights) sticking its nose into other countries’ business. If US or Mike Honda wants to do so, they need to get their facts straight FIRST! The truth is out there.
Also, you’re damn right about Mike Honda’s hyprocricy about not going after the Chinese re modern day sex slaves of North Korean women. Well, go figure, right?!
Did you watch the recent interview of Mike Honda on Fuji TV? Heard he couldn’t answer many questions addressed to him duirng the program. Yeah, go figure!
7:28 pm on March 2nd, 2007 7
[...] and Japan is the comfort women issue. What sparked the latest controversy was US Congressman Mike Honda’s resolution to condemn Japan for World War II sexual slavery and demand an apology from the Prime Minister of [...]
7:32 am on March 4th, 2007 8
[...] it the same reason cowardly politicians, like Congressman Mike Honda attack Japan with their holier than thou campaigns and make excuses for China, because Japan is [...]
7:32 am on March 19th, 2007 9
Greetings from the East coast
It came out a suspect that Mike Honda might have been working for the Chinese agent’s strategic campaign, according to Sankei Newspaper. At least, his most important patrons are Chinese American groups who have tight relationship with Chinese government. Also his background turned out mysterious. There is no record his or his family name in the concentration camp that he referred to. Some source says also there is no record in the army or JFK troops as he was proud of in his career. Things are still under investigation. Just for your information.
Have a good Sunday evening!
6:39 am on April 2nd, 2007 10
[...] Does anyone from Canada know if Wayne Marston is just a Canadian version of Michael Honda? [...]
1:52 pm on April 3rd, 2007 11
8:17 am on April 22nd, 2007 12
[...] this apology "isn’t sincere enough"? I doubt this apology will even appease Congressman Honda who is playing up this issue for domestic political support from his Korean-American voting base. [...]
11:58 pm on April 27th, 2007 13
7:03 pm on August 7th, 2007 14
[...] War II, but they do nothing to stop the trafficking of sex slaves in China today. Any bets if Michael Honda is drafting a non-binding congressional resolution to condemn China’s modern day comfort [...]
5:19 pm on November 2nd, 2007 15
5:36 am on December 4th, 2007 16
[...] criticism of this is the same as with the US Congress; what are the chances the Canadian Parliament issues a resolution condemning the modern day sexual [...]
1:22 pm on December 17th, 2007 17
[...] politicians the ability to play the holier than thou card.  My criticism of this is the same as with the US Congress and the Canadian Parliament; what are the chances the EU issues a resolution condemning the modern [...]
7:57 am on January 27th, 2008 18
[...] Congressman Honda has gone to Tokyo to demand compensation. So when is he is going to go to China and demand compensation from them as well?- It looks like a new "Gaijin Card" system is on its way in Japan. [...]
1:18 am on February 22nd, 2008 19