FILE PHOTO: South Korean protesters sit near a statue of a teenage girl symbolising former "comfort women", who served as sex slaves for Japanese soldiers during World War II, during a weekly anti-Japanese demonstration in front of the Japanese embassy in Seoul on November 21, 2018. - AFP
SEOUL: Japan’s government on Monday (Sept 15) defended its stance on wartime sexual slavery and described South Korean court rulings ordering Japanese compensation as violations of international law, after UN investigators criticised Tokyo for failing to ensure truth-finding and reparations for the victims.
In its own response to UN human rights rapporteurs, South Korea called on Japan to "squarely face up to our painful history” and cited how Tokyo’s refusal to comply with court orders have denied the victims payment. The statements underscored how the two Asian US allies still hold key differences on the issue, even as they pause their on-and-off disputes over historical grievances to stabilise bilateral relations.
