Professor slams Japanese politicians in online ad

Sungshin Women’s University professor Seo Kyoung-duk posted an ad on the Internet edition of the Wall Street Journal on Monday, criticizing Japanese politicians’ attitude to history.

Titled “Making Peace With History,” the advertising compares Japanese politicians with German politicians by placing their photos and captions side by side.

The photo of German politicians shows former German Chancellor Willy Brandt kneeling before a monument to the Warsaw Ghetto uprising and current German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Its caption says that German leaders since Brandt, including Merkel, have continued to apologize on behalf of their country.

That of Japanese politicians shows Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, Deputy Prime Minister Aso Taro and Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto.

“Abe has declined to atone for or even fully recognize Japan’s past acts of aggression. Mayor Toru Hashimoto has claimed that the women forced into sexual slavery for Japanese troops during WWII were ‘a military necessity,’” its caption says.

“Japan needs to issue an apology and provide compensation for the ‘comfort women.’”

The ad will appear on www.wsj.com this week.

“Abe’s senseless remarks, Hashimoto’s denial of the existence of comfort women, and Aso Taro’s reference to the Nazis are shocking,” said Seo. “I wanted to let the world know of Japanese politicians’ wrong thoughts.”

By Chun Sung-woo (swchun@heraldcorp.com)