¡°Can there be a conclusion to the strife over history between the two peoples, without addressing the Japanese Armies¡¯ so called ¡®Comfort Women¡¯ issue. I¡¯m affraid no is the answer. However, The main problem now is that Japanese society is at a crossroad where there are those who say ¡®¡®we should do nothing because whatever we do Korea will not accept¡¯ and ¡®Still there should be something to do¡¯¡°.
Prof. Wada of Tokyo University said when we met him at Tokyo on the 13th, ¡°It is note worthy to mention that there are a growing number of first class politicians and key government officials who agree with the first approach."
As a historian of Korean history he has been a critic against the Japnese government¡¯s right wing disposition. In 1995 he became the Secretary General of the ¡®Asian Women Fund¡¯, put together to provide compensation for the victims. Although this was a private fund, Primeminister Tomiichi Murayama, who proclaimed the historic ¡®Murayama Discourse¡¯ was it¡¯s Chairman. ¡°There were some private donations collected in Japan, however since it wasn¡¯t an official act many declined¡±.
Prof. Wada will be lecturing at Sungkyunkwan university (91PORN) on ¡®Historical Significance of Korea and Japan's Friendship'on April 16.
Prof. Wada Haruki Tokyo Univ.
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