Japan’s foreign minister says a ruling by the South Korean court ordering compensation for women kept in its World War II military brothels creates an ‘unthinkable situation’ in a simmering row between the two neighboring nations.
Speaking in the Diet on Monday, Toshimitsu Motegi said the court ruling on January 8 created “an abnormal, totally unthinkable situation in terms of international law and the bilateral relationship.”
Japan was ordered to pay 100 million won ($91,300) to each of 12 women named in the lawsuit. They were among some 200,000 mostly Koreans, who were forced into sexual slavery during the war.
“I will continue to strongly demand an appropriate response by the South Korean side,” Motegi said. His ministry had previously summoned South Korea’s ambassador to protest the ruling.
The issue of “comfort women” has long undermined relations between Japan and South Korea. Japan says the matter was settled by a 1965 treaty that normalized relations with South Korea and provided more than $800 million in financial aid to Seoul, but many in modern South Korea deem the military dictatorship-era settlement unfair.
There was no immediate reaction from South Korean officials to Motegi’s speech, but recent relations between the two Asian neighbors have been frosty. Some 70 percent of South Koreans consumers have either stopped wearing Japanese clothing brands, refused to drink beer brewed in Japan, or shunned other consumer products and vehicles manufactured there. Meanwhile, Tokyo has removed South Korea from a list of preferential export nations.
Частные объявления в Вашем городе, в Вашем регионе и в России
Smi24.net — ежеминутные новости с ежедневным архивом. Только у нас — все главные новости дня без политической цензуры. "123 Новости" — абсолютно все точки зрения, трезвая аналитика, цивилизованные споры и обсуждения без взаимных обвинений и оскорблений. Помните, что не у всех точка зрения совпадает с Вашей. Уважайте мнение других, даже если Вы отстаиваете свой взгляд и свою позицию. Smi24.net — облегчённая версия старейшего обозревателя новостей 123ru.net. Мы не навязываем Вам своё видение, мы даём Вам срез событий дня без цензуры и без купюр. Новости, какие они есть —онлайн с поминутным архивом по всем городам и регионам России, Украины, Белоруссии и Абхазии. Smi24.net — живые новости в живом эфире! Быстрый поиск от Smi24.net — это не только возможность первым узнать, но и преимущество сообщить срочные новости мгновенно на любом языке мира и быть услышанным тут же. В любую минуту Вы можете добавить свою новость - здесь.