Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida told a joint press conference in Seoul with his South Korean counterpart Yun Byung-se after talks on the thorny issue, reading a statement for the premier that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe "expresses apology and remorse from the heart for all the people suffering hard-to-cure wounds and many pains" physically and psychologically.
The phrase of "apology and remorse from the heart" has been used by Abe frequently.
The Abe statement said that "the Japanese government strongly feels responsibility" for the comfort women issue from the perspective that the honor and dignity of many women were deeply scarred "under the involvement of" the Imperil Japanese Army.
The statement, however, failed to clearly stipulate the "legal responsibility," which the comfort women victims have called on the Abe cabinet to express.
The agreement could be seen as a progress in Seoul-Tokyo relations as the issue has strained the ties for decades. It marked the first time that the Japanese government "officially" expresses its responsibility for the war crime.
Japan vowed to offer money from its government coffers to help South Korea set up a foundation supporting the former sex slaves. It also confirmed that the issue was settled finally and irreversibly.
Xinhua - china.org.cn
28/12/15
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