The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“GOVERNMENT OF JAPAN SHOULD APOLOGIZE” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1702 on Aug. 2, 2007.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
GOVERNMENT OF JAPAN SHOULD APOLOGIZE
______
speech of
HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY
of new york
in the house of representatives
Monday, July 30, 2007
Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 121, of which I am a cosponsor, which expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the Government of Japan should formally acknowledge, apologize, and accept historical responsibility in a clear and unequivocal manner for its Imperial Armed Force's coercion of young women into sexual slavery, known to the world as
``comfort women,'' during its colonial and wartime occupation of Asia and the Pacific Islands from the 1930s through the duration of World War II.
As a co-chair of the Human Trafficking Caucus, I am all too familiar with the terrible problem of sexual slavery. H. Res. 121 reminds us that women throughout history have faced this type of inhumane treatment. According to the resolution, some textbooks used in Japanese schools downplay this tragedy, and public and private officials wish to rescind a 1993 statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono, which expressed the Government of Japan's sincere apologies and remorse for the ordeal faced by the ``comfort women.'' I believe that if we are going to successfully combat this problem worldwide, nations must come to terms with their pasts so that such practices do not happen again in the future.
Human trafficking is a $10 billion worldwide industry and one of the largest organized crime rings in history. According to the State Department, approximately 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders for labor and commercial sex purposes each year; the number is in the millions when trafficking within borders is counted. While we have a lot of work ahead of us to end human trafficking, I believe that through our collective efforts, we can make a difference.
I want to commend Representative Honda for sponsoring this legislation and for his tireless efforts to get this bill to the floor today. I am committed to ending modern-day slavery, and I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation.
____________________
