Japan brushes off US resolution on WWII sex slavery but vows effort to gain understanding

TOKYO (AP) - Japanese officials on Tuesday brushed off a U.S. Congressional resolution demanding Japan's formal apology over its World War II sex slavery of thousands of Asian women.

The House of Representatives on Monday approved a resolution urging Japan to "formally acknowledge, apologize and accept historical responsibility in a clear and unequivocal manner" for the suffering of so-called "comfort women."

Foreign Ministry officials said Tuesday that they had no immediate comment to add to a senior diplomat's remarks Monday that Japan has already expressed regrets over the issue and provided explanation to Washington.

"Our understanding was that we had gained a certain level of understanding from the U.S. when Prime Minister (Shinzo) Abe provided his thoughts and explanations during his U.S. visit" earlier this year, Vice Foreign Minister Shotaro Yachi said Monday as he expected the resolution's passage. "We've made efforts to gain understanding of the Japanese government's basic stance, and we will only continue to do so."

Historians say the Imperial Japanese Army forcibly sent hundreds of thousands of women, mainly from Korea, China and the Philippines, to wartime Japanese military brothels to work as prostitutes in the 1930s and 1940s.

Since the government's acknowledgment in early 1990s, Japanese leaders, including Abe, have repeatedly apologized over the problem.

But Japanese right-wing politicians claim that the issue has been fabricated or exaggerated. A group of lawmakers and conservatives earlier this month demanded the U.S. Congress retract the resolution.

Abe has triggered anger across Asia in March by saying there was no proof the women were coerced.

Though symbolic, the nonbinding resolution has caused unease in Japan and its relations with Washington. It is believed to add recent woes for Abe, whose ruling party faced a humiliating defeat in Sunday's parliamentary elections.

In 1993, Japan's government issued a carefully worded official apology but has rejected most compensation claims, saying they were settled by postwar treaties.

A fund created in 1995 by the government but run independently and financed by private donations, has provided a way for Japan to compensate former sex slaves without making it official. Many comfort women have rejected the money.