With several countries adoptingresolutions urging the Japanese government to apologize to comfort women — those who were forced to provide sexual services for Japanese soldiers during World War II — a Taiwanese women’s rights group yesterday urged legislators to pass a similar resolution. The subject is expected to be discussed next week.
The resolution aims to demand that the Japanese government “formally recognize, apologize for and accept the historical responsibility for its army’s sex-slave system during World War II with a clear attitude. [It should] apologize to and indemnify the survivors to restore the victims’ reputation and dignity,” the Taipei Women’s Rescue Foundation said.
The resolution, proposed by four legislators from both the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Democratic Progressive Party with the support of another 23 legislators, also demands the Japanese government change its education system to present information about its wartime practice.
“So many years have passed. Taiwan, as a victim, needs to adopt the resolution [to speak up for the survivors’ human rights],” said Graceia Lai (賴采兒), the foundation’s international affairs department director.
She said that South Korea’s National Assembly adopted a resolution late last month urging Japan to apologize.
Taiwan’s resolution is expected to be approved on Tuesday in the Legislative Yuan.
In Taiwan, the estimated number of victims varies from 1,200 to 2,000, but only 58 have been confirmed by the foundation, with only 20 of those still alive, Lai said.
Nine of the comfort women in Taiwan filed a lawsuit against the Japanese government in 1999, but the lawsuit was dismissed by the Japanese Supreme Court in 2005.
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday expressed “grave concerns” after Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (黃循財) reiterated the city-state’s opposition to “Taiwanese independence” during a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang (李強). In Singapore on Saturday, Wong and Li discussed cross-strait developments, the Singaporean Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. “Prime Minister Wong reiterated that Singapore has a clear and consistent ‘one China’ policy and is opposed to Taiwan independence,” it said. MOFA responded that it is an objective fact and a common understanding shared by many that the Republic of China (ROC) is an independent, sovereign nation, with world-leading
COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,
DEFENDING FREEDOM: Taiwanese love peace and helping others, and hope to be a positive force in the world, Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim told ‘Weltspiegel’ Taiwan is making every effort to prevent war in the face of China’s hybrid coercion tactics and military threats, Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) said in an interview with German public broadcaster ARD’s program Weltspiegel that aired on Monday. Taiwan is not seeking provocation or intending to disrupt international order, but “must possess the capacity for self-defense,” a news release issued by the Presidential Office yesterday quoted her as saying. Taiwan is closely watching not only the increasing scope and frequency of Chinese military exercises around the nation, but also Beijing’s hybrid and cognitive warfare tactics, including manipulating public opinion, fostering
RSS