COMFORT WOMEN: JAPAN BACKS AWAY FROM HARD LINE

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 000974 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/06/2017 TAGS: PGOV JA SUBJECT: COMFORT WOMEN: JAPAN BACKS AWAY FROM HARD LINE REF: TOKYO 0879 Classified By: AMBASSADOR J. THOMAS SCHIEFFER. REASONS 1.4 (B),(D). ¶1. (S) Summary. Prime Minister Abe has backed off on earlier instructions to a group of conservative LDP lawmakers to submit a proposal for a revised Kono Statement, according to one of the group's members. Instead, he has instructed the group to produce a statement criticizing the Honda resolution and calling for an examination of the historical issues surrounding the "comfort women" issue. Chief Cabinet Secretary Shiozaki reaffirmed Abe's position of standing by SIPDIS the Kono Statement, during a March 7 press conference. Japan newspapers on the left and right were critical of the Honda Resolution. Most media urged Abe to avoid engaging in further debate on the issue. End summary. -------------- -------------- Abe backs off a bit, Right-wing Diet members told to drop plan to revise the Kono Declaration -------------- -------------- ¶2. (S) Prime Minister Abe has dropped his earlier instruction to an LDP committee on Japan's war history to work on revising the Kono Declaration. A conservative, but relatively moderate, LDP Diet member (protect),who is in a leadership position on the LDP history committee, told Embassy Tokyo on March 7 that he had met with Prime Minister Abe one-on-one over the weekend to discuss the comfort women issue. Abe told the Diet member that instead of a Kono Declaration revision he wanted the LDP history committee to produce a statement that would criticize the Honda resolution, call for a deeper understanding of the issue in the United States, and propose creating a "historical research task force" to examine the comfort women issue. The Embassy contact told us on March 7 that the proposal is still in draft, but will soon be submitted to Abe. -------------- -------------- Shiozaki says no "new apologies;" calls for end to "unconstructive discussions" -------------- -------------- ¶3. (S) Chief Cabinet Secretary Shiozaki stated during a March 7 press conference that Japan will issue "no new apologies" in response to the Honda resolution. He called for an end to increasingly acrimonious exchanges. "The longer we continue this discussion, it is only going to result in more misunderstanding...I think it is better to not go on with this kind of discussion in a rather unconstructive manner," Shiozaki explained. -------------- -------------- Silence is golden; senior LDP leaders maintaining silence on the "comfort women" issue -------------- -------------- ¶4. (S) Senior LDP leaders have decided to remain silent on the comfort woman issue, believing that any comment will escalate tensions. Lower House Speaker Yohei Kono, the author of the 1993 Kono Declaration, explained to Embassy Tokyo that he is not commenting on the comfort women either publicly or privately. Kono begged off meeting with Embassy Tokyo and has consistently refused all requests from the media to offer his views. Isao Iijima, Policy Secretary to former PM Koizumi, told Embassy Tokyo that Koizumi shares Kono's views and is remaining silent. Iijima forcefully stated that it was best for Japan's leaders to leave the Kono Declaration unchanged and remain silent on the comfort woman issue. More talk will lead to "escalation," Iijima warned. -------------- -------------- Press split on handling the "comfort women" issue -------------- -------------- ¶5. (C) A March 7 editorial in the left-leaning Asahi (which has been in the lead in bringing the "comfort women" issue to public attention and criticizing the Japanese government response),urged PM Abe to avoid further remarks that might cause "unnecessary misunderstanding" abroad. However, the TOKYO 00000974 002 OF 002 Asahi also accused the U.S. press and the South Korean government of going too far in their interpretations of Abe's comments on "coercion." Noting that the PM had been unequivocal in his commitment to abide by the Kono Statement, the Asahi suggested that Abe avoid further discussion of "detailed definitions and distinctions." An editorial in the moderately conservative Yomiuri described the Honda resolution as "full of misunderstandings and distorted historical facts." Both editorials called on the government to "accurately explain" the historical issues, including Japan's previous apologies, in order to prevent Congress from adopting the Honda resolution. An editorial in the right-wing Sankei blamed the controversy on a "makeshift policy," exemplified by the Kono Declaration, and noted that past apologies had only intensified criticism of Japan's wartime record. The press carried several reports from Beijing and Taipei on protests over Abe's remarks, noting that official reaction was "less strident" than expected. SCHIEFFER