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Abe: Japan will never accept Korea's unilateral request

Posted January. 13, 2018 07:55,   

Updated January. 13, 2018 08:09

한국어

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Friday that Japan will never accept Korea’s unilateral demand for additional measures (regarding the agreement on comfort women for Japanese soldiers). Abe thus effectively considered as an additional measure Korean President Moon Jae-in’s remarks in his press conference on Wednesday that “Japan should recognize the truth and make a sincere apology to victims.”

Prior to his departure for his six-nation European tour on the day, Abe told reporters at his residence in Tokyo, “The agreement is a promise between the two nations. Keeping the promise is an international and universal principle.” Looking serious, Abe went on to say, “Japan is implementing all of our promises with sincerity. I will continue to urge Korea to implement as well,” in expressing discontent. The Japanese government is also expressing opposition to Korea’s announcement to replace 1 billion yen in compensation to comfort women with Korean government money, saying it could be a violation of the agreement.

With the Korea-Japan relationship deteriorating over the comfort women agreement, more watchers express concern that Abe may not take part in the opening ceremony of the PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games scheduled on February 9. “A plan is being considered for Tokyo to send another ranking official to the opening ceremony, and for Prime Minister Abe to visit Korea timed with the Paralympics, which kick off on March 9,” Japan’s Jiji Press reported on Friday.



Won-Jae Jang peacechaos@donga.com