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Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stood firm against a resolution before U.S. Congress calling on Japan to acknowledge and apologize for forcing women into sexual slaves during World War II.

Abe said Japan will not apologize even if the resolution passes the U.S. Congress. He reiterated there was no evidence that the Japanese government was responsible for forcefully conscripting the so-called comfort women for use as sex slaves for Japanese soldiers during the war. The remarks flatly contradict the U.S. resolution, which was drawn up based on testimony by former comfort women. According to the resolution, some women were kidnapped in their homes and forced into sexual slavery.

To dodge its responsibility for the practice, the Japanese government has argued that it was private contractors rather than the Japanese military or government who pressed the women into service.

In Monday’s session, Abe got into a heated argument with opposition Democratic Party lawmaker Toshio Ogawa at the House of Councilors Budget Committee.

Ogawa: Do your recent remarks on “comfort women” -- forced by the Japanese military into sex slavery during World War II -- mean that there was “no coercion”?

Abe: No one would voluntarily apply to be a comfort woman. In some cases, private agents forced the women, so in this broad context, forced coercion existed. However, Japanese government officials did not raid civilians’ homes to “kidnap” women. The testimony that the Japanese military hunted women as sex slaves is completely fabricated. No other evidence supports such testimony.

* The Japanese government, however, acknowledged the involvement of military authorities in a statement issued by former Cabinet secretary Yohei Kono in 1993.

Ogawa: Is there no evidence?

* Former comfort women testified that they had been abducted by Japanese soldiers and police officers. The testimony was reflected in the U.S. Congress resolution.

Abe: The testimony lacks sound evidence.

The prime minister went on to say that Tokyo will not apologize for the wartime sex slavery even if the U.S. Congress passes the resolution.

Abe: The resolution is not based on objective facts and doesn’t reflect the Japanese government’s views. The Japanese government will try to make U.S. lawmakers understand our position.

Ogawa: Unless Japan offers an apology ... I am afraid the international community will think Japan has not learned the lesson on human rights or from the war, which Japan started.

Abe: Japan’s acts for 60 years following the end of World War II have been highly appreciated. You are revealing contempt for Japan’s past 60 years.”

The argument is interrupted by complaints from lawmakers.

Ogawa: I am disregarding Japan’s past?

Abe: Well, do you think that the U.S. resolution is right?

(englishnews@chosun.com )