News-Info-Alerts

To: ALL

From: Bob Necci & Carol Hrdlicka, Andi Wolos
(POW-MIA FaxNetwork)

Re: Apology Sought

Date: July 25, 1997

Seventeen MOCs from the House have called for an official apology from Japan. The resolution requests that Japan apologize for and compensate victims of its criminal war activities during WW II.

The Whitewash House, in response, opposes the measure as an impediment to US-Japanese diplomatic relations.

Amongst the war crimes Japan is responsible for are -

Medical-Biological-Chemical experimentation on POWs.

The Nanjing Massacre and brutal Rape of the Nanjing Women.

The Comfort Women Program.

It should be noted that although Germany has officially apologized for some of its actions and initiated a compensation program, Japan has never. Figures show that during WW II, under Germany 1.1% of POWs and 3.5% of civilian prisoners died, whereas under Japan, 37.3%of the POWs and 11% of the civilian prisoners were casualties.

Certainly no apology or compensation is sufficient for the untold suffering heaped upon these people and their families. Nothing can ever bring back those who died or atone for the scars left on survivors. But to begin the healing process, Japan must take a step towards accountability and admit their total responsibility.