WASHINGTON: A US congressional panel overwhelmingly endorsed a resolution urging Japan to apologize formally for coercing tens of thousands of women to work as sex slaves for its World War II military.

The 39-2 approval on Tuesday by the Foreign Affairs Committee allows the measure to be considered by the full House of Representatives. A large crowd of supporters applauded and cheered after the lawmakers' vote.

Japan "has actively promoted historical amnesia; the facts are plain", the committee's chairman, Tom Lantos, a California Democrat, said. "This resolution seeks admission of the horrible truth, in order that this horror may never be perpetrated again."

More than 140 lawmakers from both political parties have agreed to co-sponsor the non-binding resolution, which urges Japan to "formally acknowledge, apologize and accept historical responsibility in a clear and unequivocal manner" for the suffering of so-called "comfort women" during the 1930s and 1940s.

Lantos criticized persistent attempts by some Japanese politicians to deny official involvement.

"The continued efforts by some in Japan to distort history and play a game of blame-the-victim are highly disturbing," Lantos said during the committee's debate.

A group of Japanese lawmakers and commentators placed an advertisement in the Washington Post this month, stating that the women had worked as licensed prostitutes - a stance Lantos termed "a ludicrous assertion totally counter to the facts".

The resolution later received support from Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the Democrat in charge of the House, who said in a statement that she looked forward to the full House "passing this resolution and sending a strong message that we will not forget the horrors endured by the comfort women."

Amnesty International applauded the vote.

"Amnesty International urges nations across the world to follow the US Congress' lead and put pressure on the Japanese government to ensure that survivors receive full reparation including restitution, compensation and rehabilitation," according to a statement from the organization.

In Tokyo, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki suggested there would be no apology from the Japanese government on the sex slavery issue; and said he believed "Japan-US relation will continue to be unshakable".

Historians say about 200,000 women were taken to frontline brothels and forced to provide sex for millions of Japanese soldiers during the war.

Critics contend that Japan has never assumed full responsibility for the treatment of the women.

Agencies

(China Daily 06/28/2007 page1)