Kono Statement

The Kono Statement refers to a statement released by Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono in 1993 after the conclusion of the government study that found that the Japanese Imperial Army had forced women, known as comfort women, to work in military-run brothels during World War II. The Japanese government had denied that the women had been coerced until this point.

In the statement, Kono acknowledged that the Japanese Imperial Army had been involved, either directly or indirectly, in the establishment of comfort facilities. However it is still debated whether the statement had acknowledged that coercion had been used in the recruitment and retention of the women by the Japanese Imperial Army directly, as the recruitment was believed to be mainly conducted by private recruiting agents (both Korean and Japanese). His subsequent call for historical research and education aimed at remembering the issue became the basis for addressing the subject of forced prostitution in school history textbooks. The statement was welcomed in South Korea. It also led to the creation of the Asian Women's Fund, which provided aid and support to women who had been forced into prostitution during the war.

The statement has been the target of criticism by some conservatives in Japan. Current Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, during his first term as Prime Minister in 2007, stated that he did not believe women were coerced into working at military brothels. Nobuo Ishihara, deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary at the time of the drafting of the Kono Statement, has stated in unsworn testimony to the Diet that no written records verifying the accounts of the 16 women who were interviewed during the course of the investigation could be discovered.

Members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party had been discussing the possibility of the current government, led by Abe, looking into revising the statement when current Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga announced that a team had been formed to reexamine the "background" of the report. In 2014 the review was criticized by the South Korean government.

The Kono Statement in English
Statement by the Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono on the result of the study on the issue of "comfort women" August 4, 1993

The Government of Japan has been conducting a study on the issue of wartime "comfort women" since December 1991. I wish to announce the findings as a result of that study.

As a result of the study which indicates that comfort stations were operated in extensive areas for long periods, it is apparent that there existed a great number of comfort women. Comfort stations were operated in response to the request of the military authorities of the day. The then Japanese military was, directly or indirectly, involved in the establishment and management of the comfort stations and the transfer of comfort women. The recruitment of the comfort women was conducted mainly by private recruiters who acted in response to the request of the military. The Government study has revealed that in many cases they were recruited against their own will, through coaxing coercion, etc., and that, at times, administrative/military personnel directly took part in the recruitments. They lived in misery at comfort stations under a coercive atmosphere.

As to the origin of those comfort women who were transferred to the war areas, excluding those from Japan, those from the Korean Peninsula accounted for a large part. The Korean Peninsula was under Japanese rule in those days, and their recruitment, transfer, control, etc., were conducted generally against their will, through coaxing, coercion, etc.

Undeniably, this was an act, with the involvement of the military authorities of the day, that severely injured the honor and dignity of many women. The Government of Japan would like to take this opportunity once again to extend its sincere apologies and remorse to all those, irrespective of place of origin, who suffered immeasurable pain and incurable physical and psychological wounds as comfort women.

It is incumbent upon us, the Government of Japan, to continue to consider seriously, while listening to the views of learned circles, how best we can express this sentiment.

We shall face squarely the historical facts as described above instead of evading them, and take them to heart as lessons of history. We hereby reiterated our firm determination never to repeat the same mistake by forever engraving such issues in our memories through the study and teaching of history.

As actions have been brought to court in Japan and interests have been shown in this issue outside Japan, the Government of Japan shall continue to pay full attention to this matter, including private researched related thereto.