Japanese lawmaker Shoji Nishida from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party apologized and took back comments he made about the "Himeyuri no To" (Himeyuri Memorial), which honors schoolgirls who died in the Battle of Okinawa during World War II.
At a recent event in Okinawa, Nishida criticized the memorial’s explanation, claiming it suggested the Japanese army caused the students’ deaths and that the U.S. “liberated” Okinawa. He said such wording was “rewriting history.”
Facing backlash, Nishida held a press conference on July 9, saying it was inappropriate to bring up the Himeyuri Memorial without proper explanation. He apologized to the people of Okinawa and said he would retract and delete his comments. He also admitted that what he referred to might have actually been a past exhibit at another museum but wasn't confirmed.
Nishida said he now deeply feels the pain of Okinawa’s wartime history and regrets hurting the local people. He promised to reflect on his actions and support policies for Okinawa.
Earlier, on July 7, he had refused to withdraw his comments, which drew strong criticism, especially from opposition parties.
The director of the Himeyuri Peace Museum, which preserves the students’ stories, urged Nishida to visit and learn from the survivors’ testimonies and materials. He also criticized Nishida for changing his explanation from the previous day.
Okinawa Minister Itō welcomed Nishida’s apology but stressed the importance of sincerely respecting the suffering Okinawa went through during the war, when about 200,000 lives were lost.
by MagazineKey4532