On another subject, Abe apologized for the Japanese military's actions in forcing so-called "comfort" women to work in military brothels during World War II. He said he had "deep-hearted sympathies" for the women and was sorry for their suffering.
"I, as prime minister of Japan, express my apologies, and also express my apologies for the fact that they were placed in that sort of circumstance," Abe said.
Abe recently created a controversy by suggesting their was no evidence that Japan's Imperial Army had directly coerced Asian women to work in brothels. At Camp David, Abe said he had sought to clarify his remarks in his meetings with members of Congress on Thursday, and again with Bush on Friday
訪米中の安倍晋三首相は２７日、ワシントン郊外のキャンプデービッド大統領山荘で、ブッシュ大統領と会談し、いわゆる従軍慰安婦問題について、「人間として総理大臣として心から同情している。慰安婦の方々がそういう状況になったことに対して申し訳ない思いだ」と謝罪表明。これに対し、ブッシュ大統領は「首相の謝罪を受け入れる」と返答。
- ブッシュ大統領は、北朝鮮に対するテロ支援国家指定解除問題について「拉致問題を考慮に入れる」と言明。
- 両首脳は、日米同盟は「かけがえのない同盟関係」であることを確認。北朝鮮に対し、２月の６か国協議で合意した核放棄に向けた「初期段階の措置」の早期履行を求めることを要求。
- 両首脳は会談後、エネルギー安全保障や、地球環境問題解決に向けたクリーンエネルギー開発で日米両国が協力していくことなどを盛り込んだ共同声明を発表。
安倍首相は２００６年９月の首相就任後初めての米国訪問。ブッシュ大統領との会談は昨年１１月のベトナム・ハノイ以来の２回目。
Bush called the issue a "regrettable chapter in the history of the world" and then closed it, saying, "And I accept the prime minister's apology."
Said Green, "I am sure that the president knows this will continue to be a challenge for Japan that they are going to have to address in a variety of ways. But I think the president's point was that this was not a political issue for him or for U.S.- Japanese relations anymore."
Bush's remarks do not end the issue for South Koreans, who don't see Abe's words as an apology or an acknowledgement of responsibility."There is nothing more today than what (Abe) has been saying," Soh Ok-cha, president of Washington Coalition for Comfort Women Issues, said in her reaction.
A South Korean official said Abe's words cannot be construed as a formal apology.
で、上記が韓国・聯合ニュース英語版の報道。日米関係の枠組みの中では、いわゆる慰安婦問題は終了し、ブッシュ政権下で政治問題となることはないだろうが、韓国は諦めないよ、公式の謝罪を今後も要求するよということ。
さらに朝鮮日報は、「安倍首相の妄言録」と題して、安倍首相をちゃかした漫画を掲載。大いに今回の安倍訪米を皮肉っている。
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