On January 17th, Anthony Blinken, Deputy Secretary of State, during his official visit to Japan, "called on Korean-American civic groups to support an agreement reached between Japan and South Korea to settle the issue of those referred to as comfort women," according to NHK news.

We, Korean American civic groups believe "Korea-Japan agreement" on 'comfort women' issue is appeasing to Japan's attempt at covering up the crimes against humanity that Japan committed before and during World War II, kidnapping, rapping, and enslaving about 200,000 girls and women, as young as 12 years old.

We believe all Americans should be outraged that our high ranking official volunteered to be an accomplice to the war crimes. In 2007 US House of Representative unanimously passed a resolution demanding Japan formally acknowledge, apologize and accept the historical responsibility about this issue in a clear and unequivocally manner (H. Res. 121).

We are outraged that our Deputy Secretary of State would dare to tell civic groups to stay silent on the moral issue of Japanese military enforced sexual slavery. It is tantamount to civil rights encroachment. We believe it is our civic duty to denounce such evil practice of cover up, domestic or international. Since when did United States allow a foreign power to dictate what our citizens do? If we allow state department to aid in continued practice of cover up, the United States becomes an accomplice in Japan’s continuing crimes against humanity as well.

We demand the following:

1. Immediate termination of Deputy Secretary Anthony Blinken’s employment at State Department;
2. Demand Japan to fully investigate enforced sexual slavery of young girls;
3. Denounce Japan’s cover up of enforced sexual slavery of young girls before and during World War II;
4. Demand Japan to formally apologize and proceed with a full reparation process;
5. Demand Japan to include full and truthful history of the enforced sexual slavery in their text books.

By signing the petition, you're agreeing to the contents of the open letter to Secretary of State, John Kerry.

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Dear Mr. Secretary of State John Kerry:

Deputy Secretary, Anthony Blinken, on his recent trip to Asia, interviewed with NHK news in Tokyo, Japan. In the interview, he stated with affirmation that Korean American civic groups should support the agreement reached between South Korea and Japan with regard to the enforced military sexual slavery (‘comfort women’) of 200,000 girls and women, before and during the World War II.

Fact 1: Japan has never formally, with regret, as a nation, apologized for kidnapping, raping, and enslaving young girls as young as 12 years old.

Fact 2: Despite urgent international pressure to restore justice and make reparation payment to the victims of enforced sex slaves, Japan has repeatedly tried to distort the history by concealing the truth.

An apology is a sincere statement of remorse and regret. Thus, an acceptable apology must include an admission of guilt from Japanese government for practicing enforced sexual slavery. A sincere and earnest apology must be made to both the surviving and deceased victims of sexual slavery. Japanese military sexual slavery should be taught in Japan, Korea and the rest of the world as the Holocaust is institutionally taught throughout the world.

Jewish people have suffered from the atrocities committed by Hitler’s Germany during World War II. Mr. Secretary, what would you do and how you feel if Germany all of a sudden, try to destroy all the evidence pertaining to the Holocaust? And what would you do if your Deputy suggest the civic groups to remain silent and not utter a word of Holocaust? Would you also tell the school systems and textbook publishers to omit the Holocaust and distort the facts and history to appease our “strategic ally”?

There is no peace without justice! Horrific events like the Holocaust and the enforced sexual slavery of young girls should never ever repeat. Acknowledgement, apology, and taking full responsibility of the enforced sexual slavery is the only way Korea and Japan shall have peace.

US should denounce Japan's institutional human trafficking of young girls who were forced into sexual slavery and transported to different "comfort stations." By supporting the unjust Korea-Japan Government Agreement on Japan's organized sex trafficking victims, 200,000 young girls and women, the 'Comfort Women' during World War ll , United States is collaborating in a war crimes along with Japan. Please do not forget that condoning and supporting atrocities like the Holocaust and the enforced sexual slavery makes the US on the side of the perpetrator. In another words, by virtue of supporting unjustified Japan-S. Korea accord on the enforced sexual slavery issue, the US is committing crimes against humanity as well.

Please be reminded that in 2007 US House of Representative unanimously passed a resolution demaning Japan formally acknowledge, apologize and accept the historical responsibility about this issue in a clear and unequivocally manner (H. Res. 121).

US high ranking official telling civic groups to stay put is also tantamount to civil rights encroachment. As we are Americans as Jewish or Irish Americans, we have civil rights to freedom of speech and expression, guaranteed in the US constitution. In fact, it is our civic duty to denounce such evil practices of cover up, domestic or international. Since when did United States allow a foreign power to dictate what our citizens do? If Mr. Secretary allow your deputy to continue the practice of cover up, the United States becomes an accomplice in Japan’s continuing crimes against humanity as well.

We, Korean American civic groups, demand the following:

1. Immediate termination of Deputy Secretary Anthony Blinken’s employment at State Department;
2. Demand Japan to fully investigate enforced sexual slavery of young girls;
3. Denounce Japan’s cover up of enforced sexual slavery of young girls before and during World War II;
4. Demand Japan to formally apologize and proceed with a full reparation process;
5. Demand Japan to include full and truthful history of the enforced sexual slavery in their text books.

Respectfully,

January 23rd, 2016

Korean American Civic Groups for ‘Comfort Women’
https://www.facebook.com/KoreanAmericanCivicGroups/