Key Facts
On May 9, during a meeting of representatives from various factions in the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly, a protest resolution was proposed by the Okinawa Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Independent Group. This resolution called for an apology and retraction of remarks made by Upper House member Nishida regarding the “Himeyuri” issue. However, the proposal faced significant opposition, with calls for revisions and further examination of the matter, leading to a postponement of its submission to the general assembly.
Representative Kazuhito Zaha of the Okinawa LDP and Independent Group apologized, stating, “We deeply regret the inconvenience caused to the citizens of Okinawa and the members of the Prefectural Assembly due to Nishida’s remarks.” The proposed resolution also sought an apology from Prime Minister Ishiba, reflecting the gravity of the situation.
During the meeting, several representatives emphasized the need for a thorough investigation into the remarks. Sueko Yamauchi of the Tiida Peace Network suggested inviting the director of the Himeyuri Peace Memorial Museum to provide insights, while Morio Touma of the Japan Innovation Party criticized the LDP’s position, stating, “The LDP, being a party directly involved, should not be the one issuing a protest resolution.”
The controversy also raised questions about the responsibility of the Okinawa LDP, which co-hosted the symposium where Nishida’s remarks were made. Touma expressed concern, saying, “The fact that such statements were made during a constitutional amendment symposium is problematic.” In contrast, Zaha distanced the party from the remarks, asserting, “This is a personal issue, and we cannot comment further.”
Following the backlash, Nishida issued an apology and retracted his statements. Both ruling and opposition parties are now working to finalize the wording of the protest resolution.
For further details, visit the original article.
On May 9, during a meeting of representatives from various factions in the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly, a protest resolution was proposed by the Okinawa Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Independent Group. The resolution demanded an apology and retraction of remarks made by Upper House member Nishida regarding the “Himeyuri” issue. However, the proposal faced opposition, with calls for revisions and further investigation, delaying its submission to the general assembly.
Kazuhito Zaha of the Okinawa LDP and Independent Group apologized, stating, “We deeply regret the inconvenience caused to the citizens of Okinawa and the members of the Prefectural Assembly due to Nishida’s remarks.” The resolution also sought an apology from Prime Minister Ishiba, highlighting the issue’s seriousness.
Sueko Yamauchi of the Tiida Peace Network suggested inviting the director of the Himeyuri Peace Memorial Museum for further insights, while Morio Touma of the Japan Innovation Party criticized the LDP’s involvement, stating, “The LDP, being a party directly involved, should not be the one issuing a protest resolution.”
Following public backlash, Nishida apologized and retracted his statements. Both ruling and opposition parties are now working to finalize the resolution’s wording.
For more details, visit the original article.
