Enraged at the remarks, Kim Pok Dong, a south Korean survivor of the sexual slavery, disclosed the Japanese imperialists' crimes related to the drafting of Korean women as sex slaves, saying, "I am a witness."

The brazen-faced reactionaries of Japan, including the mayor, have openly denied its past war crimes, turning away the already-displayed clear evidence pieces on the sexual slavery.

Over more than half a century after the defeat of the Japanese imperialism in August 1945, many survivors have cried out for the settlement of Japan's crimes related to the sex slavery. Their outcry still remains in memory of the world people.

According to a survey report made by the Committee on Measures for the Former Korean Sex Slaves for Japanese Army and Drafting Victims in January 2004, Pak Yong Sim, a "pregnant sex slave" in one of the photographs testifying to the crimes, said: We (sex slaves) had to serve 20 to 30 Japanese soldiers, little different from beast, a day. If we resisted a bit or were not polite to them, they assaulted rudely and then dragged us by the hair into a "punishment hut".

Her crying image and testimonies stunned the world as soon as they were released. This is an undeniable evidence of history that lays bare the brutality and barbarity of the Japanese fascists and the crimes of the then Japanese authorities.

International law does not allow prescription for such crimes related to the basic human rights as a "crime against humanity."

Japan is obliged by international law to take legal and moral responsibility for its past crimes on the principle of the war laws and regulations and international humanitarian law.

It is the trend of the times and worldwide tendency that any country makes apology and compensation for its past crime. Various countries, including Germany, have admitted their responsiblity for the past crimes and made apology and reparations for them from long ago.

But, it is only Japan that has distorted and denied its past crimes under the eyes of victims, and its ulterior intention is to drag on the time and then evade the responsibility.

Japan is eager for death of the victims and witnesses, but it is mistaken.

Everywhere in Asia there still remain victims, witnesses and evidence pieces proving the atrocities done by the Japanese imperialists, and any crime can never be erased in history.

The Japanese authorities had better discard their wrong attitude toward the past crimes committed against the Korean people and honestly admit them and make apology and reparations to the victims and their bereaved families.