Earlier, more than 6 900 scholars of 16 organizations issued a joint statement urging the government to admit the past crimes related to the sexual slavery for the Imperial Japanese Army.

Commenting on this, Rodong Sinmun Thursday calls on Japan to lend an ear to the voices of the intellectuals, terming the action an entirely just one.

If Japan had had even an iota of remorse for its past crimes, it would have honestly admitted them and made due apology and reparation to the victimized countries, the news analyst says, and goes on:

But Japan has not admitted its past crimes although it is 70 years since its defeat in the Second World War. It is stepping up the drive for making society veer to the Right and turning itself into a military giant while denying and distorting the history.

It is very important for Japan to boldly admit and make an apology and reparation for its past crimes, though belatedly.

It is because this year will offer it a good opportunity for breaking with its past history of aggression and colonial rule and setting right its 70 year-long history in which it has denied its past wrongs.

The world is closely following Japan's attitude towards its past history with the approach of the 70th anniversary of its defeat in the war.