The Japanese government in the reply said "the issue had already been settled under the San Francisco peace treaty". As for the UN agency's recommendation for referring those responsible to the court, the Japanese government identified that it is "difficult to make detailed verification from now", adding it has no idea of holding those responsible to account.

Rodong Sinmun Monday in a commentary stresses that the San Francisco peace treaty is illegal and therefore it is illogical for Japan to talk about the settlement of the reparation issue under the pretext of the treaty.

The crimes related to the sexual slavery which Japan committed in the past are hideous crimes against humanity which can never be pardoned and, therefore, the issue has to be looked into with all clarity and those responsible must be dealt with by law, the commentary notes, and goes on:

Japan is making far-fetched assertions. The aim sought by it is not just to evade the shame as a war criminal state which committed the hideous crimes against humanity. Its true aim is to bring back the imperial era and realize without fail the ambition of domination over Asia which it failed to do in the past.

But without the abolition of the past, Japan can never evade responsibility as a war criminal state.

Japan had better stop unsightly acts even for the sake of its own country.