Comfort Women Statues Removed in Germany and New Zealand Spark Japan-South Korea Tensions

The decision to take down statues commemorating World War II 'comfort women' in both Berlin and Auckland has sparked outrage among conservative members of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). In April, the Auckland City Council reversed its earlier approval for a memorial's installation, while Berlin mandated the removal of its statue after a brief public exhibition, although it is said to still be displayed in another location within the city. These statues were installed by South Korean civic organizations to honor the tens of thousands of women coerced into sexual slavery by imperial Japanese troops. On Tuesday, a Japanese foreign ministry representative addressed a joint session of the LDP's foreign affairs division and research council, where Kei Takagi, the division's head, emphasized the need for the ruling party to acknowledge and respond appropriately to various international developments. This ongoing conflict is further complicating relations between Tokyo and Seoul, with a lawmaker quoted by Yomiuri newspaper urging Japan to assert its stance firmly.