You have to hand it to the Japanese. Apparently they’re in this denial mode and won’t accept the charges of "acts of sexual exploitation during World War II" claiming these accusations aren’t "based on facts" according to Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso expressing displeasure over a US House of Representatives resolution condemning Japan for acts of sexual exploitation. Aso said Japan has already said and done enough on the issue of "comfort women" and that Tokyo was working to convince US lawmakers to accept its position."

While some US bipartisan lawmakers are urging Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to offer an official apology, the latter feels that Japan has complied enough and implies that the sexual exploitation didn’t take place or at least that there aren’t enough facts to back it up even if in 1993, the Japanese government issued a statement voicing "sincere apologies and remorse" and acknowledging that Japan’s imperial army was involved "directly or indirectly" in sexual slavery." In 1995 the Japanese established a fund from private contributions to compensate these comfort women who did not accept the offer not because it was below their dignity to do so but because it came from private donations. I personally find the financial compensation on the distasteful side – like payment for services rendered but that’s purely one person’s point of view. Nor do I see how any amount of money can possibly make up for the degradation these women had to endure. Of course expecting the Japanese officials to commit seppuku now would be expecting too much but it would be fine gesture, don’t you think?

Prime Minister Abe declares he stands by the 1993 apology even if the policy chief of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, Shoichi Nakagawa is calling on the government to reconsider it. There have been complaints that Japanese school textbooks whitewash wartime history while Japanese leaders pay their respects to those they consider heroes at the war-related Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo amidst protest from China and Korea. Last Thursday South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun said that Japan must "respect historical truth to solve contentious issues that have strained bilateral relations."

The president also criticized a Japanese local government’s designation of "Takeshima Day" to commemorate Japan’s claim to a disputed group of South Korean-controlled islets in the Sea of Japan.

You ever hear our honorable gentlemen from the Senate and the House rise up as one to condemn Japanese behavior? Not even a whisper, you say? Well, why should they?

Rather than protests and apologies I got two press releases from the Japanese Embassy: The first dealt involved the construction and renovation of 14 barangay health stations in 11 municipalities of Capiz with a total project cost of US $ 85,381. The grant will also be used for the procurement of the much needed basic medical equipment for all these health facilities to enable the province to upgrade its services.

Needless to say most of the barangay health stations in Capiz are in a dire need of rehabilitation while others are holding office in cramped locations with other government offices. Recognizing the importance of accessible health service facilities to the people, the Japanese came to the rescue building 14 barangay health stations and one rural health unit. Needless to say no one asked the congressmen what they did with their pork barrel.

The second dole dealt with a certain Mr. Masafumi Nagaishi, a Japanese development expert and one of Mindanao Task Force members, who was dispatched to the International Monitoring Team (IMT) based in Cotabato City to "tirelessly" work for the reconstruction and development of the area, through its Mindanao Task Force composed of the Embassy of Japan, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC). Mr. Masafumi Nagaishi has actively contributed to the peace process of Mindanao. in close coordination with the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) and the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA).

Twelve grant contracts were signed last December funded through Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects, amounting to US$624,000 (or 31.2 million pesos).

Japan officially unveiled the J-BIRD logo today, on the occasion of the signing ceremony of the Implementing Agreement for the Urgent Development Study for Socio-Economic Rehabilitation and Development of Conflict-Affected Areas in Mindanao, which is one of the projects implemented under the J-BIRD. So far 381 projects have been financed.