Government Deeply Mourns Passing of Yohei Kono, Who Issued Comfort Women Apology: "He Faced History and Reflected with Sincerity"

The government expressed its condolences after news broke that Yohei Kono, former Chief Cabinet Secretary and Speaker of the House of Representatives—the first Japanese government official to acknowledge and apologize for the forced mobilization of comfort women during the Japanese colonial period—passed away on June 8.

Yohei Kono, former Chief Cabinet Secretary and Speaker of the House of Representatives. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

On June 10, an official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "We express our deepest condolences and sympathy on the passing of former Speaker Kono." The official added, "The 'Kono Statement,' issued during his tenure as Chief Cabinet Secretary in 1993, was Japan's first official document that acknowledged the historical facts of the comfort women issue, recognized the deep wounds to the honor and dignity of many women, and expressed a heartfelt apology and remorse. We highly value the late Kono's spirit and achievements—his courage and conviction to face historical facts and lessons, to reflect and repent, and to work for the development of Korea-Japan relations and ties with neighboring countries."

Previously, Prime Minister Kim Minseok also wrote on his social media that Kono was "a rare Japanese politician who acknowledged the forced mobilization of comfort women and issued an apology, thereby establishing the principle of 'recognizing history and moving toward the future.'" He added, "I offer my sincere condolences and wish for the healthy development of Korea-Japan relations."

Prime Minister Kim said, "Former Speaker Kono was also close to my political mentor, President Kim Dae-jung, and his son, former Foreign Minister Taro Kono, is a long-time friend of mine." He continued, "With former Foreign Minister Kono, we have maintained a friendship of over twenty years, agreeing that 'even if there are difficult issues and political differences between Korea and Japan, we should not hide our true intentions (honne) and should share our thoughts openly.'" He emphasized, "Korea-Japan relations are more important than many people think and must develop beyond their current state."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.