Newly appointed representative to Japan Frank Hsieh says that the government has not changed its position on the of Taiwan’s comfort women.
During WWII, the Japanese military forced many Taiwanese women into sexual slavery. The government has continued to advocate for these comfort women, of whom only a few remain.
However, the government’s stance was called into question after Premier Lin Chuan said Friday that some comfort women may have volunteered. The Premier has since apologized for his remark.
At a media event on Saturday, Frank Hsieh said that the government’s demands that Japan apologize to Taiwan’s comfort women and give them compensation have not changed. However, Hsieh said that this issue does not mean that Taiwan and Japan cannot continue.
Reporters at the event asked Hsieh about two other issues he will face in his new post: the dispute over the waters around the Okinotori Atoll and restriction on food imports from certain parts of Japan.
The Okinotori Atoll is a piece of Japanese territory in the Pacific. Japan claims that the atoll is an island, and that waters around the atoll form a Japanese Exclusive Economic Zone. In April, Japan detained a Taiwanese fishing boat operating in the area and demanded a deposit for the return of the crew.
Taiwan argues that the atoll is not an island, and that the waters around it are international waters. Taiwan has also sent coast guard vessels to protect fishermen operating in the area.
Hsieh said he believes that talks are the best way to resolve the dispute with Japan, a position he said 74% of the public supports. Hsieh also said he hopes that there will be progress at a bilateral meeting on maritime affairs in July.
Hsieh also spoke about Taiwan’s ban on food products made in areas of Japan affected by the Fukushima nuclear disaster. He said that Taiwan should use scientific testing to determine whether food from these areas contains residual radiation.