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Spat over WWII brothels shows Japan's trouble in facing past

By MARI YAMAGUCHI ference on Friday that she
Associated Press sympathizes with comfort
TOKYO (AP) — A journalist women despite their be-
close to Japanese Prime ing "prostitutes" but that "I
Minister Shinzo Abe has still think the Asahi and Mr.
defended her view that Uemura should be held
Korean women who were accountable" for hurting
sent to Japanese wartime Japan's image. She said
military brothels were not Japan can't have a uni-
sex slaves, and accused a fied view of its wartime his-
liberal-leaning newspaper tory because of what she
of fabrication. called media bias.
One of the newspaper's Sakurai spearheads the
reporters said a day earlier view of Japanese nation-
that the journalist's com- alists that comfort women
ments triggered threats were voluntary prostitutes,
against him and had inter- and that Japan has been
fered with the settlement of unfairly criticized for a
the issue between Japan practice they say is com-
and South Korea. mon in any country at war.
Their public spat — a def- Sakurai, a former news-
amation suit by reporter caster at Nippon Television,
Takashi Uemura against is close to the country's
journalist Yoshiko Sakurai In this Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018, photo, Takashi Uemura, a former Asahi newspaper reporter, speaks powerful conservative po-
— highlights Japan's strug- during a press conference at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan, in Tokyo. litical lobby, which includes
gle to come to terms with Associated Press many lawmakers in Abe's
its wartime atrocities more Cabinet and ruling Liber-
than 70 years after World hold the Asahi newspa- that all so-called "comfort accounts of the women, al Democratic Party and
War II. per, where Uemura used women" were coerced. Lib- shows many people were backs Abe's campaign for
The two represent the di- to work, responsible for erals say evidence, includ- forced into sexual slavery. an amendment of Japan's
vide. The conservatives spreading the impression ing court documents and Sakurai told a news con- pacifist constitution.q

Cyclone kills 13 in southern India, 80K

people evacuated

Associated Press The storm weakened after and electrocution, said
NEW DELHI (AP) — A cy- coming onshore. National Disaster Response
clone hit the coast of People living in low-lying Force official Umesh, who
southern India on Friday, areas had been taken to uses one name.
killing at least 13 people, more than 470 relief cen- The storm felled trees and
damaging homes and ters in six districts, and fish- power lines, and authorities
forcing the evacuation of ermen were warned to preventively disconnected
more than 80,000 residents. stay away from the sea. the electricity supply to the In this grab made from video provided by KK Productions,
Cyclone Gaja blew ashore The state's top elected worst-hit areas to prevent a man chops branches from a tree to clear a road after a
in Tamil Nadu state with official, K. Palaniswami, electrocutions. Schools cyclone struck Cuddalore, in the southern Indian state of Tamil
heavy rains and winds of told reporters the storm were closed in places, and Nadu, Friday, Nov. 16, 2018. Associated Press
90 kilometers (55 miles) had killed 13 people in vehicles remained off the
per hour, said Narendra the state. Initial reports in- roads in most parts of Na- India news agency said. strong winds uprooted ba-
Kumar, a National Disaster dicate the deaths were gapattinam and Karaikal Heavy rains damaged nana and papaya trees
Response Force official. caused by wall collapses districts, the Press Trust of rice fields and roads, and along the coastline.q