U.S. House Committee Passes 'Comfort Women' Resolution

Chosun - The U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday passed a resolution denouncing Japan's sexual enslavement of Asian women during World War II.

Submitted by Rep. Michael Honda, a California Democrat of Japanese descent, the resolution urges Japan to acknowledge and apologize for enslaving the so-called "comfort women".

Immediately after the committee meeting opened, some 10 representatives scrambled to voice support for the resolution.

According to the resolution, the Japanese government was involved in the conscription of Asian women as sex slaves for Japanese soldiers until World War II ended. The resolution also says the Japanese military forced sex slaves to have abortions and humiliated them to the point of suicide.

Although it is not binding, if it passes an upcoming plenary session of the House the resolution would likely put intense pressure on the Japanese government to overcome its reluctance in admitting to and apologizing for the enslavement of the comfort women.