«Breaking News» Japan city snubs San Francisco over 'comfort women' statue

Osaka Mayor Hirofumi Yoshimura this week sent a letter to San Francisco announcing he's withdrawing from the largely ceremonial relationship

The mayor of Osaka, Japan, says he's ending a six-decade 'sister city' relationship with San Francisco to protest a statue honoring women forced to have sex with Japanese soldiers during World War II.

Osaka Mayor Hirofumi Yoshimura this week sent a letter to San Francisco announcing he's withdrawing from the largely ceremonial relationship.

The statue was erected on city property last year by California's Korean, Chinese and Filipino communities.

'It is unfortunate that Mayor Yoshimura no longer wishes to maintain ties between the governments of San Francisco and Osaka,' said Jeff Cretan, a spokesperson for Mayor London Breed, to the San Francisco Examiner. 'However, we will remain sister cities via the people-to-people ties maintained by our San Francisco-Osaka Sister City Committee and their counterparts in Osaka.' 

Lillian Sing, co-chair for the Comfort Women Justice Coalition, called the decision 'outrageous' and 'absurd.' 

 The statue was erected on city property last year by California's Korean, Chinese and Filipino communities

She added: 'It shows how afraid the Osaka mayor and Japanese prime minister are of truth and are trying to deny history.' 

Historians say tens of thousands of so-called comfort women around Asia were forced to work in brothels for Japanese troops. It remains an open rift between Japan and other Asian nations.

The statue has been a contentious subject for San Francisco, since it was first approved in St. Mary's Square in Chinatown. 

'It is unfortunate that Mayor Yoshimura no longer wishes to maintain ties between the governments of San Francisco and Osaka,' said Jeff Cretan, a spokesperson for Mayor London Breed

The statue - comprised of three young girls, standing in a circle - has been vandalized a number of times.   

But according to Sing, approximately two dozen Osaka Citizens Alliance members visited the city and celebrated the memorial's installation on September 22.   

'Osaka citizens came to support us, and came to give us a message for the mayor and Board of Supervisors that they oppose their mayor's positions,' she stated. 'Citizens of Osaka stand in support and solidarity with us.'

Yoshimura had announced plans to withdraw from the relationship in November, but chose to not follow through in part after Mayor Ed Lee died in November.

The statue - comprised of three young girls, standing in a circle - has been vandalized a number of times.

Link hienalouca.com

https://hienalouca.com/2018/10/04/japan-city-snubs-san-francisco-over-comfort-women-statue/
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Osaka Mayor Hirofumi Yoshimura this week sent a letter to San Francisco announcing he’s withdrawing from the largely ceremonial relationship

The mayor of Osaka, Japan, says he’s ending a six-decade ‘sister city’ relationship with San Francisco to protest a statue...

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Dianne Reeves US News HienaLouca





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