Published on July 13, 2019.
Based on an essay by Kent Gilbert in the monthly magazine WiLL, this article examines the problem of the Asahi Shimbun’s English-language reporting on the comfort women issue, especially the phrase “forced to provide sex.”
It questions the responsibility of the Asahi Shimbun for continuing misleading English expressions even after admitting that Seiji Yoshida’s testimony was false and retracting articles based on it.

July 13, 2019.
Yet, perhaps thinking that “no one would notice overseas,” it has continued its malicious manipulation of impressions in its English-language articles.
The following is from an essay by Kent Gilbert, published in this month’s issue of the monthly magazine WiLL, in the special feature “People Who Drag Japan Down,” under the title “Did They Think No One Would Notice in English? The Lies About Comfort Women Thrust Before the Asahi Shimbun.”
Asahi Shimbun, publish correction articles on the “comfort women” issue in English and Korean immediately!
Did they think no one would notice in English?
The other day, I went with Mr. Tetsuhide Yamaoka to storm the headquarters of the Asahi Shimbun……no, rather, to submit a “request concerning English-language reporting.”
In August 2014, the Asahi Shimbun admitted that Seiji Yoshida’s “testimony” was a lie, and retracted eighteen articles written on the basis of that testimony.
Yet, perhaps thinking that “no one would notice overseas,” it has continued its malicious manipulation of impressions in its English-language articles.
For example, regarding “comfort women,” it has continued to write: “Comfort Women, who were forced to provide sex to Japanese soldiers before and during World War II.”
And: “Comfort women is a euphemism for women who were forced to provide sex to Imperial Japanese troops before and during the war. Many of women came from the Korean Peninsula.”
It continues to write in this way.
“Were forced” is the passive form of “force,” but by whom, exactly, were they “forced”?
That is not made explicit, but with this expression, it would be no surprise if a native speaker interpreted it as meaning that “the Japanese military forced Korean women to have sex,” and associated “comfort women” with “sex slaves.”
If the Asahi Shimbun wants to say that they were “forced by the Japanese military,” then it should write so openly, even if it is a lie, but instead it uses ambiguous expressions to manipulate impressions.
In a word, it is “cowardly.”
Because the Asahi Shimbun has continued to disseminate false information in English in this way, numerous cases have been reported in which Japanese nationals overseas, especially children of Japanese descent, have been bullied or harassed.
Unable to tolerate this any longer, Mr. Yamaoka and I collected about 15,000 signatures and decided to go directly to the Asahi Shimbun to lodge a complaint.
At the Asahi Shimbun headquarters, we were received by three employees, including the head of the public relations department, and in our “written request” we demanded the following four points.
① That the phrase “forced to provide sex” not be used in the future.
② That the Asahi Shimbun again announce in English the fact that the Yoshida testimony was false and that the articles were retracted.
③ If the Asahi Shimbun claims that the above expression does not mean physical forcible taking by the military or sexual enslavement, then it should clearly explain, in concrete terms, what “forced to provide sex” means.
④ If it adds an explanatory expression regarding comfort women in the future, it should use such wording as “comfort women who worked in brothels regulated by the military authorities.”
The deadline for a reply is July 23, so by the time this issue goes on sale, some kind of response from the Asahi Shimbun should have arrived.
Let us wait, while holding faint expectations.