After decades of protests, Japan and South Korea have reached a historic deal to settle the issue of “comfort women” forced to work in Japanese brothels during world war two.
Japan offered an apology and will pay one billion Yen to a South Korean-administered fund for victims.
The announcement came after Japan’s Foreign Minister, Fumio Kishida, arrived in Seoul for discussions with his counterpart Yun Byung-se.
The comfort women issue has long strained ties with South Korea, demanding stronger apologies and compensation for victims.
The agreement represents the first deal on the issue since 1965 and came after both sides agreed to speed up talks.
After the meeting, Mr Kishida, told reporters that Japan’s Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, offered a heartfelt apology.
“Prime Minister Abe expressed his most sincere apologies and remorse to all the women who underwent immeasurable, painful experiences and suffered incurable physical and psychological wounds as comfort women”, Mr Kishida said.
The wording of the deal does not explicitly state that the”comfort women” will receive direct compensation, but states that the fund will provide “support” and bankroll “projects for recovering the honour and dignity and healing the psychological wounds”.
Lee Yong-soo told the BBC: “I wonder whether the talks took place with the victims really in mind. We’re not after the money. If the Japanese committed their sins, they should offer direct official government compensation”.
