Dear Luke,
I would be prepared to speak on Tuesday August 11 at 6.30pm at the Council Meeting.
I believe I have some background that may assist with the presentation.
Firstly my children attended Sydney Japanese School at Terrey Hills for 6 years each.
Our Family developed close relations with the School Board, Principals and Teachers - as well as scores of Japanese or part-Japanese Families.
And the many Business and Government members of the Japanese Communities - as this school was originally established for the Education of the children of Japanese expats - and then opened to the Australian community.
This was a close knit community and both our children and ourselves (Yulita and I) have retained good friendships with many of those people to this day.
We also developed other friendships with Japanese people and families over the years.
Three of our close friends today are Japanese Women who married Australians, made their lives here and brought up wonderful children.
They are dignified women who we greatly admire and respect.
Our Family has also hosted Japanese Students through our local High Schools (St Ives and Killara) over the years.
We have also been involved with Japanese Community Projects over the years and have had contacts with the Consul General, Consuls and Trade Consuls from time to time.
I have personally visited Japan for business and pleasure many times, and I still maintain strong business and personal friendships there.
During all this time, I have had the opportunity to discuss history with scores of Japanese people from all walks of life - and dozens in extremely influential positions in Industry and Government.
Most Japanese are fully aware of and ashamed of their evil history and would like to see the issues opened, admitted, and apologised for - to enabler them to move on to harmonious relationships with all the nations around them.
Naturally, we have discussed business, community and politics with all our friends and contacts.
A common concern of these decent everyday people is their shame at the past Japanese atrocities and their desire to bring the past into the open, and make proper apologies to those affected.
All these people believe that pretending such horrendous events did not occur, only makes them look very bad.
Their rationale is that, if these events are fully disclosed and admitted, responsibility can be attributed as appropriate and the average Japanese can be absolved of these crimes - allowing them to continue to forge bonds with other communities throughout the world.
Of course, the average Japanese people were no more responsible for these crimes than the average Germans were for Hitler's atrocities.
But denying obvious history actually makes them look complicit - and they want to clear this up.
Most of these people believe the current Japanese Prime Minister Shinozu Abe, is living in a world of 'denial' and is also denying the Japanese people the opportunity to deal with this part of their history correctly.
Indeed, we have not met any who support him in his current position on ware crimes.
And I am talking about residents of Japan as well as residents of Australia and other countries.
So I can say, with the authority of more than 40 years of close association with many Japanese communities here, in Japan and abroad, that the overwhelming majority fully support disclosure, recognition and apology.
Like my Japanese friends and contacts, I remain dismayed by the attitudes of PM Abe and his followers.
One certainty we have learned in life is that denial of blatantly obvious, well-proven and totally indisputable events is a recipe for festering hatred.
On the other hand, admission and apology breaks down hatred, fear, lingering anger and simmering resentment - and clears the way for developing harmonious relationships now and in the future.
The proposed Comfort Women Statue is a sympathetic, dignified and honourable solution to this long-running issue.
To endorse it, is to provide closure to the issue and comfort to the remaining victims and the families of those who have passed on.
And to provide a reminder for the future of the sacred and inviolable role of women in our community.
To oppose it, is to glorify - that is glorify - war atrocities.
The world will be watching for the Councillor's votes.
They will be individually accounted for.
Regards
Rob Luck
Hi Luke,
This is good news and a very positive development - especially coming from a Japanese woman.
It would be good if she could either speak to Council or provide a Statement.
As noted in the summary I sent, many ordinary Japanese want the situation to be admitted and apologised for.
They are not afraid of doing this, they do not think it will divide communities - but rather heal old wounds.
There is a clear choice here - either a person is supporting war brutality, or not.
If they deny the history and oppose the Statue, then there is only one conclusion - they support war brutality. In the past, and in the future.
People need to decide which side they are on.
Regards
Rob Luck
대부분의 일본인들도 위안부 소녀상건립을 지지하고 전쟁범죄에 대해서 사과하고 있다. 이 소녀상 건립을 반대하는 사람들은
전쟁에서 가해진 잔혹한 일들을 지지한다는 것을 의미한다. 소녀상건립은 우리 사회를 분열시키는 것이 아니고 아픈 상처를
치유하는 것이다.
ABC라디오 방송에 근무하는 마사코여사도 모든 일본인들이 소녀상건립을 반대하는 것이 아니라고 이야기 했다. 이번주 토요일 행사에 그녀도 참여한다. 그녀는 위안부와 관련해서 이에 반대하는 일본의 극우파들을 취재하고 우리도 취재해서 다큐멘타리를 만들예정이다.