多國學者譴責安倍慰安婦問題立場

An international group of scholars has rebuked Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe over his view of history by publishing an open letter on the forced prostitution of “comfort women” during the second world war.

一個由衆多學者組成的羣體就二戰期間“慰安婦”被強迫賣淫的問題發表了一封公開信，譴責日本首相安倍晉三(Shinzo Abe)的歷史觀。

The letter, signed by 187 historians, calls on Japan’s government to “show leadership by addressing Japan’s history of colonial rule and wartime aggression in both words and action” on the 70th anniversary of the war’s end this year.

這封由187位歷史學家署名的公開信呼籲，在二戰結束70週年紀念日的問題上，日本政府“不僅要在語言上提及日本殖民統治史及戰時侵略史，還要付出相應行動，以顯示其領導力”。

It comes after a visit to the US last week in which Mr Abe spoke emotionally about America’s wartime losses but skimmed over controversial historical issues such as the comfort women.

就在這封公開信發出之前，安倍曾於上週訪問美國。在那次訪問過程中，安倍曾動情地提及美國的戰爭損失，卻對慰安婦等有爭議的歷史問題一帶而過。

The letter shows unease among international scholars about the direction of Japan’s historical debate. Revisionists have grown increasingly assertive, using last year’s retraction of a series of decades-old stories about comfort women by the left-of-centre Asahi newspaper to undermine the credibility of the whole episode in history.

這封公開信顯示了國際學者對日本歷史問題爭論走向的不安。那些持修正主義史觀的人們正變得日益強硬。去年，立場中間偏左的《朝日新聞》(Asahi Shimbun)曾承認數十年前有關慰安婦的系列報道有誤。這一事件被這些修正主義史觀的人們利用，攻擊整個慰安婦問題在歷史上的可信度。

It is a reminder to Mr Abe that despite the broad success of his US trip, he is not safe from western criticism over his record on historical memory, which could damage Japan’s crucial US alliance.

這封公開信對安倍來說是一次提醒。提醒安倍雖然其美國之行取得了廣泛成功，他並不能免受西方對其歷史記憶過往記錄的批評。這種批評可能會損害對日本來說至關重要的日美同盟關係。

“We intentionally withheld issuing the statement until Prime Minister Abe had returned to Japan,” said Alexis Dudden, professor of history at the University of Connecticut. She said the group had waited to see if the prime minister “said what needed to be said”.

康涅狄格大學(University of Connecticut)歷史系教授亞歷克西絲•杜登(Alexis Dudden)表示：“我們是特意在安倍首相返回日本後才發出這一聲明的。”她說，這羣學者們一直在等着看這位首相是否會“說出應該說的話”。

The large number of signatories — including prominent names such as John Dower of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Ezra Vogel of Harvard — shows the broad academic consensus that Japan’s military did run a system of forced prostitution during the war.

衆多的簽名中包括了諸如麻省理工學院(MIT)約翰•道爾(John Dower)及哈佛大學(Harvard)傅高義(Ezra Vogel)等著名人物。參與簽名的人數如此之多，表明學術界普遍認同這樣一種觀點：二戰期間日本軍方確實運營着一個強制性賣淫體系。

Rightwingers in Japan, including many members of Mr Abe’s ruling Liberal Democratic party, dispute that history. They often argue that comfort women were not forced into prostitution, that the military was not involved, or that estimates of their numbers are inflated.

日本右翼則對這一歷史存在爭議，這些右翼分子包括了安倍所在的執政黨自民黨(LDP)中的許多成員。他們往往會分辯說，慰安婦並非被迫賣淫，軍方並未參與此事，或慰安婦人數的被高估了。

The letter decries the exploitation of former “comfort women” by nationalists in China and South Korea but it is blunt about the historical record.

這封公開信強烈譴責了日本民族主義者在中國及韓國強徵“慰安婦”的行爲。對於相關歷史記錄，公開信則直言不諱。

It says the comfort women system “was distinguished by its large-scale and systematic management under the military, and by its exploitation of young, poor and vulnerable women in areas colonised or occupied by Japan”.

公開信表示，日軍慰安婦體系“的突出特點，是其規模之大及軍方對它的系統化管理，還有就是在日本殖民和佔領地區對年輕、貧窮、脆弱的婦女的強徵行爲”。

The academics say there are numerous documents showing military involvement. “The evidence makes clear that large numbers of women were held against their will and subjected to horrific brutality,” says the letter.

聯署公開信的學者表示，大量文件表明軍方參與了此事。該公開信表示：“有證據明確證明，大量婦女在違背本人意願的情況下被拘，並曾遭遇可怕暴行。”

Disputes about wartime history have damaged relations between Japan and its neighbours. The region is watching Mr Abe’s statement on the 70th anniversary of the war’s end, due in August, for any sign he is watering down past apologies for Japan’s “colonial rule and aggression”.

圍繞二戰歷史的爭端已損及日本與其鄰國間的關係。今年8月，安倍將發佈有關二戰結束70週年的聲明。目前，亞洲正密切關注這一聲明，關注其中任何試圖淡化日本過去爲“殖民統治和侵略行爲”所作道歉的跡象。

Jeff Kingston, a signatory and professor of history at Temple University Japan, said the clear target of the letter was “the apparent evasiveness of Prime Minister Abe regarding the comfort women issue”.

公開信聯署人之一、日本天普大學(Temple University Japan)歷史系教授傑夫•金斯頓(Jeff Kingston)表示，這封公開信針對的目標十分明確，就是“安倍首相在慰安婦問題上表現出的迴避態度”。

In a speech to Congress on his US tour, Mr Abe said he upheld past statements by Japanese governments, which include a 1993 declaration on “comfort women”. But Mr Kingston said this approach, combined with the approval of school textbooks playing down the issue, was not sufficient.

在訪美期間對美國國會的演講中，安倍曾表示贊成日本政府過去發表的聲明。這些聲明中包括了1993年有關“慰安婦”的聲明。不過，金斯頓表示，綜合考慮到日本政府曾批准淡化這一問題的教科書，安倍的處理方式是不夠的。

“The outsourcing of the apology and acknowledgment to former politicians lacks empathy and sincerity,” said Mr Kingston.

金斯頓表示：“將道歉和對歷史的承認外包給過去的政治家，是缺乏同理心和誠意的行爲。”