The Japanese government has agreed to place 1 billion yen ($8.3 million) in a compensation fund for Korean "comfort women" forced to work in Japanese military brothels during World War II.
Japan's foreign minister, Fumio Kishida, shared an apology on behalf of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, telling reporters in Seoul on Monday that Abe "offers from his heart an apology and reflection for everyone who suffered lots of pain and received scars that are difficult to heal physically and mentally." The issue has strained ties between Japan and South Korea for decades, with South Korea asking for money for the victims and a deeper apology. This solution is considered an "irreversible" end to the "comfort women" issue, as far as Japan and South Korea are concerned, Bloomberg reports.
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