Reply #30: I neglected to comment on this yesterday but I'll just say...

[Kagemusha]

..this is purely Abe being an ass. This is a pet issue to him and he chooses to draw a line here, not because it has anything to do with good politics, but because it's just his desire to be an ass about it because he likes his version of the story better.

Though forcing women "indirectly" into sexual slavery well... that's getting a lot broader. The mere fact the army was there and constituted 'demand' that someone wanted to bring 'supply' to would count as indirect probably. It's still not good for the people involved but, it's a bit different when actual soldiers drag people at bayonet point, etc. I don't know how Abe turns something like that into a blanket denial though. Well, I don't think an honest look at history has anything to do with it. But this was known about Abe before he ever got considered to replace Koizumi so it's not like anyone should be surprised.