{"id":38437,"date":"2026-06-10T16:32:10","date_gmt":"2026-06-10T16:32:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/japan\/38437\/"},"modified":"2026-06-10T16:32:10","modified_gmt":"2026-06-10T16:32:10","slug":"yohei-kono-who-apologized-for-japans-wartime-sexual-abuses-of-comfort-women-dies-at-89-latest-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/japan\/38437\/","title":{"rendered":"Yohei Kono, who apologized for Japan&#8217;s wartime sexual abuses of &#8216;comfort women,&#8217; dies at 89 | Latest News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>TOKYO \u2013 Yohei Kono, a veteran Japanese politician who as top government spokesperson offered a historic apology to Asian women over <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/general-news-73d0fa8f6f7e446e9e05d0b1d68b8f36\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">sexual abuses by Japan&#8217;s wartime military,<\/a> has died, officials said. He was 89.<\/p>\n<p>Kono had placed great importance on promoting friendly ties with China, South Korea and other Asian countries that suffered Japanese atrocities before and during World War II. He died of old age Monday, according to the office of his son, former Foreign Minister Taro Kono.<\/p>\n<p>kAmpD 49:67 r23:?6E D64C6E2CJ \ud83d\ude15 `hhb[ *@96: z@?@ 2A@=@8:K65 E@ E6?D @7 E9@FD2?5D @7 D@\\42==65 \u201c4@&gt;7@CE H@&gt;6?[Q 24@H=658:?8 y2A2?6D6 &gt;:=:E2CJ :?G@=G6&gt;6?E \ud83d\ude15 7@C4:?8 E96&gt; :?E@ H@C&lt; 2E 7C@?E=:?6 3C@E96=D] w6 DA@&lt;6 7@==@H:?8 2 8@G6C?&gt;6?E :?G6DE:82E:@?]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmw:D DE2E6&gt;6?E =65 E@ y2A2?VD 3C@256C 2A@=@8J @G6C :ED H2CE:&gt;6 2EC@4:E:6D \ud83d\ude15 2 `hhd DE2E6&gt;6?E 3J E96?\\!C:&gt;6 |:?:DE6C k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@&gt;^2CE:4=6^E@&gt;::49:\\&gt;FC2J2&gt;2\\562E9\\2A@=@8J\\_g_4cae53d_fhbaa7434726efhha3`afQm%@&gt;::49: |FC2J2&gt;2]k^2mk^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmq@E9 DE2E6&gt;6?ED H6C6 C682C565 :?E6C?2E:@?2==J 2D D:8?D E92E y2A2? 925 4@&gt;6 E@ E6C&gt;D H:E9 :ED H2CE:&gt;6 A2DE[ 2?5 E96J 96=A65 E@ :&gt;AC@G6 C6=2E:@?D H:E9 :ED pD:2? ?6:893@CD] qFE E96 DE2E6&gt;6?ED 92G6 364@&gt;6 F?A@AF=2C 2&gt;@?8 y2A2?6D6 4@?D6CG2E:G6D H9@ D2J y2A2? D9@F=5 DE@A 7@4FD:?8 @? ?682E:G6 9:DE@CJ E@ C6DE@C6 ?2E:@?2= AC:56]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmz@?@ 72465 8C@H:?8 4C:E:4:D&gt; 2?5 2EE6&gt;AED E@ @G6CHC:E6 9:D `hhb 2A@=@8J 6DA64:2==J 5FC:?8 ?2E:@?2=:DE 7@C&gt;6C !C:&gt;6 |:?:DE6C k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@&gt;^2CE:4=6^D9:?K@\\236\\@3:EF2CJ\\56d5d4b2fhg6`24c756c_fbfeb47fe57Qm$9:?K@ p36k^2m VD =6256CD9:A]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@&gt;^:?E6C?2E:@?2=\\?6HD\\86?6C2=\\?6HD\\6e6gc`abhh_6c7bcg_c2b6_c3dhf4667Qmz@?@ H2C?65k^2m E92E 2?J 2EE6&gt;AE E@ H9:E6H2D9 9:DE@C:42= 724ED \u201c9FCED E96 y2A2?6D6 A6@A=6\u2019D C6AFE2E:@?]\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmq@C? \ud83d\ude15 y2?F2CJ `hbf[ z@?@ 6?E6C65 A@=:E:4D \ud83d\ude15 `hef 27E6C 9:D 72E96C[ x49:C@ z@?@[ 2=D@ 2 AC@&gt;:?6?E =2H&gt;2&lt;6C H:E9 E96 8@G6C?:?8 {:36C2= s6&gt;@4C2E:4 !2CEJ[ 5:65] *@96: z@?@ D6CG65 \ud83d\ude15 &lt;6J A@=:E:42= A@DED :?4=F5:?8 DA62&lt;6C @7 E96 =@H6C 9@FD6[ E96 &gt;@C6 A@H6C7F= @7 y2A2?VD EH@\\492&gt;36C A2C=:2&gt;6?E[ 2?5 {s! AC6D:56?E F?E:= 96 C6E:C65 \ud83d\ude15 a__h]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmz@?@ C6&gt;2:?65 24E:G6 \ud83d\ude15 A@=:E:4D 6G6? \ud83d\ude15 C646?E J62CD 2?5 G:D:E65 r9:?2 2=&gt;@DE 6G6CJ J62C H:E9 2 A@=:E:42= 2?5 3FD:?6DD 56=682E:@?[ 96=A:?8 E@ DE23:=:K6 D6?D:E:G6 E:6D 36EH66? E96 4@F?EC:6D]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmt2C=:6C E9:D J62C 96 H2D DE:== 4@?D:56C:?8 2 EC:A E@ r9:?2 H96? %@6 |:?:DE6C $2?26 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@&gt;^2CE:4=6^49:?2\\;2A2?\\E6?D:@?D\\?F4=62C\\E2:H2?\\9:DE@CJ\\`5d_26dd_g4g6hdg447a3dffb_ahcg34Qm%2&lt;2:49: :?7FC:2E65 q6:;:?8 \ud83d\ude15 }@G6&gt;36Ck^2m 3J D2J:?8 2 9JA@E96E:42= r9:?6D6 &gt;:=:E2CJ 24E:@? 282:?DE %2:H2? H@F=5 ;FDE:7J y2A2?6D6 EC@@A 6?8286&gt;6?E]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"TOKYO \u2013 Yohei Kono, a veteran Japanese politician who as top government spokesperson offered a historic apology to&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":38438,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[28249,28390,28274,28297,28273,28349,28309,28312,28216,28267,28252,28237,72,28392,28323,28377,28262,28284,28283,28257,16913,28325,28242,28346,12,462,28293,28280,11292,28372,1113,3456,28247,28335,28324,28359,28370,15258,28264,831,28318,374,28379,28224,28277,28228,28382,28371,28317,28384,28269,22728,783,12714,28320,28241,28385,28259,28362,28358,28287,28350,8330,2752,28230,28214,28218,12412,28319,28330,28240,28329,28234,2930,28232,28289,28298,5776,10032,28256,28260,28272,28300,10481,1148,13063,28396,28268,28391,8,28387,28381,28215,17,28368,28353,28337,28369,28334,28343,28398,28217,28394,28254,28211,28248,28231,28233,28286,28223,28374,28229,28376,28212,3457,590,28386,28220,38,28314,28294,28333,28251,5270,28393,28299,28348,28253,28236,3026,28290,28235,28250,28291,28304,28395,28380,28305,28278,28315,28222,3411,14329,28292,6947,28366,28345,28332,28310,28352,28295,28361,28303,28373,28356,28341,28296,1133,28279,28311,28327,28339,180,28383,12710,12711,12712,178,28307,28397,28336,28221,28378,28227,28331,28226,28301,28308,28275,28245,28225,28313,18116,27221,28375,28354,28357,28342,28246,4399,28306,4608,28388,28282,28363,28209,28281,28243,28285,28263,28261,28328,28244,28276,28338,296,5999,28364,28365,28344,28389,1430,28321,28340,28238,28219,28239,657,28347,28270,28355,28258,28213,52,28178,28288,28316,28302,28360,1890,28351,28322,28255,1018,3900,28271,28266,2753,28265,28367,2144,28326,28175],"class_list":["post-38437","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-japan","tag-abuse","tag-aftermath-of-war","tag-aggression","tag-anti-asian-sentiment","tag-anti-chinese-sentiment","tag-anti-chinese-violence","tag-anti-communism","tag-anti-japanese-sentiment","tag-anti-korean-sentiment","tag-anti-korean-violence","tag-anti-national-sentiment","tag-anti-east-asian-sentiment","tag-asia","tag-assassinated-prime-ministers-of-japan","tag-atrocity-crimes","tag-axis-powers","tag-brothel","tag-cabinet-of-japan","tag-cabinet-secretary-united-kingdom","tag-chief-cabinet-secretary","tag-child-abuse","tag-child-sexual-abuse","tag-child-sexual-abuse-during-world-war-ii","tag-children-and-sexuality","tag-china","tag-china-japan-relations","tag-china-japan-military-relations","tag-colonialism","tag-comfort-women","tag-comfort-women-denial","tag-conservatism","tag-crime","tag-crimes","tag-crimes-against-children","tag-crimes-against-humanity","tag-critics-of-soka-gakkai","tag-cultural-geography","tag-culture-of-japan","tag-demographics-of-japan","tag-diplomacy","tag-diplomats-for-japan","tag-east-asia","tag-east-asian-people","tag-empire-of-japan","tag-euphemisms","tag-executive-branches-of-government","tag-families-of-prime-ministers-of-japan","tag-far-right-politics","tag-fascism","tag-forced-labour","tag-forced-labour-during-world-war-ii","tag-foreign-ministers","tag-foreign-policy","tag-foreign-relations-of-china","tag-foreign-relations-of-japan","tag-foreign-relations-of-korea","tag-former-japanese-colonies","tag-former-monarchies-of-oceania","tag-fujifilm-business-innovation","tag-gang-rape","tag-gender-related-violence","tag-germany-japan-relations","tag-global-politics","tag-government","tag-government-ministers","tag-government-ministers-of-japan","tag-government-ministries-of-japan","tag-government-of-japan","tag-government-of-the-empire-of-japan","tag-hate-crimes","tag-heads-of-government","tag-hiratsuka","tag-house-of-representatives-japan","tag-human-rights","tag-human-rights-abuses","tag-human-sexuality","tag-identity-politics","tag-imperial-japanese-army","tag-imperialism","tag-injustice","tag-institutional-abuse","tag-international-criminal-law","tag-international-democracy-union-member-parties","tag-international-law","tag-international-relations","tag-international-security","tag-intimate-relationships","tag-issues-in-ethics","tag-italy-japan-relations","tag-japan","tag-japan-socialist-party","tag-japan-socialist-party-politicians","tag-japan-korea-relations","tag-japanese","tag-japanese-civil-servants","tag-japanese-colonial-empire","tag-japanese-diplomacy","tag-japanese-diplomats","tag-japanese-football-chairmen-and-investors","tag-japanese-football-executives","tag-japanese-government-officials","tag-japanese-imperialism-and-colonialism","tag-japanese-men-centenarians","tag-japanese-military-scandals","tag-japanese-nationalism","tag-japanese-nationalist-organizations","tag-japanese-nationalist-parties","tag-japanese-nationalists","tag-japanese-political-people","tag-japanese-politicians","tag-japanese-politicians-with-disabilities","tag-japanese-propaganda-during-world-war-ii","tag-japanese-social-democrats","tag-japanese-war-crimes","tag-justice","tag-kanagawa","tag-keio-senior-high-school-alumni","tag-kokkashugi","tag-korea","tag-korea-under-japanese-rule","tag-law-of-war","tag-law-related-events","tag-liberal-democratic-party-japan-politicians","tag-liberal-democratic-party-japan","tag-mammalian-sexuality","tag-mass-killings","tag-massacres","tag-members-of-the-diet-of-japan","tag-members-of-the-house-of-representatives-japan","tag-military","tag-military-controversies","tag-military-of-japan","tag-military-of-the-empire-of-japan","tag-military-scandals","tag-ministers-for-foreign-affairs-of-japan","tag-ministers-of-defense-of-japan","tag-ministry-of-defense-japan","tag-ministry-of-foreign-affairs-japan","tag-misconduct","tag-misogyny","tag-nanjing-massacre-deniers","tag-national-diet","tag-nationalism","tag-nationalisms","tag-northeast-asia","tag-oita-city","tag-pedophilia","tag-people-associated-with-war","tag-people-from-hiratsuka","tag-people-from-oita-city","tag-persecution","tag-political-controversies","tag-political-ideologies","tag-political-movements","tag-political-office-holders","tag-political-people","tag-political-scandals","tag-political-science","tag-politicians","tag-politicians-from-kanagawa-prefecture","tag-politicians-from-oita-prefecture","tag-politicians-with-unification-church","tag-politics","tag-politics-and-race","tag-politics-of-asia","tag-politics-of-china","tag-politics-of-east-asia","tag-politics-of-japan","tag-politics-of-kanagawa-prefecture","tag-politics-of-korea","tag-politics-of-oita-prefecture","tag-politics-of-postwar-japan","tag-politics-of-south-korea","tag-politics-of-the-empire-of-japan","tag-politics-of-world-war-ii","tag-postwar-japan","tag-prejudices","tag-presidents-of-the-liberal-democratic-party-japan","tag-pride","tag-prime-ministers","tag-prime-ministers-of-japan","tag-promiscuity","tag-prostitution","tag-rape","tag-sato-clan","tag-sato-kishi-abe-family","tag-seikei-university","tag-seikei-university-alumni","tag-sex-and-the-law","tag-sex-crimes","tag-sex-gangs","tag-sex-industry","tag-sex-positivism","tag-sex-slaves","tag-sex-trafficking","tag-sexual-abuse","tag-sexual-abuse-in-the-military","tag-sexual-ethics","tag-sexual-euphemisms","tag-sexual-exploitation","tag-sexual-misconduct","tag-sexual-slavery","tag-sexual-slavery-during-wars","tag-sexual-violence","tag-sexuality","tag-shinzo-abe","tag-showa-era","tag-slavery-during-wars","tag-social-conflict","tag-social-democratic-party-japan-politicians","tag-social-ideologies","tag-social-issues","tag-socialist-party-prime-ministers-of-japan","tag-society-of-china","tag-society-of-east-asia","tag-society-of-japan","tag-society-of-korea","tag-south-korea","tag-state-crime","tag-statism","tag-suffield-academy-alumni","tag-taiwan-under-japanese-rule","tag-taro-kono","tag-tokyo","tag-tomiichi-murayama","tag-torture","tag-torture-during-wars","tag-transitional-justice","tag-united-states-east-asia-relations","tag-violence","tag-violence-against-children","tag-violence-against-women","tag-violent-crime","tag-war","tag-war-crimes","tag-war-crimes-committed","tag-wartime-sexual-violence","tag-women","tag-women-and-violence","tag-women-slaves","tag-world-war-ii","tag-xenophobia","tag-yohei-kono"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38437","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38437"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38437\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/38438"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38437"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38437"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38437"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}