Your reference:
26 November 1993
25 in SEC12/1/35
7.a. 011/1.
John Dean Esq Security Branch
Hong Kong Government
Dear John, эти,
COMFORT WOMEN
Surbs
faux 29.11
Foreign & Commonwealth Office
2702655
London SWIA 2AH
25
RECE!
'
Telephone: 079-
C6 DEC 1993
24
Token
1.
Not
Thank you for your letter of 19 November to Rod Bunten, and for the copy of the Hansard report. When I left UKREP, you might have thought that you had seen the back of me. so, I'm afraid: I have taken over from Rod in Hong Kong Department.
2. I enclose a copy of a translation of remarks made by Hosokawa at a press conference on 7 November during his visit to Korea. It covers his apology for Japanese action during their colonial domination of the Korean Peninsula. I also enclose copies of Tokyo telno 876 and Seoul telno 482, and a copy of a relevant excerpt from the BBC's transcript of its broadcasts.
3. I imagine that, fifty years on, it will not be easy to establish with much certainty the validity of any claims which may or may not be made. Of course, if any Hong Kong women do come forward with claims which are subsequently established to be genuine, we would certainly consider taking the issue up with the Japanese Government. However I think that we are all agreed that we would not want to advertise
(in advance of such claims emerging) our willingness to act supportively.
Чти
CE GARRETT
HKD
ети
Chan.
cc: C Roberts Esq, BE Tokyo
1