TNAG-2776-FCO40-3993-Hong-Kong-questions-for-the-Legislative-Council-(LEGCO)-on-c-1993 — Page 33

CONFIDENTIAL

J NOV 1993

21

HKD 011/1

C. 1993

Mr

Hym

PS/Mr Goodlad.

TRY n Take.i

Minster

FROM: J C Morris

Hong Kong Department

DATE: 1 November 1993

cc: Private Secretary

Sir J Coles

Mr Fry, FED

Ms Barrett,

Asst Legal Adviser

Anılı

HONG KONG: LEGCO QUESTION ON "COMFORT WOMEN"

Problem

1.

How the Hong Kong Government should reply to a LegCo oral question on "comfort women" in Hong Kong under the Japanese

occupation.

Recommendation

2. I recommend that Ministers approve Hong Kong's draft reply with the modifications detailed below, and I submit a telegram which will need to issue this evening. FED concur, and a

departmental legal adviser has been consulted.

Background and Argument

3.

LegCo member Jimmy MacGregor has tabled the following questions for oral reply by Chief Secretary on 3 November:

"Will the Government inform this Council whether it is

aware that the Japanese military forcibly recruited some

Hong Kong women as prostitutes during its occupation of Hong Kong from 1941-1945; if so,

com.wom.JM

SLM

CONFIDENTIAL