The U.S. House International Relations Committee on Wednesday adopted a resolution calling on the Japanese government to formally acknowledge and accept responsibility on the issue of "comfort women."

The non-binding resolution said Japan should take the following steps:

-- issue an apology for the sexual enslavement of young women (known as "comfort women") during the colonial occupation of Asia and the Pacific Islands from the 1930s through the duration of World War II;

-- educate future generations about this crime against humanity;

-- publicly refute claims that the subjugation and enslavement of such women never occurred;

-- follow the recommendations of the United Nations and the Amnesty International with respect to the "comfort women."

The resolution also noted that Japanese textbooks downplay or distort the Japanese role in what it called "one of the largest cases of human trafficking in the 20th century."

The Japanese government has admitted to the existence of such women but has denied involvement in drafting them.

The resolution was co-sponsored by Representative Lane Evans and Representative Chris Smith in April.

Source: Xinhua