Yohei Kono, Architect of Japan’s 1993 Wartime Apology, Dies at 89

Yohei Kono died on Monday, June 10, 2024, at age 89, per his son Taro Kono’s office. He was a veteran LDP lawmaker known for the 1993 Kono Statement, Japan’s first official admission that its Imperial Army forced women—many Korean—into military brothels.

Yohei Kono, who apologized for Japan's wartime sexual abuses of 'comfort women,' dies at 89

In August 1993, as chief cabinet secretary, Kono presented a document stating, “The then-Japanese military was, directly or indirectly, involved in the establishment and management of the comfort stations.” The statement set the stage for Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama’s 1995 “heartfelt apology.” Kono entered the Diet in 1967 after his father Ichiro’s death, served as LDP president (1993-1995), deputy prime minister (1995), speaker of the lower house, foreign minister, and made annual visits to China to stabilize ties. In 2002 he received a partial liver transplant from his son Taro. In 2015 he warned that Japan must not abandon wartime remorse.

Yohei Kono, who apologized for Japan's wartime sexual abuses of 'comfort women,' dies at 89

Right-wing figures, notably former prime minister Shinzo Abe, criticized the Kono and Murayama apologies and promoted a more assertive defense posture. Conservative commentators have urged downplaying the wartime narrative to restore national pride. A 2014 Japanese panel claimed South Korea helped draft the Kono Statement’s wording; Seoul rejected the finding, saying it “glossed over the facts” and disputing any direct involvement.

The Straits Times

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi expressed condolences on X, praising Kono’s effort to build trust with neighboring countries and his sincere handling of historical issues. Kono warned that attempts to whitewash historical facts would damage Japan’s reputation. His 2015 remarks emphasized that Japan’s post-war “fresh start” rests on remorse for its wartime actions.

Yohei Kono, who apologized for Japan's wartime sexual abuses of 'comfort women,' dies at 89

• “The then-Japanese military was, directly or indirectly, involved in the establishment and management of the comfort stations,” — Kono Statement, 1993

The Straits Times

• “In diplomacy, (Kono) endeavoured to build a relationship of trust with neighbouring countries,” — Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi

The Straits Times

• “Japan made a fresh start 70 years ago based on remorse for that tragic war, the many lives lost and the troubles caused to neighbouring countries,” — Yohei Kono, 2015

The Straits Times

• “hurts the Japanese people’s reputation.” — Yohei Kono

Yohei Kono, who apologized for Japan's wartime sexual abuses of 'comfort women,' dies at 89

The 1993 and 1995 apologies are credited with opening diplomatic channels, enabling regular high-level visits and trade talks with South Korea and China. Kono’s annual China trips were seen as confidence-building, though relations remain volatile, as shown by the 2024 strain after Takaichi’s Taiwan comment. Ongoing debates within the LDP over the Kono Statement suggest that the tension between historical acknowledgment and nationalist revisionism will continue to shape Japan’s regional diplomacy.

Yohei Kono, who apologized for Japan's wartime sexual abuses of 'comfort women,' dies at 89