オーストラリア、ストラスフィールドの慰安婦像問題。設置を市が認めるか否か、いよいよ明日決まる。推進派と反対派が持論を展開する予定だが、ここで像の設置を強く支持する自称「知日派」の言い分を紹介しておこうと思う。当日までに訳すことが出来なかったので、申し訳ないが、原文のまま。
日本を良く知ると自負するこうした外国人が、実は全然分かっていないという良くあるパターン。反日ではない、日本と縁があり、日本を思えばこそ今の日本の歴史修正主義を許せないのだという外国人は多い。そういった外国人は、ジャパンタイムスの中にもいるし、187人声明に名を連ねた日本研究者にもそういった人が少なくなかったろう。ケントギルバートだって、そうだったはずである。しかし、これは彼らだけの問題ではない。
私の周りにいる普通の日本人は安倍首相らとは違う、事実の歴史を否定する事を恥だと思っている！と、この著者は信じているようだが、実際そうなのだろう。日本人自身が歴史に無頓着であったことが、そもそもいけなかったのだ。
Dear Luke、
I would be prepared to speak on Tuesday August 11 at 6.30pm at the Council Meeting.
I believe I have some background that may assist with the presentation.
Firstly my children attended Sydney Japanese School at Terrey Hills for 6 years each.
Our Family developed close relations with the School Board、Principals and Teachers - as well as scores of Japanese or part-Japanese Families.
And the many Business and Government members of the Japanese Communities - as this school was originally established for the Education of the children of Japanese expats - and then opened to the Australian community.
This was a close knit community and both our children and ourselves（Yulita and I）have retained good friendships with many of those people to this day.
We also developed other friendships with Japanese people and families over the years.
Three of our close friends today are Japanese Women who married Australians、made their lives here and brought up wonderful children.
They are dignified women who we greatly admire and respect.
Our Family has also hosted Japanese Students through our local High Schools（St Ives and Killara）over the years.
We have also been involved with Japanese Community Projects over the years and have had contacts with the Consul General、Consuls and Trade Consuls from time to time.
I have personally visited Japan for business and pleasure many times、and I still maintain strong business and personal friendships there.
During all this time、I have had the opportunity to discuss history with scores of Japanese people from all walks of life - and dozens in extremely influential positions in Industry and Government.
Most Japanese are fully aware of and ashamed of their evil history and would like to see the issues opened、admitted、and apologised for - to enabler them to move on to harmonious relationships with all the nations around them.
Naturally、we have discussed business、community and politics with all our friends and contacts。
A common concern of these decent everyday people is their shame at the past Japanese atrocities and their desire to bring the past into the open、and make proper apologies to those affected.
All these people believe that pretending such horrendous events did not occur、only makes them look very bad.
Their rationale is that、if these events are fully disclosed and admitted、responsibility can be attributed as appropriate and the average Japanese can be absolved of these crimes - allowing them to continue to forge bonds with other communities throughout the world。
Of course、the average Japanese people were no more responsible for these crimes than the average Germans were for Hitler's atrocities.
But denying obvious history actually makes them look complicit - and they want to clear this up.
Most of these people believe the current Japanese Prime Minister Shinozu Abe、is living in a world of 'denial and is also denying the Japanese people the opportunity to deal with this part of their history correctly.
Indeed、we have not met any who support him in his current position on ware crimes.
And I am talking about residents of Japan as well as residents of Australia and other countries.
So I can say、with the authority of more than 40 years of close association with many Japanese communities here、in Japan and abroad、that the overwhelming majority fully support disclosure、recognition and apology.
Like my Japanese friends and contacts、I remain dismayed by the attitudes of PM Abe and his followers.
One certainty we have learned in life is that denial of blatantly obvious、well-proven and totally indisputable events is a recipe for festering hatred。
On the other hand、admission and apology breaks down hatred、fear、lingering anger and simmering resentment - and clears the way for developing harmonious relationships now and in the future.
The proposed Comfort Women Statue is a sympathetic、dignified and honourable solution to this long-running issue.
To endorse it、is to provide closure to the issue and comfort to the remaining victims and the families of those who have passed on。
And to provide a reminder for the future of the sacred and inviolable role of women in our community.
To oppose it、is to glorify - that is glorify - war atrocities.
The world will be watching for the Councillor's votes.
They will be individually accounted for.
追記： ストラスフィールド市は、像は設置しないことに決定。
豪州：慰安婦像の設置認めず ストラスフィールド市議会
オーストラリア・シドニー近郊のストラスフィールド市議会は１１日、韓国系団体などが求めていた旧日本軍の従軍慰安婦問題を象徴する少女像の設置の是非を判断する特別議会を開き、設置を認めないことを全会一致で決めた。
賛成、反対両派から意見を聞いた上で、利害関係がある韓国系市議を除く市議６人で決定した。
市には像の設置をめぐる指針があり、オーストラリアの歴史に関わることなどの基準を定めている。市が６月に実施した世論調査では、回答者６０５人のうち、何らかの形で設置に賛成したのは３３％にとどまり、市は「指針にもそぐわない」として設置を認めないよう議会に提言した。
毎日（共同） 2015.8.11
