Apology for the Persecution of Japanese Immigrants During and After World War II
Japanese Cheer as "Honor of Immigrants Restored"
Lu?s In?cio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil, apologized for the persecution of Japanese immigrants in Brazil during and after World War II.
According to Kyodo News on the 19th, President Lula, ahead of his state visit to Japan, held a joint interview with Japanese media on the 18th (local time) in Bras?lia, the capital of Brazil, saying, "I also have a heart of apology," and "Apologizing is a humanitarian act, and acknowledging wrongdoing is important."
Previously, the Brazilian government officially apologized in July last year for the persecution of Japanese immigrants. At that time, the Clemency Committee under the Brazilian Ministry of Human Rights stated, "We acknowledge Brazil's wrongdoing in persecuting Japanese immigrants and want to pass on to future generations to ensure such incidents never happen again."
The Clemency Committee reviewed incidents such as the Brazilian government, which was on the Allied side during World War II, forcibly detaining about 172 Japanese immigrants and others in prison for approximately two years starting in 1946, and recognized the series of actions taken against Japanese immigrants as human rights violations.
In Japan, there was a great cheer as the honor of the immigrants was restored. This contrasts with Japan's historically reluctant attitude toward reflecting on its own past wrongdoings such as comfort women and forced labor.
President Lula's interview took place ahead of his state visit to Japan scheduled for June 24?27. This is the first state visit by a foreign head of state to Japan in about six years since President Donald Trump in May 2019.
It is expected that Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and President Lula will agree at their summit to establish a "Foreign Ministers' Strategic Dialogue" and regular mutual visits between the two heads of state.
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