桥本彻就其美军应支持成人娱乐业言论道歉

A Japanese mayor apologized Monday for saying earlier this month that U.S. troops should patronize legal adult entertainment businesses as a way to reduce rapes and other assaults.

Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto told an audience at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Tokyo that the remark was inappropriate and could be construed as an insult to
U.S. forces and to the American people.

However, Hashimoto defended his statement made two weeks ago that the wartime practice of forcing Asian women - mostly Chinese and South Koreans - to work in brothels was necessary to maintain discipline and provide relaxation for soldiers.

He said he was quoted out of context to say he personally believed that the use of so-called "comfort women" was necessary.

Hashimoto says his remarks stem from concern about sexual assaults by U.S. military personnel on Japanese women in Okinawa where a large number of U.S. troops are based.一名日本市长星期一就本月早些时候的言论道歉。他当时说，美国军队应当支持合法的成人娱乐业，以减少强奸和其他侵犯行为。

大阪市长桥本彻在东京的外国记者俱乐部说，这种言论是不恰当的，可能被解释为对美国军队和美国人民的侮辱。

但桥本彻为自己两星期前发表的评论进行辩解，他当时说，战时强迫亚洲妇女 -- 主要是中国和韩国妇女 -- 在妓院工作对于维持纪律、让士兵放松是必要的。

桥本彻说，如果认为他本人相信使用“慰安妇”是必要的，那是断章取义。

桥本彻表示，他之所以发表这种评论，是因为美军对冲绳的日本女性的性侵犯使他感到担忧。美国在冲绳有大量驻军。