Demand grows for sex slaves apology

A newspaper advertisement denying that Japan's army drove women into sexual slavery during World War II has increased momentum for a resolution demanding an official apology for the abuse, US lawmakers say.

US lawmakers, backing a resolution demanding an official Japanese apology for the Imperial Army's treatment of women in Korea and other Asian countries during World War II, predict the legislation will pass overwhelmingly.

Australian woman Jan Ruff O'Herne, who is now 84 years old and lives in Adelaide, was one of an estimated 200,000 women forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military.

The advertisement published last week in the Washington Post by a group of Japanese leaders, including more than 40 Members of Parliament, convinced many lawmakers to vote for the resolution, an aide to Democratic Representative and the Bill's principal sponsor, Japanese-American Michael Honda, Daniel Kohns, said.

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