Japan 's Foreign Minister Katsuya Tanaka apologizes to S. Korea for Japan 's rule over Korea . He calls period from 1910 to 1945 when Japan ruled over Korea a ` ` tragic incident '' Japan 's military accused of using women , mainly from Korea and China , as sex slaves . In 2001 , then - President Jun Koizumi acknowledged atrocities committed by Japan 's military .
Japan 's Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada apologizes to S. Korea for Japan 's rule over Korea . He calls period from 1910 to 1945 when Japan ruled over Korea a `` tragic incident '' Japan 's military accused of using women , mainly from Korea and China , as sex slaves . In 2001 , then-PM Junichiro Koizumi acknowledged damage inflicted by Japan 's military .