A Japanese professor who denied the historical fact and poured out absurd remarks about the comfort women in the Japanese military claimed that the results of inputting ‘comfort women issue’ and ‘atomic bombing’ into ChatGPT revealed a wrong perception of history.
Arima Tetsuo, a professor of sociology at Waseda University, made this assertion on the 9th by publishing a special article in ‘Daily Shincho’, the internet version of ‘Shukan Shincho’ (週刊新潮), one of Japan’s three major current affairs weekly magazines.
◇ Japanese professor “The comfort women were not coercive… The majority are Japanese women.”
He first asked ChatGPT, ‘What is the comfort women issue?’
#The comfort women issue is a well-known issue in which during World War II, Japan established a system of comfort women in various parts of Asia and forcibly enslaved many women. Comfort women refer to women who were forcibly dragged away to satisfy the sexual desires of soldiers in munitions factories, barracks, and hospitals established by the Japanese military.
#The comfort women system is problematic because it forced women to work as comfort women through forced recruitment and forced labor, and that most of them were minors or women from poor families, and that cruelty and human rights violations were committed against them. “It is being done,” came the reply.
# The Japanese government officially apologized for this issue, and in 1995, it announced the ‘Kono Statement’ to acknowledge the comfort women issue and compensate the victims. However, there are voices from some victims’ organizations and the international community that sufficient apologies and compensation have not been made. In addition, there is a view that the Japanese government denies the existence of the comfort women system and forced recruitment, so there is a possibility that the problem will continue unresolved in the future.
Regarding this, Professor Arima said, “Although (ChatGPT) says ‘forced’ in the answer, the woman who applied had to go to the police station with her parents, submit the necessary documents such as a consent form, obtain a business permit, and then obtain a travel permit from the government office. It must be seen that there was consent from the woman herself or her family, so it cannot be seen as ‘forced’ by the military.”
He also said, “Although it says ‘mainly Koreans and Chinese,’ the majority of comfort women were Japanese,” and “the influence of those who want to make Japan a perpetrator.”
In addition, “The fact that ‘they were sexually assaulted and abused and their human rights were violated’ ignores the fact that the comfort women were sex workers by consent and contract,” he said. This also meant risk pay. Some of the Korean comfort women bought diamonds or even bought houses and land in their hometowns.”
◇’Kono Statement’ is also biased?… Japanese Professor “Should be modified or discarded” absurd remarks
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, on the first day of his visit to Korea on the 7th, pays his respects at Seoul National Cemetery in Dongjak-gu, Seoul. 2023.5.7. Photo Collaboration FoundationProfessor Arima argued that ChatGPT’s answer to ‘What is the Kono Statement’ is also problematic.
The #Kono Statement refers to a statement announced in 1993 by then Japanese Foreign Minister Yohei Kono. This discourse expresses apology and remorse for the comfort women issue committed by the Japanese military in various parts of Asia during World War II.
In the #Kono Statement, it acknowledged that many women were victimized by the Japanese military’s operation of the comfort women system in various parts of Asia, apologized for its responsibility as the Japanese government, and announced that it would review compensation for the victims. In addition, the statement acknowledged Japan’s historical responsibility for its colonial rule.
The #Kono Statement was highly praised by Asian countries and the international community in that it was the first official expression of apology and remorse by the Japanese government for the comfort women issue. However, some conservatives in Japan criticize and oppose the discourse, and the controversy continues even now.
Professor Arima said, “It was a mistake to refer to Yohei Kono, who was then Chief Cabinet Secretary, as Foreign Minister.” He pointed out that the part of ‘reviewed’ was a problem.
He said this part is because “women who were forcibly taken (mostly from Asian countries, such as Koreans and Chinese) were raped and abused and their human rights were violated.” payment),” he insisted.
At the same time, he said, “Unless the Kono Statement is amended or discarded, AI will not give contradictory answers to the comfort women issue.”
◇ When I asked about the atomic bombing… Japan’s “biased claim to the United States”
As a result of entering ‘Is dropping atomic bombs a war crime’ in Japanese on ChatGPT, the following answer came out.
# Whether the atomic bombing is a war crime is being discussed from various perspectives, including international law and ethics. However, it is difficult to reach a certain opinion because it has not been subject to international legal judgment. Under international law, the justification of aggression in war is set by various standards such as self-defense, security, and compliance with international law. It is also true that during World War II, there were no international regulations on the range of weapons that each country could use for military purposes and how they were used.
# Meanwhile, many citizens were sacrificed due to the atomic bombing, and the long-term damage and suffering of the atomic bomb survivors remained. In this respect, some point out that there was a humanitarian problem with the atomic bombing. In conclusion, whether the atomic bombing can be recognized as a war crime is a complex issue, and there are various views depending on each individual’s position or individual’s ethical consciousness.
Professor Arima argued, “It is the same as the answers of bureaucrats when asked for responsibility in the National Assembly,” and “It seems that there is an algorithm that puts both sides together as much as possible when there is a conflicting point.”
He said, “The atomic bombing was a violation of the Hague Convention in that it was unwarned and there was an intent to massacre non-combatants, and it is a clear war crime.” It makes sense that the numerous inhumane, destructive, and atrocious acts being committed are not war crimes.”
He added, “Because Japan is an atomic bombing country, it would be good to point out more clearly the criminal nature of the atomic bombing. We should also do the same for the formation of historical awareness among the younger generation,” he said.
Lastly, Professor Arima asked ChatGPT whether Japan surrendered unconditionally.
#Yes, Japan surrendered unconditionally on August 15, 1945. This officially ended World War II.
Professor Arima argued that these answers were also “wrong.” He argued that “Japan did not surrender unconditionally because it accepted the Potsdam Declaration, that is, a public notice stipulating the conditions for Japan’s surrender.”
“The subject of ‘unconditional surrender’ is the ‘Japanese military’, not the ‘Japanese government’. The request was for the Japanese government, but the subject of unconditional surrender was the Japanese army. This difference is big,” he put forward the logic.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.