World
Yohei Kono, Japanese Speaker Who Apologized for 'Comfort Women,' Dies at 89
Yohei Kono, former Speaker of the House of Representatives and Foreign Minister of Japan, known for his historic apology over wartime 'comfort women,' has died at the age of 89. He died of old age at his home in Tokyo on June 8, 2026. Kono is best remembered for the 1993 'Kono Statement,' which acknowledged Japanese military involvement in wartime brothels and offered an apology.