Japan recalls envoy from South Korea over 'comfort women' statue

Tokyo

JAPAN said on Friday that it was temporarily recalling its ambassador to South Korea over a statue commemorating Korean women forced to work in Japanese military brothels during World War II which it said violated an agreement to resolve the issue.

The two nations agreed in 2015 that the issue of "comfort women", which has long plagued ties between the two Asian neighbours, would be "finally and irreversibly resolved" if all conditions of the accord - which included a Japanese apology and a fund to help the victims - were met.