CA Governor Jerry Brown to Meet Osaka Governor Matsui, Who Wants to "Explain" Hashimoto's Remarks on Comfort Women to Correct "Misunderstanding"

I'm surprised that Governor Brown is willing to see Mr. Matsui, particularly when City of San Francisco denied, in no uncertain terms, Osaka City Mayor Toru Hashimoto an official visit to the city precisely because of Hashimoto's comments on "comfort women" that blew up spectacularly on his face outside Japan (and he doesn't even realize it).

Governor Matsui, Boy-wonder's sidekick in Japan Restoration Party, has just departed for the US, and one of the main objectives of the trip (if not the only objective) is to persuade Americans that they are mistaken about Boy-wonder's comments about "comfort women" and Japanese sex industry.

To kick-start his tour of the US, Matsui will be meeting with Governor Jerry Brown of California in the morning on June 11. He says he wants to use the opportunity to explain Mayor Hashimoto's position.

What Governor Brown could do is to openly laugh at Matsui, and end the conversation.

From Kyodo News (6/10/2013):

松井大阪府知事、米国へ出発　慰安婦発言説明に意欲

Osaka Governor Matsui departs for the US, eager to explain [Hashimoto's] comments on comfort women

日本維新の会幹事長の松井一郎大阪府知事は１０日午後、米国での大都市経営視察のため、サンフランシスコに向け関西空港を出発した。現地では共同代表の橋下徹大阪市長の従軍慰安婦や風俗業活用に関する発言への批判が根強く、松井氏は「誤解を解きたい」と説明に意欲を示している。

Secretary General of Japan Restoration Party and Governor of Osaka Prefecture Ichiro Matsui departed from Kansai Airport for San Francisco in the afternoon on June 10, to study the management of big cities in the United States. Criticism persists in the US over the remarks by Osaka City Mayor and co-President of Japan Restoration Party on comfort women and suggestion to the US military to utilize Japan's sex industry. Mr. Matsui says he is eager to "clear the misunderstanding" of American people.

　説明の機会として、１１日午前（日本時間１２日未明）のカリフォルニア州のブラウン知事との会談を念頭に置く。橋下氏の大学時代からの友人で、米国で弁護士経験のある中原徹府教育長も同行。微妙な言い回しに配慮する必要が生じれば会話に加わり対応する。

The first such opportunity will be the meeting in the morning of June 11 with California Governor Brown. Toru Nakahara, Osaka Prefecture's Superintendent of Education and Mr. Hashimoto's friend since their college days, will accompany Matsui. Since Mr. Nakahara worked in the US as an attorney, he will join in the conversation if a subtle expression [in English] is required.

Osaka residents are footing the bill, of course.

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