Nearly 70 years on and still no apology.

These demonstrators want the Japanese government to apologise for the sexual slavery of South Korean women by the Japanese army during World War II.

This campaigner cancelled a meeting with the Mayor of Osaka Toru Hashimoto after he said forcing women to work in Japanese wartime military brothels was "necessary."

Hashimoto says the use of so-called 'comfort women' was common practice, and not just in Japan.

Hashimoto's comments have angered many, at home as well as abroad.

(SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) DIRECTOR OF WOMEN'S ACTIVE MUSEUM ON WAR AND PEACE, ERIKO IKEDA SAYING:

"These women are victims of a war. Politicians don't seem to be thinking at all about putting an end to this and, if placed in the same situation again, would probably would do it all over again. In that sense, they have learned absolutely nothing from history."

The Women's Active Museum on War and Peace in Tokyo is dedicated to war crimes ag