Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Thursday that his government would help in a ruling party reinvestigation of the "comfort women" issue during World War II.

Abe, leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), told the press at his official residence that as the LDP is about to reinvestigate the "comfort women" issue, his government would offer cooperation in some forms, like providing documents.

Some LDP lawmakers proposed earlier in the day that the government launch the move, arguing that there was no evidence showing that the Japanese military coerced women into providing sexual services.

They intend to urge Abe's administration to retract from the stance stated by a senior Japanese official in 1993.

Then Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono acknowledged and apologized in 1993 for Japan's forced recruitment of women from other Asian countries and turning them into sex slaves for its soldiers during World War II.

Last Thursday, Abe said that "there is no evidence to prove that there was coercion" exercised over the foreign women.

But the premier said later that Japan will abide by the Kono statement although it would not offer any new apology over the issue.

Analysts here say, given that Abe has said he stands by the Kono statement, the planned fact-finding could become a prelude to the revision of Japan's stance on the issue, which is bound to face an outcry from Asian countries as well as the world.

Editor: Yan