Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Monday apologized "as the prime minister" to the wartime sex slaves.

"I am apologizing here and now as the prime minister," Abe told a parliamentary committee in response to a question by a lawmaker from the Japanese Communist Party.

The premier renewed his vow to stick to a 1993 statement made by the then Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono, who officially acknowledged and apologized for the fact that Japan forced women from other Asian countries to be sex slaves for its soldiers during World War II.

"I feel sympathy for the people who underwent hardships, and I apologize for the fact that they were placed in this situation at the time," Abe said.

Earlier this month, the Japanese prime minister denied there was any evidence to establish that Japan's military authorities or government officials were directly involved in forced sex slavery during World War II, which immediately drew international criticism and concern.

An estimated 200,000 women were forced to serve as sex slaves for Japanese forces during World War II, and most of them came from countries invaded by Japan at the time.

Editor: Donald