The Japanese public needs to be educated about the use of sex slaves by Imperial Japanese forces during World War II to ensure such atrocities never happen again, a group of Japanese and South Korean students said Tuesday.

Speaking at the Japan-Korea Students' Forum in Tokyo, 18 South Korean and 17 Japanese university students addressed such issues as the perception gap that exists between the two countries regarding the use of Korean sex slaves, known euphemistically in Japan as "comfort women."

The forum was organized by the Asian Women's Fund, which was established in 1995 to disburse atonement payments financed by private donations to former sex slaves. The gathering was held to foster understanding and friendship between the youth of the two countries.

During their discussions, the students noted the indifference and ignorance of today's Japanese.

Some Japanese students blamed Japan's education system, saying they are forced to memorize historical facts by rote rather than closely analyzing the content of their textbooks.

Lee Yeo Jung, of Seoul's Sogang Graduate School of International Studies, said South Koreans cannot avoid the truth, as the former sex slaves live among them and often speak out in public.

"At least we know what the truth is," she said, "but I think many Japanese people are not told the truth."

Meiji University student Issei Shirai blamed the Japanese media, saying South Koreans are presented in a way that creates negative preconceptions.

"The media often sensationalize the way Koreans protest on such issues as (the convicted Class-A war criminals enshrined at) Yasukuni Shrine or compensation for comfort women," he said. "The played-up image of angry Koreans makes Japanese feel disliked, and keeps them from trying to get to the truth."

Keiko Onodera, a student of Kyorin University whose grandfather is Korean, said she is grateful for the tolerance shown by South Koreans while she was in Seoul doing research for her thesis. She said she was afraid of how people would react to her due to the history between the two countries.

"An old Korean man who had surely experienced the war said that while the past is unfortunate, it's politics that is to blame," she said.

"Until then, I had doubts about whether I was Korean or Japanese. But his words made me feel that such things didn't matter, that we should all consider ourselves as people sharing the same planet, working together not to make the same mistakes."