Asahi Shimbun president promises to transform paper in light of report about 'comfort women'

The president of Japan's leading liberal newspaper pledged to fundamentally transform the paper for the better after its coverage of the women forced into sex work during the second world war was sharply criticised in a report.

The Asahi Shimbun took years to withdraw incorrect articles on "comfort women", as those forced to work in Japanese wartime military brothels are known, and has since faced a barrage of criticism from Japanese conservatives and become the target of harassment and threats of attack. A report from a panel of academics and industry specialists set up by the daily said the paper's handling of the issue was a "betrayal of readers' trust".

However, it added that "contemptible" threats being made against Asahi could endanger Japan's democracy.

The newspaper in August retracted articles published in the 1980s and 1990s based on a Japanese man's account - later found to be false - that described women on the Korean island of Jeju being forcibly recruited to work in the brothels.

The issues surrounding "comfort women" remain a flashpoint in Japan's ties with South Korea.

The report said the Asahi failed to take steps to verify the Japanese man's account even after the validity of his comment came into question.