Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. President George W. Bush have discussed Japan’s wartime sexual enslavement of Asian women.

Japan’s Kyodo News said Abe had stressed to Bush during a telephone conversation Tuesday that the Japanese government stands by the 1993 apology on the matter issued by then Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono.

According to the report, Abe called Bush to explain his position on the issue which he said the media had failed to give a clear report on.

Kyodo cited that Abe talked with Bush out of concern over rising calls within the U.S., condemning Tokyo’s failure to address the comfort women issue, and as the House of Representatives is set to vote on a resolution urging an apology from Japan and compensation for the victims.

Abe will be visiting the United States on April 26th.

Meanwhile, Bush told Abe that he appreciated his candor and noted that Japan today is not the Japan of World War Two.