Two former sex slaves visiting Japan have refused to meet with Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto.

Kim Bok-dong and Kil Won-oak were set to meet on Friday in Osaka with Hashimoto, who claims that wartime sex slaves were not forced into sexual service.

The two women announced in a statement issued by the Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan on Friday that they decided not to meet Hashimoto after finding out he planned to use Friday’s meeting as a way to draw media attention by offering an insincere apology.

The two women stressed that if Hashimoto is truly sorry for his controversial remarks, he should withdraw his comments and issue an official apology.