Imperial Japan’s System of Imperial Japan’s System of Military Sexual SlaveryMilitary Sexual Slavery

Imperial Japan’s System of Imperial Japan’s System of Military Sexual SlaveryMilitary Sexual Slavery

Edmonton Edmonton ALPHAALPHAAAssociation for ssociation for LLearning and earning and PPreserving reserving

the the HHistory of WWII in istory of WWII in AAsiasia

The ‘Comfort Women’ IssueThe ‘Comfort Women’ Issue

A poster stating the location of a ‘Comfort House’ for

Japanese soldiers

DEC 1937 – JAN 1938:

As the Rape of Nanking hit foreign newspapers the Japanese military instituted ‘ Comfort ’ stations to hide the actions of their soldiers.

• Only about 30% of the 200,000 women forced into this form of sexual slavery survived this ordeal.

• The Japanese military kidnapped women from Korea, China and other countries and forced them into prostitution.

The ‘Comfort Women’ IssueThe ‘Comfort Women’ Issue

A poster stating the location of a ‘Comfort House’ for

Japanese soldiers

• Today in Korea there are fewer than 100 ‘comfort woman’ survivors.

• No one knows how many ‘comfort women’ survivors are still living in China.

Japan’s Extensive Japan’s Extensive System of Military System of Military

Sexual SlaverySexual Slavery

““Comfort House” (1938-45) – formerly a Comfort House” (1938-45) – formerly a family’s home in Shanghaifamily’s home in Shanghai

A ‘Comfort Woman’s’ room…

As a child, Dr. CHEN lived in this housebefore Japan turned it into a Rape House.

Day after day, the heavy tread of soldiers’ boots could be heard upon these narrow stairs …heard by the young women confined to Japan’s system of sexual slavery…

COMFORT STATION

I climb the narrow stairway, as so many men before meI touch the cold, hard wall and in an instant

I feel . . . , I hear . . . , I see . . .

… I feel myself shaking, ripping, my knees ready to give out.

COMFORT STATION COMFORT STATION

COMFORT STATION

There is no comfort here.

Thank God for the people around me to catch me if I fall.

— Greg van Vugt2008 Study Tour

Meeting a survivor of military sexual slavery…

Madam Tan receives a knitted shawlfrom her Canadian friends.

Korea’s Korea’s HalmoniHalmoni — the — the ‘Grandmas’‘Grandmas’

Korea’s House of SharingHouse of Sharing & Museum of Sexual Slavery by Japanese Military

Korea’s House of SharingHouse of Sharing & Museum of Sexual Slavery by Japanese Military

““ Unblossomed FlowerUnblossomed Flower ”” by Young-suk Yoonby Young-suk Yoon

Korea’s House of SharingHouse of Sharing & Museum of Sexual Slavery by Japanese Military

Ontario mother Judy Cho translates the curator’s remarks for her Canadian colleagues…

‘‘Grandma’ Grandma’ KIL Won-OkKIL Won-Ok

Korea’s House of SharingHouse of Sharing & Museum of Sexual Slavery by Japanese Military

Korea’s House of SharingHouse of Sharing & Museum of Sexual Slavery by Japanese Military

Canadian Teachers join the Canadian Teachers join the Wednesday Noon Demonstration in front of the Wednesday Noon Demonstration in front of the

Japanese Embassy Japanese Embassy

JULY 2008 – Seoul, KoreaJULY 2008 – Seoul, Korea

Survivors’ DemandsSurvivors’ Demands

• Acknowledge the war crimeAcknowledge the war crime

• Officially apologizeOfficially apologize

• Accurately portray the Accurately portray the history in textbookshistory in textbooks

Canada RespondsCanada Responds

20072007

November 28:November 28:

Members of parliament consider MOTION 291.

The motion asks the Japanese Diet to 1) acknowledge the history of ‘Comfort Women’ and 2) make a formal and sincere apology.

The motion is passed unanimously.

• European ParliamentEuropean Parliament• U.S. CongressU.S. Congress• Korean ParliamentKorean Parliament• Taiwanese ParliamentTaiwanese Parliament• Philippine House of RepresentativesPhilippine House of Representatives • Dutch ParliamentDutch Parliament— all these legislatures unanimously passed

resolutions calling on Japan to recognize its moral obligation to those enslaved in its system of Military Sexual SlaveryMilitary Sexual Slavery

The The World World Responds 2007-08Responds 2007-08

And inAnd in Japan Japan (2008) (2008)

• 28 March: 28 March: Takarazuka City Council in Osaka passed a resolution on calling on the Government of Japan to address the issue of the ‘comfort women’ system.

• 25 June: 25 June: Kiyose City Council in Tokyo followed suit.

• 7 November: 7 November: Sapporo City Council, Hokkaido, passed a similar resolution.

“These resolutions are a call for action from the Japanese government. The Japanese government should recognize that the world will not forget the abuses inflicted by the ‘comfort women’ system [and] apologize for its actions now...”

—Sam Zarifi, Asia-Pacific Director, Amnesty InternationalSam Zarifi, Asia-Pacific Director, Amnesty International

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