Japan Press Weekly

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2013 September 25 - October 1 [HISTORY]

NGOs in Japan striving for early settlement of comfort women issue

Japanese NGOs, including New Japan Women’s Association (Shinfujin), have invited three former “comfort women” from South Korea to Japan with money raised to voluntarily contribute to their travel expenses, demanding that the Japanese government settle the issue without delay.

On September 24, about 300 people held a meeting at the Upper House Members’ Office Building to listen to the testimonies of the three Koreans, victims of Japanese military sex slavery during WWII.

Shinfujin Chair Kasai Kimiyo reported that their visit came about at the suggestion of the House of Sharing, a home in South Korea for survivors of the comfort women system, and the donations gathered from around Japan.

Lee Okseon, 87, showed the audience the scars from a Japanese sword wound on her body, which were made when she escaped from a comfort station but was caught afterward. She said, “I want an apology, restoration of my honor, and compensation while I’m still alive. I want Japanese school textbooks to not overlook this historical fact.”

Kang Ilchul, 86, said, “Why isn’t Prime Minister Abe here? He should be here to apologize for Japan’s past wrongdoing.”

Park Okseon, 90, said, “I needed courage to come here. Meeting with Japanese who are taking the issue seriously, I feel relieved and realize the issue can be resolved.”

Japanese Communist Party Dietmembers Kami Tomoko, Nihi Sohei, Kira Yoshiko, Tatsumi Kotaro, Inoue Satoshi, Tamura Tomoko (Upper House), and Takahashi Chizuko (Lower House) also took part in the meeting.

Organizations which invited the three Koreans were the Seminar on “Comfort Women” Issue and Gender Equality, the New Japan Women’s Association (Shinfujin), the Democratic Youth League of Japan, and the Japan Asia, Africa & Latin America Solidarity Committee (Japan AALA).