Statement protesting Prime Minister Abe`s comments on the “comfort women”
Since 1992, the Women’s Committee of the National Christian Council Japan, along with other women groups in Japan and other victimized countries, has continued to look for a solution to the “Comfort Women” (women forced to serve as prostitutes for the Imperial Japanese Army during WWII issue. During this time we have had many opportunities to meet with these victims and have become convinced that their testimony is true. We, therefore, support their appeal for redress, an official apology and legal compensation by the Japanese government.
Since 1992, the Women’s Committee of the National Christian Council Japan, along with other women groups in Japan and other victimized countries, has continued to look for a solution to the “Comfort Women” (women forced to serve as prostitutes for the Imperial Japanese Army during WWII issue. During this time we have had many opportunities to meet with these victims and have become convinced that their testimony is true. We, therefore, support their appeal for redress, an official apology and legal compensation by the Japanese government.
However, the attitude of the current government is completely against what we and the victims are seeking. In August of 1993, after the government researched wartime records, the then Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono issued a public statement of remorse and apology for the government’s involvement in the recruitment, transportation and incarceration of these comfort women. We welcomed this statement and believed that this was the first step in seeking a solution to this issue.
In order to solve this problem, in 1995 the government established the Women’s Asian Fund foundation to compensate victims from South Korea, Taiwan, and the Philippines by distributing donations made by individuals. Recognizing that this was not compensation directly from the Japanese government to take responsibility, victims rejected this solution. Those at the foundation recognize that many have rejected this compensation and that it has cause confusion among groups in those countries. The current government’s position is that compensation has already been made is not correct.
There have been ten lawsuits by victims brought against the Japanese government seeking compensation and an official apology. However, eight cases have been rejected by the Supreme Court on the grounds that the statue of limitations has passed and that there were no laws at the time regarding this issue at the time and thus the state in not accountable. Yet, in most cases the court did recognize the facts presented by the plaintiffs. In some case, the court said the government had a responsibility to establish a law to compensate victims as soon as possible.
After the Kono statement was released, many victims’ and ex-soldiers’ testimonies along with newly discovered documents by researchers confirm the fact that the government was involved with the establishment of the comfort women system. It was not possible for this system to exist without the aid of the Japanese military and government.
Currently, there are members of the Liberal Democratic Party close to Prime Minister Abe who are calling to withdraw or reexamine the Kono statement. Even though Prime Minister Abe said he would respect the Kono statement when became prime minister, he has begun to listen to these calls and now says it is possible to review that statement. We think this is a double standard and ambiguous.
We believe that the present Japanese government should take positive steps in respect to the Kono Statement which declared “the firm determination never to repeat the same mistake” and to make an official apology with the legal compensation while the survivors are alive. We believe that it is the only way for us to regain the international confidence of Japan.
27 March 2007
Junko Matsuura (Ms)
Chairperson of the National Christian Council of Japan Women`s Committee
Toshimasa Yamamoto (Rev.)
General Secretary of the National Christian Council of Japan