Forced prostitution in the Japanese Army during World War II

Only at the beginning of March, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe again denied any share of responsibility by the Japanese Army for organized forced prostitution during World War II.

People around the world have demonstrated and protested repeatedly against the way the Japanese government deals with the problem of young women who were forced into prostitution within the military forces. In more than 60 cities, people took to the streets.

62 years after the end of the war, the Japanese Government is still not willing to assume responsibility for the women who were forced into prostitution and acknowledge their suffering.

Japan committed massive war crimes in several East Asian countries. An estimated two hundred thousand Chinese, Thai, Philippine and Korean women were forced into prostitution in Japanese brothels and raped millions of times.

In December 2000, more than 450 former forced prostitutes, human rights activists, lawyers and judges had come to Tokyo in order to demand justice in form of an International Tribunal. Although Tokyo had admitted the involvement of the Imperial Army in the crimes for the first time in 1993, the government still refuses to issue an apology and approve the payment of compensation to the so-called “comfort women”. The International Tribunal has also found Japan to be guilty. Although the judgment is not legally binding, it has a high moral significance.

The European Greens take Japan’s repeated attitude of refusal as an opportunity to claim compensation for the victims of forced prostitution who are still living. Furthermore, the compensation and acknowledgement of the women would be an important step towards peace between Asian countries and strengthen Japan’s self-esteem with reference to future generations.

We demand that the Japanese Government:

1. Take responsibility for these atrocities

2. Issue an official apology in order to restore dignity to the women concerned

3. Pass a compensation law

4. Publish documents and evidence

5. Introduce a truthful treatment of this matter in history books

6. Create a memorial for these women

Therefore, the European Greens will consider taking specific public activities in order to call the attention of the Japanese authorities to this topic.

Unanimous decision of the Federal Board of the party BÜNDNIS 90/DIE GRÜNEN, 12 March 2007