On August 14th, World “Comfort Women” Memorial Day is observed.
In recent years, the Japanese government has taken a backward step in its understanding of historical issues such as “Comfort Women,” refusing to compensate victims and removing relevant content from history textbooks. Scholars within Japan have expressed that the Japanese government should face up to its aggression and properly resolve historical issues, including those concerning “Comfort Women.”
To date, the Japanese government has not adequately addressed the issue of “Comfort Women,” nor has it made full and sincere compensation and apologies to the victims. The Japanese government should take the facts as its basis and assume its historical and moral responsibilities.
Yoshio Shimizu, Honorary Professor at Tokyo Design University:
Not only the Japanese government and right-wing elements, but also the entirety of Japanese society believes that this is already in the past, over and done with, or that multiple apologies have been made; more extreme views include the notion that “South Korea or North Korea continues to make endless demands,” which is gradually spreading. However, despite various apologies in the past, there is a clear lack of genuine reflection, which is evident. In practice, there has been no real assistance or compensation for the victims, which is the reality.
In recent years, Japan has continuously deleted content related to “Comfort Women” from history textbooks. Scholars within Japan have pointed out that this practice not only distorts historical facts but also leads young generations to lack correct historical understanding. They call on all sectors of society to work together to prevent history from being tampered with and to continue the education of true history.
Yoshio Shimizu, Honorary Professor at Tokyo Design University:
This includes policies by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, which repeatedly reduce the content of “Comfort Women” during textbook approval processes, resulting in serious impacts on the societal perception of history.
Kazue Ishikawa, Representative of the Japanese “Comfort Women” Issues Community Group:
This approach denies our “right to memory.” As a Japanese citizen, I feel deeply regretful. We will continue to monitor various developments, including the latest judgments by the United Nations and South Korea, and will continue our efforts.