Go to contents

Japan hid evidence on forced mobilizing of sex slaves for 6 years

Japan hid evidence on forced mobilizing of sex slaves for 6 years

Posted June. 25, 2013 05:01,   

한국어

It has been newly revealed that even though the Japanese government held materials illustrating that its military directly involved in mobilization of sex slaves during the Second World War, it has lied, saying “There is no such materials.” A lawmaker of Japan’s opposition party recently asked whether the materials the Japanese government collected included “minutes of ad hoc Batavia court martial” and if so, whether the minutes contain records on forced mobilization of military comfort women.” The Japanese government’s response report confirmed the Japanese military’s direct intervention in the matter.

During the first Shinzo Abe administration in March 2007, the Japanese government replied, “Materials the government discovered contain no records that could prove forced mobilization of comfort women by the military and police.” This has been an official view of the Japanese government until today. It has been often cited as ground for ludicrous statements by some Japanese people who denied “forced mobilization of comfort women,” including those by Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto who said, “Comfort women were necessary.” As the Japanese government has admitted that it has held minutes of the court martial in question, the ground for Japan’s false allegations that aimed at covering up the truth has been completely dismantled.

The minutes of the court martial is the records of court martials on war criminals that were prepared by the United Nations troops in Batavia, Indonesia, which were held to put to justice crimes of forced mobilization and prostitution of at least 24 Dutch women on Java Island, Indonesia. The trial found guilty seven Japanese military officers, including one who was given death penalty. This illustrates that the Japanese military systematically intervened in the mobilization of sex slaves.

As the Japanese government has denied the importance of this document thus far, it now well deserves criticism that it sought to intentionally cover up the case. There is no change in the stance of Korea, which believes that surviving old comfort woman ladies are “best evidence,” irrespective of whether records exist or not. Now that materials of clear evidence have been disclosed, the Japanese government should end “deceitful plot” to hide its ugly sex crimes that were committed at the national level. Making apology to come clean and paying compensations for damage are the way that Japan can recover its national dignity that hit the rock bottom.