leaving aside politics and issues of historical pride and national respect, the need of the moment is to help restore the dignity of the so-called comfort women by offering them an unconditional apology and duly compensating them
Five recent developments have helped the issue of comfort women (a euphemism for women enslaved to provide sexual services to Japan’s Imperial Army) regain limelight. US President Barack Obama’s reference to the issue as a “terrible, egregious violation of human rights”, two rounds of historic Director-General level talks between Japan and Korea, construction of a comfort woman memorial in Washington, Japan’s decision to review its 1993 landmark apology for comfort women, and the role of surviving comfort women in the Asia Solidarity Conference, have collectively contributed to internationalising the long-standing bilateral dispute between Japan and Korea. An analysis of these events and their political significance shows conflicting views on the emotive issue, and the possibility of any easy solution unlikely.
Interestingly, on the face of it, the solution to the complex issue of comfort women appears to be rather simple. For, historical evidence, testimonies of victims and legal verdicts including the Women’s International War Crimes Tribunal, all prove Japan to be guilty of sexually enslaving approximately 2,00,000 women; and thus Japan should at the very least offer an unconditional apology and compensate the victims. This would not only restore normalcy in the bilateral relations between Japan and Korea but also help in maintaining the power balance in East Asia. However, rapid politicalisation of the issue has resulted in an impasse, and made the issue of comfort women debatable and controversial.
Politicisation by Japan and Korea: Since 1990, when the issue of comfort women first became public knowledge, Japan’s stand has continuously wavered between denial, partial acknowledgement and acceptance. The Kono Statement of 1993 wherein Japan acknowledged the role of the Japanese Imperial Army in the establishment and administration of comfort stations; and the Asian Women’s fund in 1995, where atonement money was offered to the former sex slaves; are the only two concessions granted to comfort women by Japan. However as the Japanese leadership itself has repeatedly questioned and challenged the validity of these measures, Korea feels that Japan has not shown enough contrition for its war crimes and is not genuine in her efforts to apologise.
Meanwhile, Korea has been successful in gaining international sympathy by playing the morality card and projecting the issue as a human rights violation and human trafficking at numerous international forums. In addition, public opinion in Korea has been driving the Government to demand a blanket apology and a 2012 Constitutional Court ruling obliges the Korean Government to be diplomatically more active in securing an apology and compensation for these women.
Japan, however, is of the opinion that all compensation issues related to the 1910-1945 colonial rule, (including the comfort women issue) were officially settled by the 1965 peace treaty with Korea; and thus Japan is not legally obliged to compensate the living comfort women. Korea rightly nullifies this argument on the ground that the issue of comfort women was not discussed till 1990 and hence the 1965 treaty is not applicable to the issue.
As a result of these divergent stands adopted by Japan and Korea, bilateral relations have fast deteriorated. Presently, Korea is demanding a sincere acknowledgment and public apology along with compensation for comfort women. Japan maintaining its original stand is not in favour of any compensation but is considering extending humanitarian assistance to the surviving comfort women. The fact that the only substantial outcome of the second round of bilateral Director-General level talks, is the promise to hold a new round of talks further reflects the conflicting positions of the two States.
International Politics and the Role of US: Korea in the recent past has been emphasising building stronger ties with China, a development which is not looked upon favourably by the US. Trying to strengthen its trilateral ties with Japan and Korea, the role of the US has further complicated the issue.
Sympathetic to the cause of comfort women, the Obama Administration in January passed a Bill — H.Res 121, urging the Japanese Government to “formally acknowledge, apologise and accept historical responsibility in a clear and unequivocal way”. More recently, President Obama during his visit to Japan and Korea, referring to the human rights violation of comfort women, urged Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to initiate actions to settle the issue. While the US interest in resolving the issue is based on its larger interest in maintaining regional stability and the power balance in the East Asian region, in the face of a resurgent China and North Korea’s threat of conducting new nuclear tests; Japan has not welcomed the US interference, while Korea with a boosted morale appears to be more firm while voicing its demands.
The Real Issue: lost between the power politics of major powers and the two countries in question, the real issue — the cause of the living comfort women seems to be forgotten. Having lived a life of humiliation, they now demand dignity and respect. Only 56 of the 239 former comfort women, who came to the forefront and recorded their testimonies with the Korean Government, are now alive. For the past 22 years, these women assemble outside the Japanese Embassy in Seoul every Wednesday to silently protest against the atrocities they have suffered.
leaving aside politics and issues of historical pride and national respect, the need of the moment is help restore the dignity of these women by offering them an unconditional apology and duly compensating them. The international community must persuade both Japan and Korea to finally provide comfort to these comfort women, before it is too late.
(The writer is Fellow, Centre for Policy Research)