JAPAN: Amnesty International supports petition seeking justice for “comfort women”

18 Jun 2014

[International Secretariat]

Region: JAPAN

Topic:

Amnesty International calls once again on the government of Japan to provide justice for the survivors of Japan’s World War II military sexual slavery system. Amnesty International adds its voice to the petition presented today, calling on authorities to draft and pass a bill without delay, seeking a comprehensive resolution to the "comfort women" issue.

Amnesty International is particularly concerned that the government of Japan continues to deny full and effective reparation to survivors of sexual slavery and senior government officials and public figures continue to deny the existence of a military sexual slavery system from 1932 until the end of World War II, or to justify the existence of this system.

Japan’s repeated denial re-traumatizes the women that were forced into sexual slavery by Japan’s military before and during World War II. The government has to accept full responsibility, apologize unequivocally for military sexual slavery and ensure these women finally receive justice.

Amnesty International calls on the Japanese government:

• To accept full responsibility and apologize unreservedly to survivors of Japan’s sexual slavery system in a way that is acceptable to the majority of the women and which publicly acknowledges the harm that these women have suffered and restores the dignity of the survivors.
• Ensure other measures are taken to provide survivors with full and effective reparation, to address the harm they have suffered.
• To refute statements made by government authorities and public figures who made an attempt to deny or justify the military sexual slavery system.

16 June 2014
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC STATEMENT