What is the Japanese military’s sexual slavery?
The Japanese Military Sexual Slavery system refers to the war crimes committed by the Japanese military from the 1930s until Japan’s defeat in 1945. During this period, the Japanese military systematically established ‘military comfort stations,’ where women from colonized and occupied countries were forcibly taken and made to serve as sex slaves.
Background
During the Shanghai Incident in 1932, the frequency of rape by Japanese soldiers increased significantly, fueling intense anti-Japanese sentiment in the occupied regions. Additionally, Japanese soldiers began contracting venereal diseases, hindering their military efforts. Consequently, the Japanese military established the ‘military comfort station’ system, forcibly drafting women from colonized and occupied areas. According to reports from victims registered with the Korean government, the victims ranged in age from 11 to 27 years old. Many of these women were taken through abduction or lured by fraudulent job offers.
Understanding the Realities of ‘Military Comfort Stations’
The ‘military comfort stations’ varied in how they were established, managed, and recruited ‘comfort women,’ depending on the period, location, and whether they were operated by the military or commissioned private agents. However, all were strictly controlled, supervised, and regulated by the Japanese military. Each ‘comfort station’ operated on a rank-based system of hours and fees and required mandatory medical check-ups for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and other sanitary precautions. Testimonies from former Japanese soldiers indicate that during peak times, 20 to 30 soldiers would wait tin line outside the doors.
To ensure the safety of Japanese soldiers, ‘comfort women’ were required to undergo regular medical examinations for STIs and endured brutal rapes even during menstruation, pregnancy, or illness. The women were unable to leave the ‘comfort stations’ voluntarily, with all basic living conditions and movements heavily restricted. Records describe ‘comfort women’ as “gifts from the Emperor” and dehumanize them by likening them to “sanitary public bathrooms.”
Following Japan’s defeat in 1945, ‘comfort women’ were abandoned in the countries they had been taken to, killed by bombings, or executed by the Japanese military. Survivors faced immense challenges in returning home or were forced to abandon such hopes altogether. The physical and psychological scars from beatings, torture, and sexual violence left many unable to bear children or form families. They suffered in silence due to psychological trauma, societal ignorance, and public discrimination.
Breaking the
Silence
Professor Yoon Jung-Ok brought attention to the issue of Japanese military sexual slavery during the Women and Sex Tourism Seminar in 1988. This led feminist organizations to collaborative and establish the Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan on November 16th, 1990. However, the Japanese government denied any involvement in the issue.
On August 14th, 1991, Kim Hak-Soon gave the first public interview in Korea, bravely sharing her experience as a survivor. Her courageous testimony inspired other survivors who had previously kept silent to come forward. Kim Hak-Soon’s testimony marked a pivotal moment in addressing the issue of Japanese military sexual slavery globally. Survivors, who had felt isolated from their communities and families[국정1] and had been unable to speak about their victimization, began to connect with other women and citizens to expose the crimes of the Japanese government. These survivors transformed into women’s rights and peace activists, advocating for the restoration of their dignity and human rights, and striving for a peaceful world where no one else would endure similar victimization.
