From June 19 to 22, 2025, the Civil Solidarity for Historical Justice and Peaceful Relationship between Korea and Japan, co-chaired by Na-Young Lee, Chair of the Korean Council, organized a visit to Japan to mark 60 years of the Korea-Japan Treaty.
The initiative brought together Koreans, Koreans in Japan, and Japanese civil society organizations that have long worked in solidarity with the victims of colonial occupation and Imperial Japan's war crimes. The action served as an opportunity to reflect on their achievements, identify remaining challenges, and chart a new course of transnational solidarity aimed at overcoming colonial legacies and building a just future for Korea-Japan relations.
The delegation held protests urging the enforcement of Korean Supreme Court rulings on forced labor and Seoul High Court rulings in favor of Japanese military sexual slavery victims. A Korea-Japan Civil Society Conference was held on June 21, followed by a visit to the Women’s Active Museum on War and Peace (WAM) on June 22.
[Day 1] Participation in the “Action on the 19th”
On June 19, the Korean Council joined the “Action on the 19th” held in front of the Japanese House of Representatives. This monthly action has been held since September 19, 2015, to demand the repeal of the security laws that were forcibly passed despite opposition from the Japanese public and opposition parties.
Participants condemned the expansion of Japan’s Self-Defense Forces’ overseas operations through legal loopholes, despite constitutional limits under Article 9, which renounces war. Other issues, such as the call to abolish the single-surname system for married couples, were also raised.
The Korean delegation was warmly welcomed, and voices of solidarity were shared. Kim Young-hwan, Director of /external relations at the Center for Historical Truth and Justice, delivered a solidarity speech on behalf of the Civil Solidarity for Historical Justice and Peaceful Relationship between Korea and Japan.
[Day 2] Protest Action Demanding Implementation of Court Rulings on the Japanese Military Sexual Slavery
On the morning of June 20, the delegation protested in front of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Nippon Steel, both war criminal companies, urging them to comply with the 2018 South Korean Supreme Court ruling on forced labor. Protesters condemned the companies for refusing to meet elderly survivors and ignoring their legal obligation of reparation.
Later, the group held a protest in front of the Prime Minister’s Office—the first of its kind since the court victory in November 2023—demanding implementation of rulings related to the Japanese military sexual slavery. A written request was submitted to the Prime Minister’s Office, with participation from the legal team representing the plaintiffs. The delegation also visited the Cabinet Office to submit the request letter, which called for official acknowledgment of responsibility, an official apology, and legal reparation. The letter was jointly submitted by the Korean Council, survivor Lee Yong-soo, and the Japan Nationwide Action for Resolution of the Japanese Military "Comfort Women" Issue.
During the meeting, Na-Young Lee, speaking as the legal successor to the late Kim Bok-dong in her lawsuit, emphasized that Japan’s continued denial of the sexual slavery system and its attempt to shift blame onto the Korean government constitutes a new form of wrongdoing atop the historical crimes.
Lee then attended a joint press conference at the Japanese Diet, marking the simultaneous release of the Korea-Japan Civil Society Joint Declaration on the 60th anniversary of the Korea-Japan Treaty. There, she answered questions from Japanese reporters regarding the future of Korea-Japan relations.
[Day 3] Korea-Japan Civil Society Symposium on the 60th Anniversary of the Korea-Japan Treaty
On June 21, a symposium was held at Meiji University as part of the Korea-Japan Civil Society Conference marking the 60th anniversary of the Korea-Japan Treaty. Activists from both countries, including youth, gathered to reflect on the treaty’s legacy and to discuss what can still be done in today’s Japan regarding unresolved historical issues.
Na-Young Lee, Chair of the Korean Council, addressed the recent dismissal of President Yoon Suk-yeol, who had consistently taken a submissive stance toward the Japanese government and failed to advocate for victims' rights. She emphasized the urgency of the moment, as many victims are in the final stages of life, and called on Japan to finally acknowledge its illegal colonization of the Korean Peninsula and provide prompt reparation to the victims of colonialism and war. She appealed for a peaceful future in Northeast Asia, rooted in historical justice.
[Day 4] Visit to WAM and Solidarity with Japanese Civil Society
On the morning of June 22, the delegation visited the Women’s Active Museum on War and Peace (WAM), located on the Waseda University campus. This year marks the 20th anniversary of WAM, which has played a vital role in raising awareness of the Japanese military sexual slavery issue in Japan and advocating for the restoration of survivors’ rights. At the entrance of the museum, the walls are lined with photos of 179 survivors who granted permission for their stories to be exhibited—faces that seem to speak directly to visitors.
Ms. Mina Watanabe, who prefers to be called an activist rather than a director, continues her dedicated work, most recently organizing a special exhibition on the recent legal victories of Korean survivors.
Throughout this Japan visit, it was an honor to meet so many Japanese activists who have devoted nearly four decades to addressing forced labor and the issue of military sexual slavery. The Korean Council will continue to strengthen solidarity between Korean and Japanese civil society, working tirelessly to bring about historical justice.
From June 19 to 22, 2025, the Civil Solidarity for Historical Justice and Peaceful Relationship between Korea and Japan, co-chaired by Na-Young Lee, Chair of the Korean Council, organized a visit to Japan to mark 60 years of the Korea-Japan Treaty.
The initiative brought together Koreans, Koreans in Japan, and Japanese civil society organizations that have long worked in solidarity with the victims of colonial occupation and Imperial Japan's war crimes. The action served as an opportunity to reflect on their achievements, identify remaining challenges, and chart a new course of transnational solidarity aimed at overcoming colonial legacies and building a just future for Korea-Japan relations.
The delegation held protests urging the enforcement of Korean Supreme Court rulings on forced labor and Seoul High Court rulings in favor of Japanese military sexual slavery victims. A Korea-Japan Civil Society Conference was held on June 21, followed by a visit to the Women’s Active Museum on War and Peace (WAM) on June 22.
[Day 1] Participation in the “Action on the 19th”
Participants condemned the expansion of Japan’s Self-Defense Forces’ overseas operations through legal loopholes, despite constitutional limits under Article 9, which renounces war. Other issues, such as the call to abolish the single-surname system for married couples, were also raised.
The Korean delegation was warmly welcomed, and voices of solidarity were shared. Kim Young-hwan, Director of /external relations at the Center for Historical Truth and Justice, delivered a solidarity speech on behalf of the Civil Solidarity for Historical Justice and Peaceful Relationship between Korea and Japan.
[Day 2] Protest Action Demanding Implementation of Court Rulings on the Japanese Military Sexual Slavery
Lee then attended a joint press conference at the Japanese Diet, marking the simultaneous release of the Korea-Japan Civil Society Joint Declaration on the 60th anniversary of the Korea-Japan Treaty. There, she answered questions from Japanese reporters regarding the future of Korea-Japan relations.
[Day 3] Korea-Japan Civil Society Symposium on the 60th Anniversary of the Korea-Japan Treaty
On June 21, a symposium was held at Meiji University as part of the Korea-Japan Civil Society Conference marking the 60th anniversary of the Korea-Japan Treaty. Activists from both countries, including youth, gathered to reflect on the treaty’s legacy and to discuss what can still be done in today’s Japan regarding unresolved historical issues.
Na-Young Lee, Chair of the Korean Council, addressed the recent dismissal of President Yoon Suk-yeol, who had consistently taken a submissive stance toward the Japanese government and failed to advocate for victims' rights. She emphasized the urgency of the moment, as many victims are in the final stages of life, and called on Japan to finally acknowledge its illegal colonization of the Korean Peninsula and provide prompt reparation to the victims of colonialism and war. She appealed for a peaceful future in Northeast Asia, rooted in historical justice.
[Day 4] Visit to WAM and Solidarity with Japanese Civil Society
Ms. Mina Watanabe, who prefers to be called an activist rather than a director, continues her dedicated work, most recently organizing a special exhibition on the recent legal victories of Korean survivors.
Throughout this Japan visit, it was an honor to meet so many Japanese activists who have devoted nearly four decades to addressing forced labor and the issue of military sexual slavery. The Korean Council will continue to strengthen solidarity between Korean and Japanese civil society, working tirelessly to bring about historical justice.