On December 18, 2025, a five-hour Korea–Japan symposium titled “35 Years of Research on the Japanese Military Sexual Slavery and the Future of Counter-Memory” was successfully concluded. All 80 prepared seats were filled, and the symposium was marked by sustained engagement, with lively questions following every presentation.
The keynote addresses were delivered by Yoshimi Yoshiaki (Fight for Justice / Chuo University) and Changrok Kim (Kyungpook National University).
Keynote 1. “Achievements and Challenges in Research on the Japanese Military ‘Comfort Women’ Issue: Focusing on Newly Discovered Evidence” Yoshimi Yoshiaki (Fight for Justice / Chuo University)
Professor Yoshimi Yoshiaki, who first uncovered documentary evidence of the Japanese military “comfort women” in January 1992 at the Library of the National Institute for Defense Studies and made it public through The Asahi Shimbun, presented findings from his newly published book, Japanese Military Comfort Women. Drawing on decades of research, he emphasized the slavery-like nature of the Japanese military sexual slavery and the Japanese government’s responsibility.
Keynote 2. “The Japanese Military ‘Comfort Women’: What Has the Law Done?” Changrok Kim (Kyungpook National University)
Professor Changrok Kim reviewed the achievements and limitations of legal struggles surrounding the Japanese military sexual slavery issue. Referring to the 2023 damages lawsuit against the Japanese government, he stated that the doctrine of sovereign immunity cannot serve as an absolute shield and suggested the possibility of enforcing judgments against Japanese government assets located in Korea. He strongly urged the Korean government to take decisive action.
Session 1. Reading Intersections and Confrontations in the Japanese Military Sexual Slavery Issue
Presentation 1. “Current State and Challenges of Research on the Japanese Military ‘Comfort Women’ Issue through the Study of Japan’s Licensed Prostitution System,” Sachiko Hitomi (Kinki University)
Professor Sachiko Hitomi examined the Japanese military sexual slavery through the lens of Japan’s modern licensed prostitution system, arguing that both shared slavery-like characteristics at a structural level. At the same time, she emphasized that the licensed prostitution system within Japan and the military sexual slavery system imposed in colonial territories during wartime differed significantly in process and substance.
Discussant: Hyun-sook Soh (Research Institute on Japanese Military ‘Comfort Women’)
Soh mentioned the need to go beyond identifying similarities and differences to more clearly elucidate the continuity and connections between the two systems. She also highlighted the importance of uncovering cases that demonstrate survivors’ resilience even under extreme conditions.
Presentation 2. “Those Who Remember and Those Who Erase Memory: The Historical War over the Statue of Peace and the Strategies of History Denialists in Korea and Japan” Na-young Lee (the Korean Council / Chung-Ang University)
Professor Lee analyzed far-right groups in Korea and their transnational characteristics, identifying them as a major obstacle to resolving the Japanese military sexual slavery issue. She documented how the expansion of memory communities centered around the Statue of Peace has triggered violent backlash in the form of “memoricide,” providing concrete international examples.
Discussant: Keiki Kato (Hitotsubashi University)
Professor Kato examined Japan’s political context, noting the institutionalization of history denialism amid the rise of far-right parties, the formation of coalition governments, and the post-Abe era under figures such as Sanae Takaichi. He argued that the “already resolved” narrative, based on the 1965 Korea–Japan Agreement, serves as a core mechanism for denying legal responsibility and warned against responsibility evasion cloaked in human rights discourse.
Session II: An Evolving Future, Building a Society of Responsibility through Memory
The second session featured new generation researchers and activists reflecting on future directions for research and movement-building.
Presentation 1. “Future Tasks for Research and Activism on the Japanese Military ‘Comfort Women’ Issue: From the Perspective of Studying Colonial Korea’s Licensed Prostitution System” Koei Kumano (Hitotsubashi University)
Kumano outlined remaining research challenges, including the relationship between licensed prostitution and the military system, mobilization processes, archival discovery, and movement history. He also identified three key tasks for future activism: countering historical denial, inheriting memory, and critically engaging with sex work discourse.
Presentation 2. “The Meaning and Challenges of the Peace NABI Movement” Eun-a Jang (Peace NABI Network)
Eun-a Jang reflected on the significance of the Peace NABI Network, emphasizing the role of university students as central actors in the movement and reaffirming commitments to sustaining memory and public discourse.
Presentation 3. “Building Archives for the Movement to Resolve the Japanese Military Sexual Slavery Issue” Shin-seok Kim (the Korean Council)
Archivist Shin-seok Kim emphasized that archives extend beyond collections and storage spaces to encompass ongoing practices rooted in listening. He underscored the importance of building archives grounded in survivor-centered practices and concluded the session.
The symposium provided an opportunity to critically reflect on both the achievements and limitations of past research and activism while exploring future directions for practice. The Korean Council reaffirms its commitment to expanding spaces for public dialogue and to deepening practices of listening as it moves forward from the insights shared at this symposium.
On December 18, 2025, a five-hour Korea–Japan symposium titled “35 Years of Research on the Japanese Military Sexual Slavery and the Future of Counter-Memory” was successfully concluded. All 80 prepared seats were filled, and the symposium was marked by sustained engagement, with lively questions following every presentation.The keynote addresses were delivered by Yoshimi Yoshiaki (Fight for Justice / Chuo University) and Changrok Kim (Kyungpook National University).
Keynote 1. “Achievements and Challenges in Research on the Japanese Military ‘Comfort Women’ Issue: Focusing on Newly Discovered Evidence” Yoshimi Yoshiaki (Fight for Justice / Chuo University)
Professor Yoshimi Yoshiaki, who first uncovered documentary evidence of the Japanese military “comfort women” in January 1992 at the Library of the National Institute for Defense Studies and made it public through The Asahi Shimbun, presented findings from his newly published book, Japanese Military Comfort Women. Drawing on decades of research, he emphasized the slavery-like nature of the Japanese military sexual slavery and the Japanese government’s responsibility.
Keynote 2. “The Japanese Military ‘Comfort Women’: What Has the Law Done?” Changrok Kim (Kyungpook National University)
Professor Changrok Kim reviewed the achievements and limitations of legal struggles surrounding the Japanese military sexual slavery issue. Referring to the 2023 damages lawsuit against the Japanese government, he stated that the doctrine of sovereign immunity cannot serve as an absolute shield and suggested the possibility of enforcing judgments against Japanese government assets located in Korea. He strongly urged the Korean government to take decisive action.
Session 1. Reading Intersections and Confrontations in the Japanese Military Sexual Slavery Issue
Professor Sachiko Hitomi examined the Japanese military sexual slavery through the lens of Japan’s modern licensed prostitution system, arguing that both shared slavery-like characteristics at a structural level. At the same time, she emphasized that the licensed prostitution system within Japan and the military sexual slavery system imposed in colonial territories during wartime differed significantly in process and substance.
Soh mentioned the need to go beyond identifying similarities and differences to more clearly elucidate the continuity and connections between the two systems. She also highlighted the importance of uncovering cases that demonstrate survivors’ resilience even under extreme conditions.
Presentation 2. “Those Who Remember and Those Who Erase Memory: The Historical War over the Statue of Peace and the Strategies of History Denialists in Korea and Japan” Na-young Lee (the Korean Council / Chung-Ang University)
Professor Lee analyzed far-right groups in Korea and their transnational characteristics, identifying them as a major obstacle to resolving the Japanese military sexual slavery issue. She documented how the expansion of memory communities centered around the Statue of Peace has triggered violent backlash in the form of “memoricide,” providing concrete international examples.
Professor Kato examined Japan’s political context, noting the institutionalization of history denialism amid the rise of far-right parties, the formation of coalition governments, and the post-Abe era under figures such as Sanae Takaichi. He argued that the “already resolved” narrative, based on the 1965 Korea–Japan Agreement, serves as a core mechanism for denying legal responsibility and warned against responsibility evasion cloaked in human rights discourse.
Session II: An Evolving Future, Building a Society of Responsibility through Memory
The second session featured new generation researchers and activists reflecting on future directions for research and movement-building.
Presentation 1. “Future Tasks for Research and Activism on the Japanese Military ‘Comfort Women’ Issue: From the Perspective of Studying Colonial Korea’s Licensed Prostitution System” Koei Kumano (Hitotsubashi University)
Kumano outlined remaining research challenges, including the relationship between licensed prostitution and the military system, mobilization processes, archival discovery, and movement history. He also identified three key tasks for future activism: countering historical denial, inheriting memory, and critically engaging with sex work discourse.
Eun-a Jang reflected on the significance of the Peace NABI Network, emphasizing the role of university students as central actors in the movement and reaffirming commitments to sustaining memory and public discourse.
Presentation 3. “Building Archives for the Movement to Resolve the Japanese Military Sexual Slavery Issue” Shin-seok Kim (the Korean Council)
Archivist Shin-seok Kim emphasized that archives extend beyond collections and storage spaces to encompass ongoing practices rooted in listening. He underscored the importance of building archives grounded in survivor-centered practices and concluded the session.
The symposium provided an opportunity to critically reflect on both the achievements and limitations of past research and activism while exploring future directions for practice. The Korean Council reaffirms its commitment to expanding spaces for public dialogue and to deepening practices of listening as it moves forward from the insights shared at this symposium.