Publications

Books

2011

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This book examins and investigates the prosecution and defense evidence documents submitted in court regarding how various forms of sexual violence, including "comfort women," were prosecuted and factually determined, and how judgments were made against the defendants in the International Military Tribunal for the Far East (commonly known as the Tokyo Trials).

Articles

2023

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Many feminist scholars have explored the causes and potential solutions of sexual violence against women in conflict, yet some have pointed out the “side effects” of these studies. This article aims to revisit the study of sexual violence against women in conflict by reviewing previous studies on this issue.

This article describes the four main points of the studies which considered existing studies on sexual violence against women in conflict. First, claiming that rape is a weapon of war and requiring protection of women without considering the causes of women’s vulnerabilities can perpetuate and reinforce gender norms that women should be protected which can contribute to violence against women as a symbol of subjection to an enemy. Second, recent studies have portrayed violence against women in conflict as a characteristic of the “barbaric” third world. Third, examining the causes of the sexual violence against women in conflict, solely focusing on gender, without acknowledging multiple factors could position the violence as inevitable or “natural”. Lastly, focusing on only female suffering can render male victims of sexual violence in conflict invisible.

In order to avoid these problems in the study of sexual violence against women in conflict, this article argues that we must analyze power relationships pertaining to gender, sexuality, ethnicity, religion, and global economic structure surrounding survivors and pay careful attention to power dynamics between survivors and researchers.

2022

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This article attempts to reframe the issue of "comfort women" in the Japanese military from the perspective of "security provisioning of rape in conflict." What became apparent from this perspective is the situation surrounding the "comfort women" issue, which runs counter to the trend of security provisioning of rape in conflict. The movement to address the issue of Japanese military "comfort women" has contributed to the formation of international norms aimed at eradicating rape in conflict. This involves the strategies and efforts of those urging the Japanese government to address the issue by appealing to the international community about the universal aspect of the Japanese military "comfort women" system, namely the serious violation of women's rights. However, a paradoxical situation has emerged where the norms surrounding rape developed in this process have not been able to transform the attitude of the Japanese government. This highlights the limitations and contradictions in the security provisioning of rape in conflict.

2017

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The study examines how the issue of 'comfort women' as a form of sexual violence against women in conflict was discussed during the drafting process of Japan's National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security, which aims to promote women's participation in decision-making on security policies and peacebuilding. The study primarily analyzes meeting minutes between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and civil society to understand why the issue was omitted from the action plan.

2016

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The “comfort women” survivors have demanded an official apology and national compensation from the Japanese government for damages resulting from forced sexual slavery associated with the Imperial Japanese Army from the 1990s. The Japanese government established the Asian Women’ s Fund (AWF), which is based on donations from Japanese citizens rather than compensation from the government. Most survivors stated that the AWF would not restore their dignity. A total of 364 “comfort women,” however, accepted the project. Why?

The purpose of this study is to analyze the various approaches that were adopted to resolve this issue, as well as the survivors’ responses to the AWF. The study finds that the decision whether or not to receive the fund depended on each survivor=s situation, which varied by country, society, family relations, and actual damage. That is to say, not all decisions were purely based on individual will. The results of this study show that not only the survivors but also their families suffer the aftereffects of the survivors’ experiences as “comfort women.” The survivors cannot by themselves eliminate their struggles that stemmed from this experience. This is one reason why the survivors have demanded an official apology from the Japanese government. Based on these findings, this study suggests that an atonement to reestablish social relations surrounding these women by restoring their honor is necessary, rather than trivializing the issue of the “comfort women” as simply personal.

2015

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The ”comfort women” survivors have demanded official apology and national compensation by the Japanese government for the damage from being forced into sexual slavery for the Imperial Japanese Army since the 1990s. However, they has not realized ever. 

The purpose of this study is to analyze approaches to resolve this issue, examining the reasons why the Japanese government has failed, focusing on activities of the Asian Women’s Fund (AWF) which worked from 1995 to 2007 to offer the survivors donation from Japanese citizens instead of national compensation. 

By analyzing response of the survivors to the AWF, this study found that the decision whether or not to receive it depended on each survivor's situation with which varied by country, society, family relations, or damage situation when they were forced to be “comfort women” during a war.  That is to say, all the women did not decided it on their own will. Based on these findings, this study suggests that the needed approaches are to redress which means compensation by acknowledging injustice that the survivors had experienced, to formulate policies based on their needs, to involve them in the policy process, and to consider their continued suffering up until today from the perspective of post-colonialism.

2012

<Abstract>

The ”comfort women” survivors have demanded official apology and national compensation by the Japanese government for the damage from being forced into sexual slavery for the Imperial Japanese Army since the 1990s. However, they has not realized ever. 

The purpose of this study is to analyze approaches to resolve this issue, examining the reasons why the Japanese government has failed, focusing on activities of the Asian Women’s Fund (AWF) which worked from 1995 to 2007 to offer the survivors donation from Japanese citizens instead of national compensation. 

By analyzing response of the survivors to the AWF, this study found that the decision whether or not to receive it depended on each survivor's situation with which varied by country, society, family relations, or damage situation when they were forced to be “comfort women” during a war.  That is to say, all the women did not decided it on their own will. Based on these findings, this study suggests that the needed approaches are to redress which means compensation by acknowledging injustice that the survivors had experienced, to formulate policies based on their needs, to involve them in the policy process, and to consider their continued suffering up until today from the perspective of post-colonialism.

2008

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The“ comfort women” issue which emerged in the 1990s has become an international issue due to increased U.S. interest since January 2007. What has drawn attention to the“ comfort women” issue beyond the related countries or the Asian region? The reason is not only due to the Japanese governmental response, but also to the universal nature of the issue as violence against women. 

The purpose of this paper is to clarify problems on the realization of gender justice for victims based on violence against women by the state, including former“ comfort women”, by analyzing the“ comfort women” issue from the perspective of the Japanese political stance on the issue of compensation since World War II and the transformation of the concept of human rights in international society.

Reviews

2022


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