Didn't realise there were only 16 still alive. "Japan has been ordered to pay $90,000 each to twelve South Korean women who were held as sex slaves during World War II in a landmark ruling on Friday. The ruling in a South Korean court, that's set to rekindle animosities between the Asian neighbors, ordered Japan to financially compensate the women who were forced to work as sex slaves for Japanese troops. Known as 'comfort women', they were raped and sexually assaulted by up to 50 Japanese soldiers a day during the second world war and left with venereal diseases, unwanted pregnancies and 'big mental scars' in the women's lives. The court said Japan's mobilization of these women as sexual slaves was 'a crime against humanity.' The Seoul Central District Court ordered the Japanese government to give 100 million ($91,360) each to the 12 aging women who filed the lawsuits in 2013 for their wartime sexual slavery. Japan immediately protested the ruling, maintaining that all wartime compensation issues were resolved under a 1965 treaty that restored their diplomatic ties."
I recall reading in WW1 a French soldier waiting in line for an hour. The Germans had bordell buses in ww2 to stop venereal diseases. Men are men.
Even though this article is older, it's enlightening. I was astonished to learn of the role of the US in extending the use of these women. The fact that the Japanese government destroyed many records is also important to note The Brutal History of Japan’s ‘Comfort Women’
If the Japanese defense (treaty of '65) holds true, then the victims were sold down the toilet. That happened to our guys who were PoWs. They had to sign a non-disclosure agreement which included waiver of any liability for the Japanese soldiers/government.
It hasn't held true. In 2015, Japan and South Korea agreed the Japan would issue an apology and set up a compensation fund, which Japan did. It was agreed by the two that this would be the last of the matter. Only some were forced to sign a nondisclosure form, mostly pertaining to the infamous Japanese UNIT 731. Likely because the US was now using the members and research for their own ends.
The discussion strayed somewhat. Whereas sex-for-money existed in nearly all points in history, we're talking about young girls, many not yet 18, forced into slavery by the Japanese occupation forces. The tricky thing about this is lack of official evidence. But testimonies of women from China, Korea, Philippines, Indonesia and Singapore seemed consistent. And many of those women couldn't have been older that 18 at the time in question.
You're right. These women were enslaved by the Japanese. Quite different than sex for money. They really had no choice. Whatever money they were awarded doesn't compensate for the privation they suffered.
