"Comfort Women" from Korea: Japan's World War II Sex Slaves and the Legitimacy of Their Claims for Reparations

Authors

Yvonne Park Hsu

Abstract

During World War II, Japan forced 100,000 to 200,000 women from all over Asia into prostitution to satisfy the sexual cravings of Japanese soldiers. These women thus forced into prostitution were euphemistically called "comfort women". In December 1991, three former Korean comfort women filed suit in the Tokyo District Court, seeking damages for their sufferings. From both legal and moral perspectives, Japan needs to make reparations for violations of these women's fundamental human rights. By meeting the obligations arising from its past abuses of human rights, Japan will take a significant step toward preventing its militant past from re-occurring, fostering protection of human rights in the future and building trust among its neighboring countries.

First Page

97

Recommended Citation

Yvonne P. Hsu, Comment, "Comfort Women" from Korea: Japan's World War II Sex Slaves and the Legitimacy of Their Claims for Reparations, 2 Pac. Rim L & Pol'y J. 97 (1993).
Available at: https://digitalcommons.law.uw.edu/wilj/vol2/iss1/7