The Statement by the Participants and Global Supporters
of the 1000th Continuous Wednesday Demonstration
for the Resolution of the Wartime Japanese Military's
"Comfort Women" Issue

December 14, 2011

Since January 8, 1992 – every Wednesday for twenty years in a row -- voices and calls demanding the resolution of the wartime Japanese military's "comfort women" issue have been heard strongly in front of the Japanese embassy in Seoul, Korea. That first protest has continued to one thousand protests and struggles, as we have revealed to the world the wartime crimes of the Japanese military's sexual slavery system and have demanded restoration of human rights and justice to the victims.

The one thousand Wednesdays represent the courage of victims in denouncing war crimes, as well as a history of hope for the world's peace advocates who have shown strong solidarity. They also represent persistence that has not stopped against any kind of hardship. But as non-response from the Japanese embassy has shown, in addition to the current reality of many women's struggles amidst violence of war, our voices and calls need to go forward strongly furthermore.

It is a shame for humanities to see the reality of not seeing legal resolution of this issue and prosecution of perpetuators of war crimes who have abused women's bodies as a tool of war. The history records Japan as the worst war crime country which has not acknowledged its shameful record during the World War II.