Solidarity Conference 2014

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Asian Solidarity Conference for the Issue of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan
"Resolution" als pdf
"Recommendations" als pdf

12th Conference 1 June 2014 Tokyo

Resolution of the 12th Asian Solidarity Conference on the Issue of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan

The 12th Asian Solidarity Conference on the Issue of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan was organized in Tokyo, Japan between May 31 – June 3, 2014, based on the theme “We will not permit the reckless actions of the Abe Administration! The world seeks resolution to the “Comfort Women” issue!” Many people wishing for resolution of this issue gathered at this conference, including survivors and their families, and supporting organizations and individuals from Korea, the Philippines, China, Taiwan, Timor-Leste, Indonesia, the Netherlands and Japan.

The second Abe administration, which was formed at the end of 2012, is continuing reckless acts with the aim of once again making Japan a country which can wage war, passing the Special Secrecy Law, strengthening its intervention into education and the media, and making possible use of the right to collective self-defence through reinterpretation and revision of the Japanese Constitution. In regards to the “comfort women” / sexual slavery issue, it is attempting to turn back history, pursuing reconsideration of the process leading to the Kono Statement and announcing this process at the Diet, while at the same time saying that it will maintain the statement and not reexamine it.

Resolution as soon as possible is required, however without including the survivors this cannot be a real resolution. At this conference, we have heard the testimonies and demands of the survivors. Based on this, together with the supporting organizations and individuals from each country, we debated the kind of resolution which would be acceptable to the survivors. This was consolidated as recommendations officially submitted to the Government of Japan entitled “For Resolution of the Japanese Military “Comfort Women” Issue.” We also included a range of supporting materials as historical evidence of these testimonies, together with the enormous amount of historical materials which have been uncovered since the announcement of the Kono Statement in 1993. Furthermore, we confirmed to continue to make all efforts for swift resolution of the Japanese military “comfort women” issue in our own countries and together in acts of international solidarity.

It is now 23 years since Kim Hak-sun of Korea first came out on August 14, 1991 as a former “comfort woman,” followed by other survivors throughout the world also coming out to tell the facts and call upon the Japanese Government to resolve this issue. 2015 will be a particularly important year, marking 70 years since the end of World War II and 20 years since the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing. The Japanese Government now has the duty to respond immediately to the voices calling for justice for the aging survivors, as well as voices from the international community calling for Japan to take legal responsibility through an apology and compensation for the victims.

We declare to take the following actions together with the surviving women, who wish to pass on a peaceful world free from all forms of sexual violence and war to the next generation.

Our demands:

  • We call on the Japanese Government to support and swiftly realize the recommendations adopted by this conference.
  • We strongly call upon the Japanese Government to immediately retract the erroneous 2007 Written Statement (Cabinet Decision).
  • The Japanese Government must comply with recommendations made by United Nations bodies, and especially must officially refute any violent statements or acts which dishonor the victims.
  • Strengthen activities to record and pass on the “comfort women” issue, including reference in textbooks.


Our pledge:

  • We will share information about the current situation of the aging victims, and strengthen support for their lives and struggle.
  • We will carry out activities in each country on August 14 as the Japanese Military “Comfort Women” Memorial Day, and campaign to make this an official UN Memorial Day.
  • We will take actions in each country, and through mutual support, call on respective governments to undertake active diplomatic and international activities for resolution of the Japanese military “comfort women” issue.
  • To avoid reoccurrence of this violence, we will oppose all policies of the Japanese government which attempt to once again make Japan a country which wages war.



Tokyo, June 1, 2014
Participants in the 12th Asian Solidarity Conference for the issue of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan

 

Recommendations to the Government of Japan for Resolution of the Japanese Military “Comfort Women” Issue

The international community is now urging the Japanese government to resolve the Japanese military “comfort women” issue, a grave violation of human rights against women. Resolution of this issue is the first step towards normalization of relations with neighboring countries, and a necessary foundation in order to contribute to world peace. Furthermore, the first step towards “resolution” can only be taken after presentation of a proposal which can be accepted by the survivors themselves.

What then, would be an acceptable proposal to the survivors? An apology is one of the important elements of the resolution sought by the survivors. The key issue here is for the perpetrating country to accurately recognize who conducted which kind of violating acts, to acknowledge responsibility, to clearly and unambiguously express this apology both domestically and internationally, and take continuing measures to make it credible and sincere. Only then will the survivors be able to accept it as a genuine apology.

Now that the survivors, who have been forced to continue to suffer both physically and mentally in
the post-war period without recovery, are becoming older, the time remaining for Japan to resolve this issue is short. We, the victims and supporters who participated in the 12th Asian Solidarity Conference, demand that the Japanese government preserve and further develop the “Kono Statement” and, upon recognizing the following points, take the necessary measures.

In order to resolve the Japanese military "comfort women" (sexual slavery) issue, the Japanese Government should:

Recognize the following facts and responsibilities:

  • That the Japanese Government and Military proposed, established, managed and controlled military facilities known as “comfort stations”.
  • That the women were forced to become “comfort women / sexual slaves” against their will, and were kept in coercive circumstances in the “comfort stations” etc.
  • That there were various forms of victimization of women from the colonies, occupied areas and Japan who suffered sexual violence by the Japanese military, that the scale of victimization was extensive, and that the suffering continues today.
  • That it was a serious violation of human rights which contravened a variety of both domestic Japanese as well as international laws of the time.


Take the following measures for reparation:

  • ◦ Apologize to the individual victims in a manner that is clear, official, and can not be overturned.
  • ◦ Make compensation to victims as proof of apology
  • ◦ Accounting of the truth:
    • ▪ full disclosure of all documents possessed by the Japanese Government
    • ▪ further investigation of documents within Japan and internationally
    • ▪ hearings of survivors and other related persons within Japan and internationally
  • ◦ Measures to prevent further occurrence:
    • ▪ Implementation of school and social education including references in textbooks used in compulsory education
    • ▪ Implement commemorative activities
    • ▪ Prohibit statements by public figures based on incorrect historical recognition, and clearly and officially rebut similar kinds of statements etc.


June 2, 2014

12th Asian Solidarity Conference on the Issue of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan