Japanese MPs vow help Indonesian 'jugun ianfu'<\/p>\n
Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Four female Japanese members of parliament have arrived in
\nJakarta with the hope of encouraging Indonesian women who were
\nforced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military during World
\nWar II to speak out.<\/p>\n
During their two-day visit to the capital, the women
\nlegislators from different opposition political parties will
\ncheck on the condition of the so-called \"comfort women,\" known as
\n\"jugun ianfu\" in the Japanese language.<\/p>\n
The Japanese MPs believe that reparations for -- and the
\ninvestigation into -- these human rights abuses did not end when
\nJapan paid 13.8 million Japanese yen (about US$102,600) in
\ncompensation to the Indonesian government in 1998 through the
\nAsian Women's Fund organization, which is supported by the
\nJapanese government.<\/p>\n
\"The Japanese government claimed that the matter has been
\nsettled under the Memorandum of Understanding with the Asian
\nWomen's Fund (AWF). But AWF is not representing the government,\"
\nsaid the mission's leader Tomiko Okazaki of the Democratic Party
\nof Japan.<\/p>\n
She also publicized reports voicing doubts that the AWF money,
\ncollected from donors, and ostensibly used to build homes in
\nseveral Indonesian provinces, has ever actually benefited the
\nelderly women.<\/p>\n
Okazaki said that the coalition of parties, which also
\nincludes the Japanese Communist and Social Democratic Parties, is
\nnow pushing for an act on the resolution for issues concerning
\nformer victims of wartime sexual slavery.<\/p>\n
While acknowledging that these efforts have come 60 years too
\nlate, she highlighted that the fact that the act would force the
\nJapanese government atone for its historical misdeeds by
\nconveying an official apology, and providing proper compensation
\nto the victims.<\/p>\n
\"If this act is passed, then the Japanese government must take
\nthe responsibility to order a full investigation into what really
\nhappened during that time,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Haruko Yoshikawa of the Japanese Communist Party said that she
\nwas convinced that the act would succeed because, although the
\nruling coalition holds 56 percent of the seats in the upper
\nhouse, many of the legislators sided with the opponents.<\/p>\n
During World War II, some 200,000 young women from Indonesia,
\nKorea, China, the Philippines, Taiwan and other Asian countries
\nwere taken from their families and forced to serve as sex slaves
\nby Japanese soldiers.<\/p>\n
Many efforts have been made to bring their cause to justice
\nthrough a proper apology and reparations. But Tokyo, to the ire
\nof many of its Asian neighbors, has remained steadfast in its
\nstance that its previous compensations have been sufficient.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian government has never mustered the political
\nwill to fight for the interests of comfort women.<\/p>\n
Jakarta's stance was perhaps best epitomized a few years ago
\nin the words of the former minister of social affairs Inten
\nSuweno, who said that the funds already provided by Japan were
\nsufficient, and that the matter should be dropped, as the issue
\nwas \"a disgrace to the nation.\"<\/p>\n
The only trial against the Japanese government ever held here
\ntook place in 1944, but it was for jugun ianfu violations under
\nthe aegis of the Dutch colonial administration.<\/p>\n
The Foundation of Former Indonesian Japanese Militia (Heiho)
\nand Jugun Ianfu registered 17,000 comfort women across the
\ncountry, although the Ministry of Social Affairs set the number
\nat only 10,000.<\/p>\n
The Japanese legislators were scheduled to meet with several
\ntop state officials on Wednesday for further talks.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/japanese-mps-vow-help-indonesian-jugun-ianfu-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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