Activists in Taipei demand apology for comfort women
Samuel Hui 2013-08-14 16:24
The demonstration outside the Interchange Association, Japan's representative office in Taiwan. (Photo/Samuel Hui)
Activists gathered outside the Interchange Association of Japan in Taipei on Wednesday to demand an apology from the Japanese government on behalf of the women who were forced into sexual slavery during World War II.
Similar protests are also taking place in various countries including Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Germany and the United States. The rally held in Taipei was organized by Taipei Women's Rescue Foundation in the morning of Aug. 14, which activists have designated Comfort Women Day. Ahma's Paper Plane, an organization formed by students of National Taiwan University in Taipei also took part in the protest.
The Taipei Women's Rescue Foundation claims more than 2,000 women from Taiwan were forced to work in military brothels by the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. They were among hundreds of thousands of women, mainly from China, Korea and Southeast Asia, who were forced to serve as comfort women. Only six of the women are still alive in Taiwan. Tang Shu-hua, the executive director of the Taipei Women's Rescue Foundation, said the oldest living former comfort woman in Taiwan is currently 96 years old. Tang said the Japanese government must make a formal apology to these victims of the war while they are still alive.
The rally especially targeted right-wing Japanese politicians including Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, his deputy Taro Aso, former Tokyo governor Shintaro Ishihara and Osaka mayor Toru Hashimoto who have in the past downplayed, denied or even defended the army's wartime use of comfort women. A representative of the Interchange Association of Japan accepted a letter of protest from the activists.
