Filipina Comfort Women Largely Ignored by Japanese Emperor's Philippine State Visit
The Filipina victims of sexual slavery were not acknowledged during Emperor Akihito's visit to the Philippines last week. Filipina comfort women have been demanding recognition and justice from the Japanese government for the sexual exploitation and violence they suffered at the hands of Japanese soliders during WWII. There are about 70 Filipina comfort women still living, many of whom are over 80 years old. Their resolve and fight for justice remains unwavering after 60 years of struggle. News story from The New York Times.
DENOUNCED: Japan and South Korea Agreement to Reconcile Dispute Over Comfort Women During WWII
Healing at last? More than 70 years after the end of World War II, South Korea and Japan reached a landmark agreement last Monday to resolve their dispute over Korean women who were forced to serve as sex slaves for Japan’s Imperial Army. Recently, hundreds of South Korean protesters joined two surviving comfort women to denounce the agreement. The remaining survivors were not consulted by South Korean officials as they brokered an agreement with Japan. It is still unclear whether the comfort women will actually receive the compensation money. The 70 former comfort women in the Philippines, China, Indonesia, and North Korea, have yet to receive any financial compensation nor a formal apology from the Japanese government. News story from New York Times.
CALLING Tokyo: June 21 "DISRUPT" Book Reading @ Philippine Embassy Tokyo
H.E. Philippine Ambassador to Japan, Manuel M. Lopez will keynote the DISRUPT book reading at the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo. Excerpts from the book will be read by leaders in their own fields in Japan who share similar backgrounds and experiences as the authors.