Rally in Tokyo urges Japanese gov't to face up to 'comfort women' issue

Dozens of protesters held a rally in central Tokyo on Wednesday evening, calling on Japanese society to face up to the issue of "comfort women" in World War II and reflect on the history of aggression.

The rally in front of the busy Shinjuku station attracted many people to stop and pay attention to. Protesters held up signs that read "Listen to the voices of the victims!" and "Denying history is unforgivable!" to protest the distortions and downplaying of the "comfort women" issue by right-wing forces in Japan.

Protesters also read the testimonies of several victims of Japanese army's "comfort women" system, recounting their tragic experiences of suffering atrocities.

"The 'comfort women' issue is sexual violence against women and a violation of human rights, but Japan's right wing is still denying and distorting this true history to this day, which is infuriating!" a participant, Chieko Okada, said.

"We hope that through this event, we can raise more people's awareness and understanding and push the Japanese government to change the current situation of ignoring this history," Okada added.

Tadashi Sato, who came from Kawasaki City to attend the rally, told Xinhua, "There are many victims of Japan's aggressive military actions, but the right-wing forces still deny this history as if it had never happened! This is completely wrong."

"The real solution is to face up to the history of aggression, face the victims who were forcibly drafted to become comfort women and laborers, apologize to them and give them compensation," said Sato.

During World War II, more than 700,000 women and girls from the Korean Peninsula, China, Southeast Asia and other countries and regions were forcibly conscripted by Japanese militarists as sex slaves by means of coercion and deception and experienced horrific sexual violence.

The forced recruitment of "comfort women" is a serious crime against humanity committed by Japanese militarism. However, the Japanese government still refuses to face up to this history, and there are forces still attempting to downplay or even deny the cruel crimes committed by the Japanese militarists.