Philippine women raped by Japanese troops during second world war demand compensation
Japan and South Korea announced last week that they had settled their decades-long stand-off over wartime sex slaves, with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe apologising and agreeing to contribute 1 billion yen to help support the victims
A group of elderly Filipino women raped by Japanese troops during the second world war called for compensation from Japan on Wednesday, following Tokyo’s pledge of US$8.3 million for South Korean women forced into Japanese military-run brothels during the war.
The women’s lawyers said they were also exploring the possibility of filing cases with United Nations bodies and holding Philippine President Benigno Aquino liable for allegedly failing to support the case of the women against Japan.
Isabelita Vinuya, the 84-year-old president of Malaya Lolas – a group of Filipino women abducted and raped by Japanese troops in a house in their village – urged the Philippine government to support their demand for justice from Japan.
“We have appealed more than once or twice to our government to help us, support us before Japan so that we can be given justice for the sufferings we went through during the second world war,” Vinuya said at a news conference, adding that many of the women have died without seeing justice.
Is there a difference in the rape of a South Korean and a Filipino woman?
Japan and South Korea announced last week that they had settled their decades-long stand-off over wartime sex slaves, with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe apologising and agreeing to contribute 1 billion yen for a foundation to help support the victims. Historians say tens of thousands of women from around Asia were sent to frontline military brothels to provide sex to Japanese soldiers.