Solidarity Conference 2003

Asian Solidarity Conference for the Issue of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan

6th Conference April 26, 2003

From 23-26 April 2003, we gathered for the 6th Asian Solidarity Conference for the issue of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan to enforce the recommendations of international human rights communities such as the UN Commission on Human Rights and the Judgement of 2000 Women's International War Crime Tribunal on Japan's Military Sexual Slavery.

Since the terror on 11 September 2001, the world is seeing that the war is being justified and the international law is becoming nominal. We deeply regret the fact that the Korean and Japanese governments have participated in the war in Iraq.

Moreover, since the North Korea – Japan summit of 17 September 2002, the issue of North Korean kidnapping of the Japanese people has resulted in the right wing campaign against North Koreans and legalization of the army dispatch for national defense.

Under these circumstances, Japan continues to deny its legal responsibility and intends to put an end to the issue of Military Sexual Slavery by closing the Asian Women’s Fund, ignoring the recommendations from the UN to provide legal compensation to the victims of the Military Sexual Slavery.

At the end of March 2003, the Supreme Court of Japan not only rejected all the court appeals about the six cases of postwar reparations, but also dismissed the submission of any appeals. This included the Simonoseki case, which has formerly given a partial victory for the plaintiffs of the Japanese Military Sexual Slavery.

At this critical moment, keeping in our minds the appeals of the survivors that the same crimes should not be repeated, we came up with the following resolutions.

1. We will utilize the judgement of the Women’s International War Crimes Tribunal on Japanese Military Sexual Slavery as well as the recommendations from the UN and other International Communities in realizing formal apology and legal reparation to the victims by the Japanese government.
a. We will continue our activities through the UN Human Rights mechanisms, such as the UN Commission on Human Rights and its Sub-Commission, CEDAW and ILO.
b. We will mobilize public support for the bill “Promotion of Resolution for Issues Concerning Victims of Wartime Sexual Coercion Act”, which was proposed to the Japanese Diet and for which resolutions of support were passed at the Korean National Assembly and the Taiwanese Congress.
c. We will work on the governments of the victimized countries so that they demand the Japanese government to resolve the ‘comfort women’ issue. In particular, at the time of Korean President Roh’s visit to Japan in June, we will request him to raise the issue of legal reparation by Japan to the victims of the Japanese military sexual slavery and the resolution of the issue of history text books.
d. We will strengthen our international solidarity with organizations working for women’s rights, human rights, and labor rights.
e. We will continue to support and make linkage with the lawsuits on the Japanese Military Sexual Slavery.

2. We will continue our research into the truth of the Military Sexual Slavery by Japan and expand our activities for education in history, human rights, and peace.
a. For a comprehensive fact-finding on the Military Sexual Slavery by Japan, we will continue our investigation and share and exchange the resources and information.
b. To build a peaceful world without violence, we will establish a resource center cum memorial museum on the Military Sexual Slavery by Japan. This museum will contain all the records, documents, and audio-visual materials regarding the issue of military sexual slavery by Japan.
c. We will correct the history textbooks and historical supplements so that the issue of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan is accurately described and the next generation receives accurate historical education.
d. We will strongly support the activities of the survivor witnesses and do our best to promote their human rights and increase their welfare, including alleviating their trauma.
e. We will provide wider opportunities of participation for younger generations working on the issue of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan.

3. We oppose militarization and demand nonviolent solutions to all global conflicts.
a. We will act in solidarity with all victims of violence to advocate the elimination of violence against women.
b. To ensure peace and stability in North East Asia, we oppose the use of arms and demand peaceful resolutions for any conflicts. For this purpose, we will work together in solidarity with other women and people of the world.