Amnesty International supports international petition for justice for “comfort women”

Amnesty International supports international petition for justice for “comfort women”

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

PUBLIC STATEMENT


Amnesty International takes the opportunity of International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women to join with activists in Japan to call on the government of Japan to provide justice for the survivors of Japan’s World War II military sexual slavery system.


Today, a petition of around 620,000 signatures signed by people from Korea, Japan, the Philippines and other countries has been presented to the Prime Minister’s Office. The petition calls on the government of Japan to draft and pass a bill without delay, seeking a comprehensive resolution to the "comfort women" issue. Amnesty International adds its voice to this call.


In May, Navanethem Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights visited Japan and met former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama. She encouraged the government of Japan to pursue its commitment to human rights reforms, including the establishment of an independent national human rights institution and the ratification of additional complaints procedures under international treaties. She also raised specifically the need for a solution for the surviving women in a way that meets their expectations. Read More