A group called Lila-Pilipina has documented 173 cases of Filipino women who
were allegedly forced to work in wartime brothels by the Japanese occupation
forces in the Philippines.
Forty-five of them-euphemistically called "comfort women"-died without getting
justice, said the group's executive director, Rechilda Extremadura.
While the war has ended decades ago, the women continue to be haunted by their
ordeal, she said.
"There is continuing pain and our objective is to attain justice while some of
them are still alive," Extremadura said.
"Unless Japan gives justice to these women, who must regain their honor and
dignity, the Japanese people and their country would never regain their honor
[and] dignity," she said.
Japan's military seized thousands of women from Korea, the Philippines and
other places during the war and shipped them across Asia to provide sex for
their troops. Historians say up to 200,000 women were involved.
Tokyo has generally refused to pay damages to individuals for the war, and says
the issue was settled between governments in postwar treaties. Japanese courts
have rejected a number of lawsuits brought by former sex slaves.
A private fund organization, set up by Japan in 1995 to compensate sex slaves,
announced earlier this year that it will be dissolved in March 2007.
The Asian Women's Fund, created by the Japanese government but independently
run and funded by private donations, has provided a way for Japan to extend aid
to former sex slaves without offering official government compensation.
AP
