July 1992
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The Japanese Government makes public findings releasing 127 documents admitting the involvement of the Japanese military in organizing military brothels.
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Aug 1992
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The Comfort Women issue is raised at the United Nations Sub-Commission on the Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities.
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Sep 1992 |
Lola Rosa, the first Filipino surviving Comfort Woman, speaks out in public.
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Dec 1992 |
Washington Coalition for Comfort Women Issues, Inc. is formed.*
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Dec 1992
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An international public hearing is held in Tokyo. Former Comfort Women and forced laborers testify about their experiences. International law experts meet to discuss the relevant international legal issues.
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Feb 1993 |
The Comfort Women issue is once again raised at the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.
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May 1993 |
The Comfort Women issue is once again raised at the United Nations Working Group on Contemporary Forms of Slavery. The Japanese Government once again repeats its stand that all claims have been settled under bilateral treaties and that Japan is not required legally to pay compensation to individual victims.
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8/4/93 |
The Japanese Government issues a carefully-worded statement admitting an unspecified role in the military brothels, yet rejecting legal responsibility for them. Japan continues to contend the brothels were not a "system" and not a war crime nor crime against humanity |
Aug 1993 |
The Comfort Women issue is raised at the United Nations Sub-Commission on the Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities.
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Nov 1993 |
Twenty-four members of US Congress write to Japanese Prime Minister Hosokawa urging his government to investigate the sexual slavery of Comfort Women.
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Apr 1994
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The United Nations Commission of Human Rights appoints Ms Radhika Coomaraswamy as Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, with a special brief to investigate crimes against Comfort Women.
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June 1994
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Large protests on behalf of Comfort Women and other victims on Japanese war crimes confront Japan's emperor Akihito during his visit to San Francisco, Washington, DC, Atlanta, and New York City.
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July 1994 |
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Kozo Igarashi states in a press conference that Japan refuses to pay reparations or individual compensation to Comfort Women victims.
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Aug 1994 |
The United Nations Sub-commission of Human Rights appoints Ms Linda Chaves as Special Rapporteur on Sexual Slavery During Wartime.
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Aug 1994
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Japanese Prime Minister Murayama announces first version of "Private Fund" plan. It stresses job training programs for Japanese companies employing Asian women; yet rejects reparations or individual compensation for Comfort Women.
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Nov 1994
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The International Commission of Jurists concludes in a special report that "It is indisputable that these women were forced, deceived, coerced and abducted to provide sexual services to the Japanese military…[Japan] violated customary norms of international law concerning war crimes, crimes against humanity, slavery and the trafficking in women and children."
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Dec 1994 |
The International Commission of Jurists publishes "Report of a Mission" on Comfort Women: it states that the treaties referred to by the Japanese Government never intended to include claims made by individuals for inhumane treatment.
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Jan 1995
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The Japan Federation of Bar Associations (Japan's professional association for attorneys) concludes that the "Comfort Women system was created and administered by the Japanese State and Imperial Army and implemented by related authorities" and that "immediately after the war the Japanese government issued orders to destroy or burn all evidence…on Comfort Women." The Bar Association recommends that Japanese government pay individual compensation and take other measures.
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March 1995
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United Nations Commission on the Status of Women NGO workshop adopts resolution supporting Comfort Women.
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July 1995 |
The Japanese Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama offers formal personal apologies to Comfort Women.
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July 1995
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The Japanese Government announces establishment of Asian Women's Fund |
July 1995
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The United Nations Commission on Human Rights 47th Session adopts resolution on the Prevention of Crime & the Treatment of Offenders. Japan Times reports that the Justice Ministry is "hiding war crime records" concerning comfort women. The Ministry states that in order to protect the privacy of convicted war criminals, it will refuse to release records of public trials of persons accused of crimes against Comfort Women.
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August 1995
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Japanese Prime Minister Murayama offers what the Washington Post describes as "a near apology" for wartime atrocities against China, Korea, and other Asian nations.
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Sep 1995
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United Nations' Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing adopts resolution supporting Comfort Women, despite intense lobbying effort by Japanese government representatives. |
Jan 1996
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The United Nations Special Rapporteur on violence against women, Ms. Radhika Coomaraswamy, issues detailed report on crimes against Comfort Women to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.
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April 1996 |
The United Nations Commission on Human Rights, bowing to intense pressure from Japanese representatives, adopts "compromise" resolution that "takes note" of the Coomaraswamy report. Observers from NGOs contend that the resolution is calculated to evade Japanese state responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity. |
Aug 1996
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The Special Rapporteur of the United Nations Sub-Commission on Human Rights submits a preliminary report on Sex Slavery During Wartime.
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Aug 1996
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The United Nations Sub-commission on Human Rights adopts a resolution on the Prevention of Discrimination & protection of Minorities urging Japanese government to further cooperate with the UN for solution of the wartime sex slavery issue.
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Dec 1996 |
A immediate News Release by US Department of Justice announcing Suspected Japanese War Criminals Placed on "Watch List" for the first time. The men on the watch list are prohibited from entering the U.S.
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July 1997
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Rep. William Lipinski (D-IL) introduced H.Res.126, urging the Japanese government to extend a formal apology to all victims of Japanese Imperial Army during WWII. |
July 1997
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Members of US Congress (53 as of 3/11/98) headed by Rep. William O. Lipinski introduced H. Res. 126 urging Japanese government to extend a formal apology and pay reparations to all the victims of Japanese war crimes during World War II.
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Nov 1997
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National Assembly, Republic of Korea adopts the new immigration law to prohibit Japanese war criminals entering the Republic of Korea.
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April 1998
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In his surprisingly sharp ruling, Yamaguchi District Court Judge Hideaki Chikashita awarded the former military comfort women the equivalent of $2,300 each.
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June 1998
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WCCW hosted the exhibit; "Comfort Women of WWII: An Indisputable Tragedy" at the Rotunda of Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC. It was supported by congressional caucuses and international human rights organizations.The opening of this exhibit coincided with a visiting delegation of surviving Comfort Woman, as well as an internationally respected historians, traveling to the United States to testify before Congress.
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June 2000 |
Rep. Lane Evans (D-IL) and other thirty House Representatives introduced H. Con. Res. 357, calling on the Japanese government to formally issue an apology and pay reparations to the victims of war crimes committed by the Japanese military during WW II.
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Sep 2000
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Fifteen former Comfort Women from Korea, Taiwan, and the Philippines filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., using the Alien Tort Claims Act of 1787. This is the first time the issue of military sexual slavery was addressed in the U.S. Courts, as well as the first time Japan is named as a defendant.
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Dec 2000
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Tokyo Tribunal held in Tokyo, Japan, to prosecute WWII criminals |
July 2001
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Cong. Lane Evans introduced H. Con. Res. 195 to call upon the Japanese government to formally issue an unambiguous apology; it was followed by a press conference at which former Comfort Women, Kim, Soon Duk gave a statement.
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Aug 2001
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Hearing held for the class action lawsuit filed by the fifteen Comfort Women at the U.S. District of Columbia Circuit Court.
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Sep 2001
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United Nations Human Rights Committee recommends that Japan should ensure that school textbooks and other teaching materials present history in "a fair balanced manner...also victims must be compensated and that they should submit a report of implementing U.N.s recommendations by June, 2006."
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Oct 2001
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Judge Henry Kennedy dismissed the Comfort Women class action law suit filed in Sep. 2000.
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Dec 2001 |
Hague Tribunal (Mock) held in Netherlands; Japan's war criminals were prosecuted.
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May 2002
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The Asian Symposium Demanding Liquidation of Japan's Past held in Pyongyang, North Korea.
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Dec 2002 |
The appellate Hearing on the Comfort Women was held at the D.C. Circuit Court |
June 2003 |
Judges Douglas H. Ginsburg, Judith W. Rogers, and Davis T. Tatel dismissed the appeal of the Comfort Women.
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June 2003
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Cong. Lane Evans (D-IL) introduced H. Con. Res. 226, urging Japan should formally issue a clear and unambiguous apology for the Comfort Women issues.
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July 2004 |
United States Supreme Court issued an order in the Comfort Women case Hwang v. Japan; Petition granted, judgment vacated and case remanded for further consideration in light of Republic of Austria v. Altmann.
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Dec 2004
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A petition was filed with the Supreme Court, and won. When the Supreme Court decided Altmann v. Austria last term (holding the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act applied to all cases, even those arising out of facts that pre-date the statute), it also vacated the Court of Appeals decision in the Comfort Women case. That means the Court of Appeals must reconsider the case. The Court of Appeals recently asked for additional briefing on the impact of the Post-War treaties with Japan, which we provided. We also had a strong amicus from a number of ngos and international law scholars. Its possible that the Court may rule as early as March of this year. The Court can send the case back to the District Court to resume consideration, or dismiss on another grounds. It can't dismiss on the same grounds it relied on the first time, as the Supreme Court rejected its reasoning.
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Court Hearing on Comfort Women at the Federal Court Demo-nstration held to voice the justice on Comfort Women at front of the Federal Court |
May 2005
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The International Conference Demanding Redress from Japan was held in Tokyo, Japan. NGO’s from various countries and Japanese Diet members updated their activities and explored future strategies. |
Jan - Sep 2005
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WCCW jointly with nationwide human right groups, launched a worldwide signature campaign to reject the Japanese bid for a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council. |
Jun 2005
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Court dismissed Comfort Women lawsuit |
Feb 2006
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Cong. Lane Evans (D-IL) and Christopher Smith (R-NJ) introduced H.Res. 759, bipartisan measure, urging the Japanese Government to offer an official apology to the surviving Comfort Women |
Sep 2006
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H.Res. 759, bi-partisan measure was passed by Int’l Foreign Affaires Committee nanimously |
Jan 2007
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Cong. Mike Honda (D-CA) introduced H.R.121, a bipartisan resolution, urging that the Government of Japan should formally acknowledge, apologize, and accept historical responsibility in a clear and unequivocal manner for its Imperial Armed Force’s coercion of young women into sexual slavery, known to the worlds as “comfort women,” during its colonial and war time occupation of Asia and the Pacific Islands from 1930s through the duration of WWII. The original co-sponsors are rep Edward R. Royce (R-CA), Christopher Smith (R-NJ), Diane Watson (D-CA), Davis Wu (D-OR), Phil Hare (D-IL) and delegate Madaleine Bordallo (GU). |
Feb 2007
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The House Foreign Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on the Asia, the Pacific and the Global Environment held a hearing on “Protecting the Human Right of Comfort Women”. The hearing was held at Rm. 2172 Rayburn House Office Bldg., presided by Subcommitte Chair, Del Eni Faleomavaega. The testimony was presented by Rep. Honda, three surviving comfort women (Lee, Yong Soo, Kim, Kun Ja, Jan Ruff O’Herne), Mindy Kotler (Asia Point Policy), and Ok Cha Soh, Ph.D (President of Washington Coalition for Comfort Women Issues, Inc). |
Jun 2007
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House Foreign Affaires Committee passed H.Res. 121 |
Jul 2007
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H. Res.121 passed in the House with unanimous bipartisan support. |