Compensate them
They are only 46 strong now, though they used to number in the thousands, perhaps tens of thousands. “They” are Korean women in their 80s and 90s bowed by the passing of time and the physical and emotional wounds they suffered at the hands of Japanese soldiers as sex slaves, or “comfort women” as they were euphemistically called, during the Second World War.
Now their government has agreed to a “final” apology to the women from Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, accompanied by $11.5 million to create a foundation to provide support for the victims. For all political purposes the matter — which had been a central grievance between the two countries — is now over.
But it isn’t for the women. “Isn’t it natural to make legal compensation if they commit a crime?” asked former comfort woman Lee Yong-su, 88. She is right. Japan has successfully ducked the longrunning issue of compensation for the individuals with its offer of a foundation, sacrificing human rights for political expediency.
That hasn’t stopped the two parties and the U.S. from cheering on the agreement. Commentators boast it will reverse decades of animosity between the two democracies, trade partners, and U.S. allies and will bolster U.S. efforts to deal with a rising China and a nuclear-armed North Korea.
All of this is good. But it’s not good that Japan will be able to continue to ignore its responsibility to the women directly affected. In a briefing with reporters, Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida emphasized the money is not compensation, but “a project to relieve emotional scars and provide healing for the victims.”
The only thing that could remotely begin to do that is a full acknowledgement with compensation. Anything less is face-saving at the expense of women whose lives have been ruined with emotional and physical wounds that even Japan acknowledges are “incurable.”
For its part, South Korea may have felt this was the best deal it could get as the elderly former comfort women die off. But for Japan, sorry is not enough. Recognition and compensation is in order. Japan should face up to its responsibility to these women and combine a sincere apology with direct compensation. It’s not too late for those 46 women.