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When histories become stories, and 'comfort women' discomforts women

chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2021-09-24 20:02

A woman visits the exhibition of the Crimes of Japanese "Comfort Women" System at the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing, capital of East China's Jiangsu province, Sept 18, 2021. [Photo/Xinhua]

Mao Yinmei's eyes remained tightly closed with tears, half in sorrow and half in reminiscence, murmuring "いらっしゃいませ, どうぞ (Welcome, please sit down)", unconsciously perhaps. Faced with the interviewer's camera, she didn't want to talk much about her traumatic past, but the memory just automatically flashed back.

Mao was one of the 200,000+ "comfort women", a euphemism of the Japanese Government for forcefully conscripted military sex slaves during Japan's invasions in WWII. They were taken from households and thrown into concentration camps, where the girls were tormented by rape by turns, heavy labor and abuses day and night. Many of these flower-like young lives withered in the camps, some handicapped, some deprived of the chance to be a proud mother. These facts were deeply etched in history, as the forced conscription of "comfort women" put women in catastrophic discomfort.

However, just on September 8th, Japanese Government announced that five textbook publishing companies submitted applications to remove or change the terms of "military comfort women" and "forced conscription" concerning the "comfort women" issue during WWII. It was by no means the first time for Japan to ignore these facts. From politicians who asserted that comfort women didn't exist to people with hidden motives who shouted that "they were telling lies for money", it has become a trend for Japan to deny or whitewash its crimes in WWII, and history textbooks have become a new battlefield.

Their intent is crystal clear. On August 14th, 2021, the 9th International Comfort Women's Day, the Comfort Women Research Center at Shanghai Normal University announced that only 14 "comfort women" were alive. When the victims gradually all perished in the river of time, the crimes against the innocent women would be burned into ashes. When histories become stories told to the next generation, those perpetrators no longer need to deal with the comfort women issue or be constrained by the nation's pacifist constitution, eventually managing to dress themselves as war victims instead of criminals.

This is why we are protesting over and over again whenever denials of these evil-doings come to the surface. We are not endorsed by the sufferers to forgive, nor are we endorsed by history to forget. A day will eventually come when the number of these victims alive becomes a flat zero, but we cannot allow that day to become a time for celebration for the Japanese right-wings to shout out loud -- "can we please find a witness to prove it?".

The meaning of history is, for one thing, to honestly document what our ancestors have done, and for another, to remind the newcomers of the importance of avoiding falling into the same trap again. Years have passed, yet it still remains doubtful whether Japan has actually learned something from the dark side of its past. Cherishing peace and embracing a friendly relationship with the neighboring countries,as parroted by Japanese politicians, seem to have become a shameful slogan.

Like it or not, the denial of history has a growing domestic market in Japan. As Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is about to step down from the spot of majority party president, the president contenders are all either boosting the so-called China threat, proposing to increase military budget, or even vowing to visit the notorious Yasukuni Shrine. Their claims reflect not only their political agenda, but more importantly, the demand of their constituency to potentially re-enjoy their previous invasive mirage.

No matter how reluctant they might be to admit their wrongdoings, history will keep the crimes in track and eventually bring those responsible to justice. They should listen to the comfort women how terrible it was to have wars and escalation of tension.

"I hope China and Japan can make peace with each other. No more wars. Once the war began, a lot of people would die", said Chen Lintao, another camp survivor. These women will all perish sooner or later, but their voices should never vanish in a world that values justice and truth.

Xin Ping is a commentator on international affairs, writing regularly for China Daily, Global Times, CGTN etc.

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