“Comfort Women” Justice Coalition mourns the passing of Jeff Adachi, honorary co-chair of “Comfort Women” Justice Coalition and staunch supporter of the global “comfort women” movement.

Judges Lillian Sing, Ret. and Julie Tang, Ret. co-chairs of the “Comfort Women” Justice Coalition (CWJC) approached the late Public Defender Jeff Adachi to become honorary co-chair of CWJC in 2015. As the highest ranking Japanese-American elected official in San Francisco, his support was extremely important to the movement, wrongly attacked by some as ‘Japan bashing.’   In a typical Jeff Adachi way, he agreed immediately and enthusiastically.  Thereafter he appeared in many of our events and spoke publicly and strongly in support of the hundreds of thousands of “comfort women” victims who were sexually enslaved by the Japanese Imperial Army during WW2 in Asia.  Judges Sing and Tang remember vividly how Jeff was under a lot of pressure from the Japanese right-wing government to withdraw his support from the “Comfort Women” Memorial.  He never wavered.  He stuck to his commitment.   He assured us that he was there all the way, and even reminded us that it was the only right thing to do.

Mr. Adachi will be remembered for many good things he did for San Francisco.  But we, members of the “Comfort Women” Justice Coalition, will remember him forever for his courage to publicly speak the truth and pursue justice for the “comfort women” victims of WW2 in Asia and all victims of sexual violence.  Because of his courage and leadership, the “Comfort Women” Memorial remains standing tall and proud.