Philadelphia Elects to Install Peace Statue in
Memory of the “Comfort Women”
Right Wing Japanese Denialism Rejected Again!
On October 12 the Philadelphia Arts Commission voted to install a “Comfort Women” statue in memorial to the hundreds of thousands of women and girls who were sexually enslaved by the Japanese Imperial Army during WWII.
In a similar fashion to what happened in San Francisco, this victory wasn’t easily achieved, the Japanese government and other right-wing forces, argued and lobbied vigorously for the city to reject the statue.
Yet once again, the transnational “comfort women” movement prevailed and the “peace girl” will be installed in a new peace village to be constructed later in the year.
CWJC, notes, however, that the debate over the statue only focused on those who had been sexually enslaved from Korea and it focused on the disputes between Korea and Japan. Although the plaque will discuss the general issue of gender violence during wartime, it is important to remember that the women and girls who were victims of sexual violence and sexual slavery came from all the countries that Japan occupied during the Pacific War. This includes hundreds of thousands from China as well as Korea and thousands more from the Philippines, Taiwan and all other territories and nations.
Still, this is a great victory for the forces of truth and CWJC congratulates the Philadelphia Peace Plaza Committee and all those who worked to get the statue approved.