Harvard Law School Victimized the Korean Sex Slaves
In his recent paper entitled "Contracting for Sex in the Pacific War" and accompanying editorial “Recovering the Truth about the Comfort Women”, Professor J. Mark Ramseyer, the Mitsubishi Professor of Japanese Legal Studies at Harvard Law School describes the forced sexual slavery organized by Japan during World War II as a consenting, contractual process.
Ramseyer’s arguments are factually inaccurate and misleading. He also ignores expansive scholarship done by international organizations, such as the United Nations and Amnesty International, which has conclusively found that the “comfort women” were coerced, kidnapped, or forced by the Japanese government. After its independent inquiry, the Japanese government itself acknowledged this as part of the Kono Statement that “the then Japanese military was, directly or indirectly, involved in the establishment and management of comfort stations.”
In Hwang Geum Joo et al v. Japan (172 F. Supp. 2d 67, D.D.C. 2001), the US District Court Judge Kenney wrote "Not until 1992 did the Japanese government officially acknowledge some involvement in the operation of comfort stations. Since that time several officials have expressed their apologies for Japan's involvement." This U.S. Judge recognized Japan's involvement in “comfort stations” in his judgment officially.
Professor Ramseyer and Harvard Law School maliciously erased the crimes against humanity and war crimes by Japan against victims of sexual slavery during the World War II. Up to 200,000 women and girls were forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military, from not only Korea, but also China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Netherlands, East Timor, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, and Burma.
I stand in solidarity with these victims who have yet to receive full reparations and a proper, official apology from the Japanese government. I strongly condemn all actions that inflict pain and suffering and insult to these victims, who bear witness to the atrocities committed by the Imperial Japanese Army throughout Asia.
I also condemn Harvard Law School, Professor Ramseyer and the International Review of Law and Economics. They have become Accessories After The Fact to the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes that Japan perpetrated upon "comfort women." By denying the criminal responsibilities of the Imperial Japanese Army, they have victimized these Sex Slaves all over again.
University of Illinois College of Law Professor Francis A. Boyle is a Magna Cum Laude Graduate of Harvard Law School and served as Chair of the Harvard Law School Fund Campaign for Greater Illinois at the request of Harvard Law School.
Francis A. Boyle
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