The original statement in Japanese language follows below.

 

We support the SF Proposed Resolution of condemnation of Prof Ramseyer’s “historical revisionist” article



 

Thank you for this opportunity to submit our comment to you today.

 


The movement to resolve the long-standing Japanese military “Comfort Women” Issue started with the courageous “coming-out” of the victims that revealed their painful truths to the world, and since then, over the next three decades, we have continually worked to clarify the truth of our country’s history, and sought accountability from our own Japanese government. We are all citizens of Japan, who have chosen to stand in solidarity with, and alongside, the victim survivors in their respective countries, to continue building on this legacy of our movement.

 



In the course of this movement, we encountered Japan’s official denial of its wartime atrocities, and historical revisionists, all of whose narratives often insulted and denigrated the victim women ruthlessly. These proved to be some of the most formidable obstacle we ever experienced. The insistence they repeat have no factual basis or credible evidence, as reaffirmed by renowned scholars and historians world-wide, and yet, they continue to disseminate their false narratives and continue to expand their influence throughout countries in the West such as the United States, and Korea, among other places. It is in this context that we now find the published article by J. M. Ramseyer, professor of Harvard Law School, and we were shocked and left speechless that such a piece of propaganda made it to publication in a peer-reviewed academic journal!

 



Right now, we are confronted with the most urgent challenge to halt further legitimation of harmful, illegitimate claims of Japan’s history that historical revisionists continue to spread throughout the world. Your support of the proposed Resolution today will help advance the important goal of ensuring this history is never repeated, at this critical time. As people of Japan who seek to restore the dignity of victims of such unspeakable sexual violence, as an important step towards restoring justice, we sincerely welcome and applaud your adoption of this important proposed Resolution. We trust that such courageous acts you are about to demonstrate to the world will cause a powerful ripple effect and help our movement across borders and oceans, further solidifying the prospect of protecting the dignity of all women.

 

 

 

Respectfully,

 

Co-Representative Ching-ja Yang

Co-Representative Yoko Shiba

 

On behalf of Japan Nationwide Action Network for the Resolution of the Japanese Military “Comfort Women” Issue

 

April 6, 2021 Tokyo, Japan

Email：i_zenkokukoudou@yahoo.co.jp

 



 

 

ハーバード大ラムザイヤー教授の「歴史修正主義」記事を糾弾する

サンフランシスコ市議会決議を支持します。

 

日本における日本軍「慰安婦」問題解決運動は被害者の名のり出に触発されてスタートし、30年間にわたって歴史の事実を明らかにし、日本国家の責任を問うてきました。私たちはその流れを継いで各国被害者と共に取り組んできた日本の市民です。

解決運動の過程で日本の歴史修正主義者たちによる歴史否定と、被害者を侮辱する言動は大きな障壁でした。彼らの根拠のないでたらめな主張はすでに歴史研究者らによって論破されてきたにもかかわらず、アメリカや韓国など海外でも同様の主張を繰り返し、影響力を拡げています。今回のハーバード大学ジョン・マーク・ラムザイヤー教授によって書かれた論文もまさにその中のひとつで、これが学術誌に掲載されたことに私たちは大きな衝撃を受けました。

いま、これ以上彼らの主張・行為を世界に拡散させないための国境を越えた連携が求められています。今回のサンフランシスコ市議会による決議案の可決はその大きな一歩となります。

日本の市民として心より歓迎し、このような動きが世界各地に拡がり、正義が回復され、被害者の尊厳が守られることを心より願っています。

 

2021年4月6日

 

日本軍「慰安婦」問題解決全国行動

Email：i_zenkokukoudou@yahoo.co.jp

HP:http://restoringhonor1000.info