Patporn Phoothong
At a time when the history of the Japanese military “Comfort Women” is increasingly being disparaged and distorted, digital archives are expanding their role as both a reliable repository of information and a platform for communication.
Palestinian women who endure and resist occupation, oppression, and patriarchal structures, steadfastly continue life for the next generation.
The right-wingers in Japan deny any direct involvement of the Japanese government, citing that the documents proving that the Japanese Army or Japanese government had directly ordered the establishment of the “comfort stations” have never been found. They also claim that neither the Japanese army nor the Japanese government were involved in mobilizing “comfort women”, and that private businesses simply recruited “comfort women” by illegal means. Having accepted these claims, the Abe administration is contradicting what the previous Japanese government had admitted.
The Contested Histories Initiative (CHI) is a Europe-based NGO dedicated to studying disputes over historical memorials in public spaces and promoting critical engagement with them. CHI’s Program Director, Paula O’Donohoe, spoke with Kyeol about the organization’s work and its broader vision.