UNITED STATES OFFICE OF WAR INFORMATION
Psychological Warfare Team
Attached to U.S. Army Forces India-Burma Theater
Japanese Prisoner of War Interrogation Report No. 49

This official US record made by direct interrogation of comfort women
captured on the battlefield is one of the most important source materials
related to documenting the real comfort women.
In 1944, the United States Army captured some Comfort Women inBurma and were interrogated by the U.S. Army. The Army filed “Report
Number 49” and it stated that the ladies were well-paid prostitutes.
It clearly defined a "comfort girl" as nothing more than a prostitute or"professional camp follower." (Preface) It also stated that their average month net
pay was 750 Yen, which was 75 times higher than that of a private first classsoldier’s pay of 10 Yen. (Pay and Living Condition)
These show that the comfort women were merely very highly paid prostitutes,and having absolutely nothing to do with “sexual slavery.”１）Photo copy of the original report:
２）Typed copy of the above

１）Photo copy of the original report:２）Typed copy of the above:

UNITED STATES OFFICE OF WAR INFORMATIONPsychological Warfare Team
Attached to U.S. Army Forces India-Burma Theater
APO 689
Japanese Prisonerof War Interrogation
Report No. 49.

Place interrogated:
Ledo Stockade
Date interrogated:
Aug. 20 - Sept. 10, 1944
Date of Report:
October 1, 1944
By:
T/3 Alex Yorichi____________________________________________________________________________
Prisoners :20 Korean Comfort Girls
Date of Capture :August 10, 1944
Date of Arrival :August 15, 1994
at Stockade____________________________________________________________________________PREFACE;This report is based on the information obtained from the interrogation oftwenty Korean "comfort girls" and two Japanese civilians captured around the tenth of August,1944 in the mopping up operations after the fall of Myitkyina in Burma.
The report shows how the Japanese recruited these Korean "comfort girls", theconditions under which they lived and worked, their relations with and reaction to the Japanesesoldier, and their understanding of the military situation.
A "comfort girl" is nothing more than a prostitute or "professional campfollower" attached to the Japanese Army for the benefit of the soldiers. The word "comfort girl"is peculiar to the Japanese. Other reports show the "comfort girls" have been found whereverit was necessary for the Japanese Army to fight. This report however deals only with the Korean"comfort girls" recruited by the Japanese and attached to their Army in Burma. The Japanese arereported to have shipped some 703 of these girls to Burma in 1942.
RECRUITING;
Early in May of 1942 Japanese agents arrived in Korea for the purpose ofenlisting Korean girls for "comfort service" in newly conquered Japanese territories in Southeast
Asia. The nature of this "service" was not specified but it was assumed to be work connectedwith visiting the wounded in hospitals, rolling bandages, and generally making the soldiers
happy. The inducement used by these agents was plenty of money, an opportunity to pay off
the family debts, easy work, and the prospect of a new life in a new land, Singapore. On thebasis of these false representations many girls enlisted for overseas duty and were rewardedwith an advance of a few hundred yen.
The majority of the girls were ignorant and uneducated, although a few had
been connected with "oldest profession on earth" before. The contract they signed bound themto Army regulations and to work for the "house master" for a period of from six months to ayear depending on the family debt for which they were advanced.
Approximately 800 of these girls were recruited in this manner and theylanded with their Japanese "house master" at Rangoon around August 20th, 1942. They camein groups of from eight to twenty-two. From here they were distributed to various parts ofBurma, usually to fair sized towns near Japanese Army camps.

Eventually four of these units reached the Myitkyina vicinity. They were, Kyoei, Kinsui,
Bakushinro, and Momoya. The Kyoei house was called the "Maruyama Club", but waschanged when the girls reached Myitkyina as Col. Maruyama, commander of the garrison atMyitkyina, objected to the similarity to his name.
PERSONALITY;
The interrogations show the average Korean "comfort girl" to be about
twenty five years old, uneducated, childish, whimsical and selfish. She is not pretty either byJapanese of Caucasian standards. She is inclined to be egotistical and likes to talk about herself.
Her attitude in front of strangers is quiet and demure, but she "knows the wiles of a woman."
She claims to dislike her "profession" and would rather not talk either about it or her family.
Because of the kind treatment she received as a prisoner from American soldiers at Myitkyina
and Ledo, she feels that they are more emotional than Japanese soldiers. She is afraid ofChinese and Indian troops.
LIVING AND WORKING CONDITIONS;In Myitkyina the girls were usually quartered in a large two story house(usually a school building) with a separate room for each girl. There each girl lived, slept, andtransacted business. In Myitkyina their food was prepared by and purchased from the "housemaster" as they received no regular ration from the Japanese Army. They lived in near-luxury
in Burma in comparison to other places. This was especially true of their second year in Burma.
They lived well because their food and material was not heavily rationed and they had plenty ofmoney with which to purchase desired articles. They were able to buy cloth, shoes, cigarettes,
and cosmetics to supplement the many gifts given to them by soldiers who had received"comfort bags" from home.
While in Burma they amused themselves by participating in sports eventswith both officers and men; and attended picnics, entertainments, and social dinners. They had
a phono-graph; and in the towns they were allowed to go shopping.
PRICE SYSTEM;
The conditions under which they transacted business were regulated by theArmy, and in congested areas regulations were strictly enforced. The Army found it necessary
in congested areas to install a system of prices, priorities, and schedules for the various units
operating in a particular areas. According to interrogations the average system was as follows;
1. Soldiers
2. NCOs
3. Officers

10 AM to 5 PM
5 PM to 9 PM
9 PM to 12 PM

1.50 yen
3.00 yen
5.00 yen

20 to 30 minutes
30 to 40 minutes
30 to 40 minutes

These were average prices in Central Burma. Officers were allowed to stay overnight fortwenty yen. In Myitkyina Col. Maruyama slashed the prices to almost one-half of the average
price.
SCHEDULES ;The soldiers often complained about congestion in the houses. On manyoccasions they were not served and had to leave as the army was very strict about overstaying.
In order to overcome this problem the Army set aside certain days for certain units. Usually two
men from the unit for the day were stationed at the house to identify soldiers. A roving MP wasalso on hand to keep order. Following is the schedule used by the "Kyoei" house for the various

units of the 18th Division while at Maymyo;
Sunday -----------18th Div. Hdqs. Staff
Monday ----------Cavalry
Tuesday ----------Engineers
Wednesday ----- Day off and weekly physical exam.
Thursday --------Medics
Friday ------------Mountain artillery
Saturday ---------Transport
Officers were allowed to come seven nights a week. The girls complainedthat even with the schedule congestion was so great that they could not care for all guests, thus
causing ill feeling among many of the soldiers.
Soldiers would come to the house, pay the price and get tickets of cardboard
about two inches square with the price on the left side and the name of the house on the otherside. Each soldier's identity or rank was then established after which he "took his turn in line".
The girls were allowed the prerogative of refusing a customer. This was often done if theperson were too drunk.
PAY AND LIVING CONDITIONS;
The "house master" received fifty to sixty per cent of the girls' gross earnings
depending on how much of a debt each girl had incurred when she signed her contract. This
meant that in an average month a girl would gross about fifteen hundred yen. She turned overseven hundred and fifty to the "master". Many "masters" made life very difficult for the girls
by charging them high prices for food and other articles.
In the latter part of 1943 the Army issued orders that certain girls who had
paid their debt could return home. Some of the girls were thus allowed to return to Korea.
The interrogations further show that the health of these girls was good. They
were well supplied with all types of contraceptives, and often soldiers would bring their own
which had been supplied by the army. They were well trained in looking after both themselvesand customers in the matter of hygiene. A regular Japanese Army doctor visited the houses
once a week and any girl found diseased was given treatment, secluded, and eventually sent to a
hospital. This same procedure was carried on within the ranks of the Army itself, but it isinteresting to note that a soldier did not lose pay during the period he was confined.
REACTIONS TO JAPANESE SOLDIERS;
In their relations with the Japanese officers and men only two names of any
consequence came out of interrogations. They were those of Col. Maruyama, commander of thegarrison at Myitkyina and Maj. Gen. Mizukami, who brought in reinforcements. The two wereexact opposites. The former was hard, selfish and repulsive with no consideration for his men;the latter a good, kind man and a fine soldier, with the utmost consideration for those whoworked under him. The Colonel was a constant habitue of the houses while the General wasnever known to have visited them. With the fall of Myitkyina, Col. Maruyama supposedly
deserted while Gen. Mizukami committed suicide because he could not evacuate the men.
SOLDIERS’ REACTIONS;
The average Japanese soldier is embarrassed about being seen in a "comforthouse" according to one of the girls who said, "when the place is packed he is apt to be ashamedif he has to wait in line for his turn".
However there were numerous instances of proposals ofmarriage and in certain cases marriages actually took place.
All the girls agreed that the worst officers and men who came to see themwere those who were drunk and leaving for the front the following day. But all likewise
agreed that even though very drunk the Japanese soldier never discussed military matters or
secrets with them. Though the girls might start the conversation about some military matter theofficer or enlisted man would not talk, but would in fact "scold us for discussing such un-lady
like subjects. Even Col. Maruyama when drunk would never discuss such matters."
The soldiers would often express how much they enjoyed receiving magazines,
letters and newspapers from home. They also mentioned the receipt of "comfort bags" filledwith canned goods, magazines, soap, handkerchiefs, toothbrush, miniature doll, lipstick, andwooden clogs. The lipstick and clogs were definitely feminine and the girls couldn't
understand why the people at home were sending such articles. They speculated that the sender
could only have had themselves or the "native girls" in mind.
REACTION TO THE MILITARY SITUATION;
It appears that they knew very little about the military situation around
Myitkyina even up to and including the time of their retreat and capture. There is however
some information worth noting:"In the initial attack on Myitkyina and the airstrip about two hundred Japanesedied in battle, leaving about two hundred to defend the town. Ammunition was very low.
"Col. Maruyama dispersed his men. During the following days the enemy
were shooting haphazardly everywhere. It was a waste since they didn't seem to aim at any
particular thing. The Japanese soldiers on the other hand had orders to fire one shot at a timeand only when they were sure of a hit."
Before the enemy attacked on the west airstrip, soldiers stationed around
Myitkyina were dispatched elsewhere, to stem the Allied attack in the North and West. Aboutfour hundred men were left behind, largely from the 114th Regiment. Evidently Col. Maruyama
did not expect the town to be attacked. Later Maj. Gen. Mizukami of the 56th Divisionbrought in reinforcements of more than two regiments but these were unable to hold the town.
It was the consensus among the girls that Allied bombings were intense andfrightening and because of them they spent most of their last days in foxholes. One or twoeven carried on work there. The comfort houses were bombed and several of the girls were
wounded and killed.
RETREAT AND CAPTURE;
The story of the retreat and final capture of the "comfort girls" is somewhat
vague and confused in their own minds. From various reports it appears that the following
occurred: on the night of July 31st a party of sixty three people including the "comfort girls" ofthree houses (Bakushinro was merged with Kinsui), families, and helpers, started across theIrrawaddy River in small boats. They eventually landed somewhere near Waingmaw, They
stayed there until August 4th, but never entered Waingmaw. From there they followed in thepath of a group of soldiers until August 7th when there was a skirmish with the enemy and theparty split up. The girls were ordered to follow the soldiers after three hour interval. They
did this only to find themselves on the bank of a river with no sign of the soldiers or any meansof crossing. They remained in a nearby house until August 10th when they were captured by
Kachin soldiers led by an English officer. They were taken to Myitkyina and then to the Ledo

stockade where the interrogations which form the basis of this report took place.
PROPAGANDA
The girls know practically nothing of any propaganda leaflets that had beenused against the Japanese. They had seen a few leaflets in the hands of the soldiers but most ofthem were unable to understand them as they were in Japanese and the soldiers refused todiscuss them with the girls. One girl remembered the leaflet about Col. Maruyama(apparently it was Myitkyina Troop Appeal), but she did not believe it. Others heard thesoldiers discussing leaflets from time to time but no tangible remarks resulted from theireavesdropping. However it is interesting to note that one officer expressed the view that
“Japan can’t win this war”.
REQUESTS;
None of the girls appeared to have heard the loudspeaker used at Myitkyina
but they did overhear the soldiers mention a "radio broadcast"
They asked that leaflets telling of the capture of the "Comfort girls" should
not be used for it would endanger the lives of other girls if the Army knew of their capture.
They did think it would be a good idea to utilize the fact of their capture in any droppings
planned for Korea.

APPENDIX “A”
Following are the names of the twenty Korean “comfort girls” and the two Japanese civilians
interrogated to obtain the information used in the reports. The Korean names are phoneticized.
NAME

AGE

ADDRESS

1,

Shin Jyun Nimi

21

Keishonando,Shinshu

2.

Kak Yonja

28“Sanzonpo, Yunai

3.

Pen Yonja

26“Shinshu

4.

Chinga Chunto

21

Keishohokudo, Taikyu

5.

Chun Yonja

27

Keishonando.

6.

Kim Nanju

25

Keishohokudo, Taikyu

7.

Kim Yonja

19

8. Kim Kenja

25

9. Kim Senni

21

Shinsyu““

Keishonando, Keson“

Kumboku“Taikyu10. Kim Kun Sun

22

11. Kim Chongi

26

12. Pe Kija

27“

13. Chun Punyi

21

“

“

Shinshu“
Keisan Gun,Kayomon Mura

14. Koke Sunyi“

21

Kenyo, Sokibaku
Mo, Kyu Ruri

15. Yon Muji

31

Heiannando,

Keijo

16. Opu Ni

20“

17. Kim Tonhi

20

Koikido,Keijo

18. Ha Tonyo

21

“

“

19. Oki Song

20

Keishohokudo, Taikyu

20. Kim Guptogo

21

Zonranando,“KosyuJapanese Civilians:
1. Kitamura, Tomiko

38

Keikido,

2. Kitamura, Eibun

41“

Keijo“