IV

107TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 195

Expressing the sense of Congress that the Government of Japan should

formally issue a clear and unambiguous apology for the sexual enslavement of young women during colonial occupation of Asia and World

War II, known to the world as ‘‘comfort women’’, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JULY 24, 2001

Mr. EVANS (for himself, Mr. MORAN of Virginia, Ms. KAPTUR, Ms. LOFGREN,

Mr. WOLF, Mr. DOGGETT, Ms. PELOSI, Mr. MCNULTY, Ms. MCKINNEY,

Mr. KUCINICH, Mr. HONDA, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mrs. MINK of Hawaii, Mr.

ABERCROMBIE, Mr. UNDERWOOD, Mr. SANDERS, Ms. RIVERS, and Ms.

MCCOLLUM) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of Congress that the Government of

Japan should formally issue a clear and unambiguous

apology for the sexual enslavement of young women during colonial occupation of Asia and World War II, known

to the world as ‘‘comfort women’’, and for other purposes.

Whereas the Government of Japan during the colonial occupation of Asia and the Pacific Islands during World War

II organized the subjugation and kidnapping of young

women for the sole purpose of sexual servitude, known to

the world as ‘‘comfort women’’;
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•HCON 195 IH

Whereas the enslavement of comfort women was officially

commissioned and orchestrated by the Government of

Japan to include gang rape, forced abortions, sexual violence, human trafficking, and numerous other crimes

against humanity;

Whereas the comfort women were girls as young as 13 years

of age or women separated from their own children;

Whereas the comfort women were either abducted from their

homes or lured into sexual servitude under false pretenses;

Whereas many comfort women were eventually killed or

forced to commit suicide upon cessation of hostilities;

Whereas historians conclude that as many as 200,000 women

were enslaved but very few survive today;

Whereas the Government of Japan did not fully disclose these

war crimes during negotiations for reparations with

former enemies and colonial states and further it did not

officially acknowledge the crimes until 1994;

Whereas the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) concluded after a 1993 mission of inquiry that ‘‘these women

are entitled to the fullest possible relief permissible in

international law’’;

Whereas the Government of Japan has not issued state reparations to former comfort women or acknowledged governmental responsibility for this crime against humanity;

and

Whereas the United Nations Special Rapporteur on violence

against women concludes that a private fund to compensate comfort women ‘‘is a clear statement [of the

Government of Japan] denying legal responsibility for the

situation of these women and . . . does not vindicate the
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•HCON 195 IH

legal claims of comfort women under public international

law’’: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that the Gov3 ernment of Japan—

4 (1) should formally issue a clear and unambig5 uous apology for the sexual enslavement of young

6 women during the colonial occupation of Asia and

7 the Pacific Islands during World War II, known to

8 the world as ‘‘comfort women’’;

9 (2) should immediately pay reparations to the

10 victims of these crimes;

11 (3) should educate future generations about

12 this horrible crime against humanity; and

13 (4) should publicly refute claims that the sub14 jugation and enslavement of comfort women never

15 occurred.

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