(Updated on March 7, 2016)
The
California Department of Education planned to include the topic of “Comfort
Women” in History-Social Science classes
for 10th Graders.
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/hs/cf/hssfw2ndreview.asp (please see Chapter 15)
Here is an excerpt form it as follows (line 913 ~ 919) :
“Comfort Women,” a euphemism for sexual slaves, were
taken by the Japanese Army in occupied territories before and during the war. “Comfort
Women” can be taught as an example of institutionalized sexual slavery, and one
of the largest cases of human trafficking in the twentieth century; estimates
on the total number of comfort women vary, but most argue that hundreds of
thousands of women were forced into these situations during Japanese occupation.”
The
above statements are an inaccurate and incomplete portrayal of Comfort Women
history. Over 1,100 people hand-signed in the
petition to express serious concern using the signature sheet available at this URL.
538 obtained in CA
50 in other US states
520 in Japan
The signatures and documents were sent to express
concerns about inaccuracies in proposed additions to the Draft
History-Social Science Framework.
The original signed sheets for the initial 1,052 signatures had been
delivered to Mr. Tom Torlakson, State Superintendent of Public Instruction on Feb
29, 2016, but the additional 56 were mailed in, after the due date owing to
their late arrival.
Below were the messages to the State Superintendent
of Public Instruction, who supervises the State Board of Education.
List of Contents
1. Cover letter,
2. Brief Review of Comfort Woman History,
3. US Office of War Information Interrogation
Report No. 49,
4. Comfort Women: FAQs we should all know,
5. Booklet: “Comfort Women Issue FromMisunderstanding to Solution,”
6. A school article from Sunny Hills High School,
Fullerton, CA,
7. Signature sheets.
February 29, 2016
The Honorable
Tom Torlakson
State Superintendent of Public Instruction
1430 N Street, Suite 5602
Sacramento, CA 95814-5901
RE:
SERIOUS CONCERN ABOUT A PROPOSED EDUCATION TOPIC
Dear Mr. Torlakson:
As a Ph.D. scholar and the father of two
children who attend schools in California, I have observed inaccurate contents
in the Draft History-Social Science Framework (Nov. 20, 2015). These inaccurate passages are of concern
because I, along with many others, feel that they may promote misunderstanding
and prejudice, in contradiction to the mission of public education, which should advance equality,
fairness, and harmony.
The passages of
concern are in Chapter 15 of the framework (for Grade Ten – World History,
Culture, and Geography: The Modern World. Lines 913 ~ 919) and begins: “'Comfort
Women,' a euphemism for sexual slaves, were taken by the Japanese Army in
occupied territories before and during the war. 'Comfort Women' can be taught
as an example of institutionalized sexual slavery, and one of the largest cases
of human trafficking in the twentieth century.”
Although the
above claims have been asserted by certain activists and spread via the media,
it is not consistent with the findings of scholars who have researched Comfort Women history. Specific inaccuracies are described
below, after this letter.
Teaching inaccurate history can create
prejudice. Such prejudice was
observed at Sunny Hills High School (Fullerton, CA), where a young Korean
(American) student spoke negatively about Japanese Americans as a whole, and
his anti-Japanese-American comments were disseminated in the school paper
(Please see the enclosed copy).
Clearly, the issue had created prejudice in this young man.
Many people have voiced concerns about the teaching of inaccurate
Comfort Women history, and attached here are the signatures of 1,052 concerned
people. The signature sheets were
hand-signed by people in CA (526
signatures), other US states (50), Japan (476), and sent to me.
Most of the sheets from the US are original, but those from Japan were
sent to me by fax or email attachment.
PDF copies of these signatures were also sent to HSSframework@cde.ca.gov.
In closing, to
help clarify misconceptions about Comfort Women, I am enclosing a booklet
entitled “Comfort Women Issue From Misunderstanding to Solution,” written by a
Japanese organization, “Japanese Women for Justice and Peace,” and another
document written by scholars. I
humbly request that these and other documents be reviewed before making a
decision that may have serious consequences for our children.
Thank you for
reading my message.
Respectfully
yours,
Name
Address
BRIEF REVIEW OF COMFORT WOMEN HISTORY
The history of Comfort Women is highly disputed between the nations of S.
Korea and Japan. Many facts have become distorted and exaggerated by
anti-Japanese activists. Reputable South Korean-born professors, Yu-ha Park ( http://goo.gl/uSWM44 ) and C. Sarah Soh ( http://goo.gl/C83b8C ), who interviewed Korean
Comfort Women and researched the subject in great detail, report that most
Korean Comfort Women were recruited by civilians, that most worked at
civilian-owned brothels, that many were paid (or their families had been paid),
and that the women could return home when they served a certain number of years
or fulfilled their indenture. The research by these professors indicates that,
in Korea, Comfort Women were not
systematically abducted by Japanese Imperial Army.
Historical evidence indicates: In the early 1900s, many people in Korea
and Japan lived in dire poverty. The vast majority of Korean Comfort Women had
been sent by their parents in exchange for advance payment or joined on their
own, driven by poverty and the patriarchal nature of Korean society, where
daughters were often under-appreciated and given little autonomy. The brokers
who recruited Korean Comfort Women were civilians, and many were Korean men;
dishonest brokers deceived the women.
Some instances of forcible recruitment did occur in territory Japan
occupied during the war, but were committed by rogue soldiers acting illicitly.
The soldiers were later brought to justice in a post-war war crimes court.
Unfortunately, these cases have been inappropriately generalized to all Comfort
Women by agenda-driven activists, and these misconceptions propagated by the
media. Historically, other nations' militaries have committed misconduct (e.g.,
S. Korean forces committed massacres, rapes, and used prostitutes during the
Vietnam War), and it is unfair to target just Japan. When only one group is
selectively targeted, it is "profiling" and, thus, wrong.
SPECIFIC ISSUES WITH THE PROPOSED PASSAGES (IN CHAPTER 15)
(1) Lines 917-919: "most argue that hundreds of thousands of women
were forced into these situations during Japanese occupation."
EVIDENCE-BASED FINDINGS: All historians and scholars
agree that the exact number of comfort women is uncertain [Refs. 1,2]. However,
estimates by several scholars who conduct research on this topic range
typically in the tens of thousands [Refs. 1,3]. Although "most"
activists and some politically-based groups claim the number is "hundreds
of thousands," reputable scholars generally do not state such a high
number without disclaimers.
(2) Lines 913-915. "'Comfort Women,' a euphemism for sexual slaves,
were taken by the Japanese Army in occupied territories before and during the
war."
EVIDENCE-BASED FINDINGS: Scholars and researchers have
confirmed that most Korean comfort women were recruited by civilians (not the
Japanese Army), served for defined periods of time, were often paid (or their
families paid), and were allowed to return home. [Refs 1-4] As such, many
scholars in the field explicitly do not use the expression "sexual
slavery", as it would be misleading. The expression "sexual
slaves" was popularized by, inter alia, lawyers filing lawsuits,
activists, politicians, journalists conveying what others said, and certain
historians with an agenda, and thus now permeates the Internet and media.
(3) Lines 915-917. "'Comfort Women' can be taught as an example of
institutionalized sexual slavery, and one of the largest cases of human
trafficking in the twentieth century."
EVIDENCE-BASED FINDINGS: As the number of comfort
women is uncertain (see above), it would be inappropriate to claim outright
that it is "one of the largest cases of human trafficking" of the
last century. Again, many neutral scholars explicitly avoid the expression
"sexual slavery", as it would be misleading. A small fraction of
comfort women in territories Japan occupied during the war (e.g., Indonesia)
were forcibly acquired by local military personnel, but this was done by
soldiers acting independently [Ref. 1]. The women were freed after about two
months when a higher ranking officer discovered the situation, and the
personnel responsible were later punished.
TESTIMONIALS FROM FORMER KOREAN COMFORT WOMEN
From Ref [1]:
Sun-ok Kim recalled: "My father entreated me and said, '…It’s your
misfortune to have someone like me as a father…' Within a fortnight after my
return home from Sinuiju, I was sold for a fourth time and sent off to a
military comfort station in Manchuria in 1941." (p. 11)
Kun-ja Kim’s original testimonial, "published in 1999, revealed that
her foster father 'sold' her." Kim also reportedly stated she "hated
the father more than the Japanese military." (p. 101)
Yong-Su Yi originally stated, "Without letting my mother know, I
simply left home by following my friend." (pp. 99-100)
"It wasn't the Japanese government" that did human trafficking;
Korean agents were part of human trafficking. (at time: 37:31 min - 38:03 min
[Translated 38:04 - 38:24)])
References
[1] C. Sarah Soh, “The Comfort Women,” University of Chicago Press,
Chicago (2008).
[2] Yuha Park, "Comfort Women of the Empire," Asahi Shimbun
Publications (2014).
[3] Ikuhito Hata, "No Organized or Forced Recruitment: Misconceptions
about Comfort Women and the Japanese Military," Professor Emeritus, Nihon
University.
[4] United States Office of War Information Report No. 49, 1944 (Enclosed
are a copy of original documents and the transcripts)
FINAL COMMENTS
Few things are more important than children's education, and it is
essential that history be taught in a fair, neutral, and fact-based way. The
tragic results of history being taught in a biased way can be seen in the
Middle East, where past misdeeds are often exaggerated and only one side's
version of events is presented. We urge that the proposed additions (lines
913-919) be shelved until their veracity is confirmed/disproved in a neutral
and unbiased way, e.g., by consulting scholars who have conducted in-person
research in this field, such as Prof. C. Sarah Soh (San Francisco State University),
and Prof. Yuha Park (Sejong University, S. Korea), and Prof. George Akita
(University of Hawaii).
