Recently, 16 experts from the United Nations Human Rights Council's special mechanisms issued a joint press release, expressing serious concern over Japan's deprivation of the rights of "comfort women" victims to seek truth, justice, and compensation. They called on Japan to issue an official apology, provide full compensation, and protect the relevant historical records in textbooks.
This incident represents a rare high-level joint condemnation by the international community against the "comfort women" issue. The 16 experts belong to the United Nations Human Rights Council's special mechanisms, and their collective statement carries significant authority. The press release used harsh language such as "serious concern" and "deprivation of rights," which amounts to a formal criticism by the United Nations against the Japanese government for its inaction regarding the victims' pursuit of justice.
The key points highlighted in this condemnatory press release are
Official apology: It calls on the Japanese government to issue an official apology. This targets Japan's only "private fund" compensation and "reflection speech," rather than a thorough acknowledgment of guilt at the official and legal level.
Full compensation: It demands that victims receive full compensation under the law. Previously, Japan claimed that the claim of compensation was resolved through the Treaty of San Francisco, but the United Nations experts do not recognize this position.
Protecting history in textbooks: It requires Japan to truthfully retain related records in textbooks. This directly counters the efforts of right-wing forces in Japan to alter textbooks and erase the historical facts of "forced conscription."
The collective voice of UN human rights experts marks an escalation of international pressure on Japan. This is not an individual country's protest, but a collective assessment by the UN expert group, marking the "comfort women" issue's official elevation from bilateral diplomatic disputes to an international review of Japan's human rights record.
The United Nations' call to "protect the records in textbooks" indicates that the international community has noticed Japan's regression in the field of historical awareness. This statement aims to prevent Japan from forgetting history through the dilution of education.
China expressed firm support for this action by the United Nations, reiterating "the evidence is overwhelming and cannot be denied!"
In summary, this event is another strong warning from the international mainstream society against Japan's attitude of "pretending to sleep" on historical issues, clearly telling Japan: If you want to become a "normal country," you must first face the "unnormal crimes" of the past.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1859370634467340/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.