Japan Extends the Time Limit of the Civil Fund’s Project for Korean Victims of Japanese Military Prostitution

On the 10th, Japanese `Asia Women’s Fund` (chief director, Murayama Domiyichi, the former minister) which is running the project of paying compensation to the victims of Japanese military prostitution, announced that it will extend the time limit (expiring on the 10th) of the project for Korea.

Asia Women’s Fund, which was launched in 1995, is an organization that raises funds from civilian donations and pays compensation to the former comfort women victims of Japanese soldiers. The payments, however, of the compensation were suspended when the Korean side rejected the proposal on the grounds that "It is an expedient measure for the Japanese government to avoid its responsibility to make compensations."

The Asia Women’s Fund has received applications for compensation to Korean victims for 5 years since Jan. 11th, 1997, but they decided to extend the time limit because there were few applications.

The fund paid 2 million yen in compensation and 3 million yen for medical welfare to each Korean victim in the first stage of the project. The fund paid compensation money to 188 victims in Asia including Taiwan and the Philippines.

Young-Ee Lee yes202@donga.com