THE soldiers of Japan's old imperial were often brutally treated by their officers. But they were well provided for sexually. At least 100,000 women were taken from their homes in Korea, China, Burma and Malaya, and put into military brothels so that Japanese troops could forget the misery of the front line for a moment or two. Records show that "comfort women" were used as many as 80 times a day. Many died from exhaustion, disease - and shame. Some were murdered, to stop them giving evidence to the advancing allies.
In the past the Japanese government always denied that sexual slavery was officially sanctioned during the second world war. Private entrepreneurs were …