Activists urge apology for 'comfort women'

The Taipei Women's Rescue Foundation reiterated its call for the government to seek dialogue with Japan to pursue justice for the women.

The call comes amid reports that Japan recently rejected South Korea's demand to initiate a government-level talk to address the issue of comfort women.

Along with Taiwan, women from China, South Korea and the Philippines suffered the fate of being forced to provide sexual services for occupying Japanese forces. Some 2,000 Taiwanese women were driven into such service, according to the foundation.

Kang Shu-hua, the foundation's executive director, said although the Taiwan government has granted subsidies to cover the women's living expenses, medical costs and expenses for overseas litigation against the Japanese government, more should be done.

The government should collaborate with other countries where women suffered the same painful history to push Japan to make a public apology, Kang said.

Liu Huang A-tao, the first Taiwanese comfort woman to stand up and accuse the Japanese government, died earlier this month at the age of 90. She was buried last weekend without obtaining the apology from Japan that she had long desired for.

Her death leaves only 10 other Taiwanese women who have been outspoken about their suffering at the hands of Japanese occupying forces during World War II.

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