In his recent paper entitled "Contracting for Sex in the Pacific War" and accompanying editorial “Recovering the Truth
about the Comfort Women”, Professor J. Mark Ramseyer, the Mitsubishi Professor of Japanese Legal Studies at Harvard Law
School describes the forced sexual slavery organized by Japan during World War II as a consenting, contractual process.
Ramseyer’s arguments are factually inaccurate and misleading. He also ignores expansive scholarship done by
international organizations, such as the United Nations and Amnesty International, which has conclusively found that the
“comfort women” were coerced, kidnapped, or forced by the Japanese government. After its independent inquiry, the
Japanese government itself acknowledged this as part of the Kono Statement that “the then Japanese military was,
directly or indirectly, involved in the establishment and management of comfort stations.”
In Hwang Geum Joo et al v. Japan (172 F. Supp. 2d 67, D.D.C. 2001), the US District Court Judge Kenney wrote "Not until
1992 did the Japanese government officially acknowledge some involvement in the operation of comfort stations. Since
that time several officials have expressed their apologies for Japan's involvement." This U.S. Judge recognized Japan's
involvement in “comfort stations” in his judgment officially.
Professor Ramseyer and Harvard Law School maliciously erased the crimes against humanity and war crimes by Japan against
victims of sexual slavery during the World War II. Up to 200,000 women and girls were forced into sexual slavery by the
Japanese military, from not only Korea, but also China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Netherlands,
East Timor, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, and Burma.
I stand in solidarity with these victims who have yet to receive full reparations and a proper, official apology from
the Japanese government. I strongly condemn all actions that inflict pain and suffering and insult to these victims, who
bear witness to the atrocities committed by the Imperial Japanese Army throughout Asia.
I also condemn Harvard Law School, Professor Ramseyer and the International Review of Law and Economics. They have
become Accessories After The Fact to the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes that Japan perpetrated upon "comfort
women." By denying the criminal responsibilities of the Imperial Japanese Army, they have victimized these Sex Slaves
all over again.
University of Illinois College of Law Professor Francis A. Boyle is a Magna Cum Laude Graduate of Harvard Law School and
served as Chair of the Harvard Law School Fund Campaign for Greater Illinois at the request of Harvard Law School.