18. Summary: China Research

Through Professor Zhilang Su who has been working on the Chinese “Comfort Women” issue since early 1990’s, I was able to visit the Comfort Women Museum in Shanghai which opened in 2007, and interviewed Wan Aihua *dayang, the first Chinese "Comfort Woman" to come forward in the 1990's. She is very tiny but, extremely outspoken.

Then, I visited two major former Military Comfort Stations including Dayi Salon, the first one ever in Asia, and Mei Mei Li. In Shanghai alone there were 158 comfort stations.

China - from Google Maps

Professor Zhilang Su

The "Comfort Women" Museum in Shanghai

Wan Aihua *dayang's home

At Dayi Salon, a former Military Comfort Station

At Mei Mei Li, a former Military Comfort Station

17. Summery: Indonesia Research

I traveled with Eka Hindrati, who has been researching the case of “Comfort Women” in Indonesia for the last 10 years. She has written a book about Indonesian "Comfort Women" in both Indonesian and Japanese.

I Interviewed two Indonesian "Comfort Women". Emah Kastimah (81 years old), in Cimahi, West Java, is soft spoken and graceful. Yet, she has a vivid memory of her experience at the military comfort station. Marjiyah (80 years old), in Banyuiru, Middle Java, plans coffee in the middle of a mountain in Java.

I also visited two former Japanese Military Comfort Stations in West Java. Both were former Dutch military officers' houses. One of them was where Emah Kastimah was locked in for 2 years.

Indonesia - from Google Maps

Emah Kastimah's home

In front of a former Military Indonesian Comfort Station

A former Military Indonesian Comfort Station

With Marjiyah

16. Marjiyah's Home

October 26, 2009

Visiting Marjiya, an Indonesian "Comfort Woman", in Banyuiru, Middle Java, In Indonesia

Marjiya (80 years old) was taken to a Japanese military comfort station when she was 17 years old. A year later she escaped. Now, she lives in the middle of a mountain in Java, and plants coffee. She offered us Java coffee that she made. I had an interview with her at her small coffee farm.

On the way to Marjiya's home

Marjiya in her coffee farm

Eka and Marjiya's family

To Marjiya's coffee farm

With Marjiya

15. Arriving in Yohyakarta

October 25, 2009

Eka and I arrived in Yohyakarta, and settled in at the Blador motel. Yohyakarta is an artistic town where many Indonesian artists live and work. It's very lively and colorful.

Arriving in Yohyakarta Airport

14. Former Japanese Military Comfort Stations in Indonesia

October 24, 2009

I visited two Indonesian Comfort Stations. The blue house, a former Dutch military officer's home, is a former Japanese comfort station where Emah Kastimah was locked in for two years.

A former Japanese military comfort station where Emah Kastimah was locked in for two years

A former Japanese military comfort station

Inside of the former Japanese military comfort station

Current Residents

Inside of the former Japanese military comfort station

13. Visiting Emah Kastimah

October 24, 2009

Visiting Emah Kastimah, an Indonesian "Comfort Woman", In Cimahi, West Java, Indonesia.

Emah (81 years old) is tiny, soft spoken, yet graceful. At the age of 17 she was kidnapped and become a "comfort woman." She has a vivid memory of her ordeal at the military comfort station where she was raped daily for 2 years. Now, she lives with her daughter, her husband, and two grand children.

at Emah Kastimah's home

Emah Kastimah's daughter and grandchildren

Emah Kastimah in her bedroom

Lunch with Emah Kastimah's family

12. Arriving in Jakarta, Indonesia

October 22, 2009

I arrived late night at the airport in Jakarta, Indonesia. Eka Hindrati, a dedicated Indonesian "Comfort Women" researcher, came to pick me up.

At the Indonesian Airport

Eka Hindrati, the researcher

11. In Beijing

October 16, 2009

I briefly stopped in Beijing to check out the Chinese contemporary art district referred to as "798" and to visit Tiananmen Square.

Tiananmen Square

798, the art district 

Dinner with Odette Scott

10. Mei Mei Li

October 14, 2009

Mei Mei Li is another former Japanese military comfort station in Shanghai. It is a large complex of buildings, also now occupied by low income residents. The residents were very friendly and aware of the history of the place. They told us about an old couple who moved into the building right after W. W. II. in 1946. I had a chance to meet the couple, and heard about the place when they moved in as a young married couple. This meeting also gave me a chance to see the structure inside of the building.

With Ye Chen going to Mei Mei Li

The Yokohama Bridge

Mei Mei Li from a distance

The couple who moved in right after W.W. II in 1946