"COMFORT WOMEN" PROJECT TRIP 2009 - 2011

20. Summary: Research in Australia, 2011

2011-12-13T17:25:00.000-08:00

In October I traveled to Australia to meet Jan Ruff O’Herne, an outspoken Dutch “Comfort Woman” survivor. What a great honor to meet Jan whom I have admired so much for many years!

First, we had lunch together at a local cafe before our interview. She is very elegant and artistic. Her home is filled with beautiful paintings which she painted herself, and many are from her memories of Indonesia. She has such affection and love for Indonesia, and her childhood in Java. Before I left, she gave me her biography called, "50 Years of Silences" in which she tells of her experiences as a "comfort woman."

Jan was born into a Dutch colonial family in Java, in the Dutch East Indies (now, Indonesia) At 21, she was taken from a Japanese prison camp, and forced to be a military sex slave. She is the first European "Comfort Woman" to come forward publicly.

Australia - from Google Maps

Lunch with Jan at a local cafe

Jan at her home

19. Summary: Research in China and Indonesia, 2009

2010-10-29T17:22:00.000-07:00

In October, 2009 I traveled to China and Indonesia to meet "Comfort Women" survivors, including Wan Aihua *dayang who who is the first Chinese "Comfort Woman" to come forward in the 90's.

I also visited major former Military Comfort Stations in both countries such as Dayi Salon, the first Comfort Station ever in Asia. This was my time to see Comfort Stations, and it turned out that there were more Comfort Stations in China, than any other country.

18. Summary: China Research

2009-10-29T15:00:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-29T14:56:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-26T22:20:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-25T22:13:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-24T22:11:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-24T22:07:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-22T22:00:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-16T21:58:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-14T21:55:00.000-07:00

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

9. Dayi Salon - the first military comfort station ever in Asia

2009-10-13T21:52:00.000-07:00

October 13, 2009

Dayi Salon is the first Japanese military comfort station ever in Asia. It is located in the heart of Shanghai downtown, and it is now occupied by low income residents.

I had a chance to visit one of the residents’ homes and inside there were carved wooden sculptures of "Mount Fuji". Outside, near the entrance, there was a building that used to be a watch tower guarding these women from escaping.

"The wooden sculptures of Mount Fuji taken from the Daiichi Salon in Shanghai, the world's first comfort station set up by the Japanese, is one of the most valuable items on display," said Professor Su, Zhiliang, the director of the Chinese Comfort Women's Research Center at the Shanghai Normal University and the founder of the Comfort Museum.

at the gate of Dayi Salon

Entrance of Dayi Salon

The carved wooden sculptures of Mount Fuji inside of Dayi Salon

8. Back to Shanghai

2009-10-12T21:49:00.000-07:00

October 12, 2009

We accomplished the Wan Aihua *dayang interview in two days, and got back to Shanghai late the second night.

Shanghai Airport

7. At Wan Aihua *dayang's Home

2009-10-11T21:47:00.000-07:00

October 11, 2009

I met with Wan Aihua *dayang (80 years old) in Shanxi, who is the first Chinese "Comfort Woman" to come forward in the 90's. She is a tiny loving woman but also, very outspoken and feisty. At the age of 15, she was a leader of the Chinese Communist Women's Party. She was captured, tortured, and sent to a military comfort station. Today, she still talks like a leader.

We had a delicious Chinese noodle lunch that Wan Aihua’s daughter prepared before the interview. Meeting Wan Aihua was one of the most important events in the whole Chinese portion of my trip.

* "dayang" in Chinese means "grandma". (In Asia, elders are commonly referred to as grandmother or grandfather, whether you are related to them or not, as a way of showing respect.)

Arriving at Wan Aihua *dayang's home

Wan Aihua *dayang

With Wan Aihua *dayang and Ye Chen

Delicious Chinese Noodle Lunch prepared by dayang's daughter

Lunch with Wan Aihua *dayang

With Wan Aihua *dayang and her daughter

6. To Shanxi

2009-10-11T21:41:00.000-07:00

October 11, 2009

Ye Chen and I left, early morning, to Shanxi to meet Wan Aihua dayang, a Chinese Comfort Woman.

On the way to Wan Aihua dayang's home

5. The Comfort Women Museum - Military Comfort Stations

2009-10-09T21:36:00.000-07:00

October 9, 2009

The Implementation of the Japanese Military "Comfort Women" System (1937-1941)
After the Rape of Nanking on Dec 13, 1937, the Japanese military "Comfort Women" system began to be fully implemented in the Chinese occupied area. The first comfort station (which was officially administrated by Japanese military) was the Yangjiazhai "entertainment" station established on Jan 13, 1938. As the war expanded, the Japanese military set up many comfort stations extending through Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Henan, Shandong, Jiangsu, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Guizhou, Hainan, and Taiwan. In Shanghai alone, there were 158 comfort stations as verified by archives and on-site investigation.

4. The Comfort Women Museum - Display

2009-10-09T21:31:00.000-07:00

October 9, 2009

Inside the Comfort Women Museum are displays about the history of Chinese “Comfort Women” and some of the everyday objects of the women.

The banner translates "We won't forget the history"

Wan Aihua,
the first Chinese "Comfort Woman" to come forward in the 90's

3. The Comfort Women Museum - Entrance

2009-10-09T21:20:00.000-07:00

October 9, 2009

Ye Chen helped me greatly as a translator and a guide. He is a Ph. D. student in History at Shanghai Normal University, and has been working closely with Professor Su. on the Chinese Comfort Women issue.

The Comfort Women Museum Entrance

Ye Chen, my translator

Comfort Women Museum Entrance Display

2. Meeting with Professor Zilang Su

2009-10-09T21:19:00.000-07:00

October 9 , 2009

I met with Professor Su at Shanghai Normal University who has been working on the Chinese “Comfort Women” issue since the early 1990’s. He is the director of the Chinese Comfort Women Research Center, and also a founder of the Comfort Women Museum in Shanghai, in 2007. With his help I received an extensive tour of the Comfort Women Museum, met with a surviving Chinese comfort woman, and visited two major former military comfort stations.

1. Arriving in Shanghai, China

2009-10-07T18:00:00.000-07:00

October 7, 2009

I arrived at Shanghai International Center of Educational Exchange, at the University of Shanghai in the late afternoon and got settled in.