A.friend alerted me to the following message (pasted below) that is currently being circulated amongthe academics associated with AAAS (Association of Asian American Studies). My friend, who is a JAon the faculty at one of the UC campuses, feels this would spread fast in the AAAS community and have a great negative impact on JAs around many campus communitiesAny comments? I would like to encourage many of you to join in this very important cause for socialjustice. We must condemn Japan's unwillingness to take full responsibility for warLast October a historic event occurred when 15 former comfort women from Korea,China, the Philippines and Taiwan suedthegovernmentofJapan,seekunspecifiedbut substantial damages for years of rape, beating, starvation and other forms ofwomen。

ア was a term coined by the Japanese Imperial Army to refer to more than200,000 women and girls forced to become sexual slaves during the WWII era. Itis estimated about 80% of the comfort women were from Korea, but many werealso coerced from China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Burma, Indonesia, and the PacificIslands. This case is the first suit filed in U.S. courts against the Japanese government forwar crimes under the Alien Tort Claims Act, a law passed by Congress in the 18thcentury, granting foreign citizens the right to sue other foreign citizens, foreignentities or U.S. citizens in U.S. courts for abuses of international law. At that time,many of us who believe in peace and human rights hoped that these women wouldfinally receive justice. In response, the Japanese government sought a dismissal ofthe case claiming sovereign immunity. They also contend that past treaties such asthe Pe ace Treaty of 1951 exempts them from future claims for compensation for wartime atrocities. On April 27, 2001, the U.S. Department of State submitted aStatement of Interest, echoing a similar position and calling for the dismissal of thecase. To this day, the Japanese government has not accepted full responsibility for theiractions. In response, Young Koreans United of USA will submit an open letter to theState Department and the Bush administration very important cause for socialjustice. We must condemn Japan's unwillingness to take full responsibility for warLast October a historic event occurred when 15 former comfort women from Korea,China, the Philippines and Taiwan suedthegovernmentofJapan,seekunspecifiedbut substantial damages for years of rape, beating, starvation and other forms ofwomen。 expressing our opposition. (Please seeattached letter.) Please join us by sending us a completed copy of the Request forEndorsement Form by July 20, 2001. We will be delivering this letter with adelegation to Washington DC led by one of the plaintiffs in the very important cause for socialjustice. We must condemn Japan's unwillingness to take full responsibility for warLast October a historic event occurred when 15 former comfort women from Korea,China, the Philippines and Taiwan suedthegovernmentofJapan,seekunspecifiedbut substantial damages for years of rape, beating, starvation and other forms ofwomen。 lawsuit. These fifteen women represent over 200,000 young women and girls who wereforcibly enslaved during WWII in an abhorrent system of institutionalized rape. Manyare now in their 70s and 80s. This lawsuit is a step towards resolving this eventfor many of these women. They must be heard. For more information about this effort, please contact Eun very important cause for socialjustice. We must condemn Japan's unwillingness to take full responsibility for warLast October a historic event occurred when 15 former comfort women from Korea,China, the Philippines and Taiwan suedthegovernmentofJapan,seekunspecifiedbut substantial damages for years of rape, beating, starvation and other forms ofwomen。 Sook Lee atThankyou.Sincerely, Others (mostly younger) wanted to support efforts to get Japan to make amends for the actions ofthe Imperial Army during World War II, as a demonstration to NorthMy friend, who is a JAon the faculty at one of the UC campuses, feels this would spread fast in the AAAS community and have a great negative impact on JAs around many campus communitiesAny comments? I would like to encourage many of you to join in this very important cause for socialjustice. We must condemn Japan's unwillingness to take full responsibility for warLast October a historic event occurred when 15 former comfort women from Korea,China, the Philippines and Taiwan suedthegovernmentofJapan,seekunspecifiedbut substantial damages for years of rape, beating, starvation and other forms ofwomen。 very important cause for socialjustice. We must condemn Japan's unwillingness to take full responsibility for warLast October a historic event occurred when 15 former comfort women from Korea,China, the Philippines and Taiwan suedthegovernmentofJapan,seekunspecifiedbut substantial damages for years of rape, beating, starvation and other forms ofwomen。 Americans that Nikkei-jin are different from Japanese nationals (or the Japanese government stance, at least). WASHINGTON U.S. congressman submitted a resolution Tuesday calling on the Japanesegovernment to make a formal and unequivocal apology to "comfort women" who were forced intoContinue this thread on passed by Congress in the 18thcentury, granting foreign citizens the right to sue other foreign citizens, foreignentities or U.S. citizens in U.S. courts for abuses of international law. At that time,many of us who believe in peace and human rights hoped that these women wouldfinally receive justice. In response, the Japanese government sought a dismissal ofthe case claiming sovereign immunity. They also contend that past treaties such asthe PeMy friend, who is a JAon the faculty at one of the UC campuses, feels this would spread fast in the AAAS community and have a great negative impact on JAs around many campus communitiesAny comments? I would like to encourage many of you to join in this very important cause for socialjustice. We must condemn Japan's unwillingness to take full responsibility for warLast October a historic event occurred when 15 former comfort women from Korea,China, the Philippines and Taiwan suedthegovernmentofJapan,seekunspecifiedbut substantial damages for years of rape, beating, starvation and other forms ofwomen。My friend, who is a JAon the faculty at one of the UC campuses, feels this would spread fast in the AAAS community and have a great negative impact on JAs around many campus communitiesAny comments? I would like to encourage many of you to join in this very important cause for socialjustice. We must condemn Japan's unwillingness to take full responsibility for warLast October a historic event occurred when 15 former comfort women from Korea,China, the Philippines and Taiwan suedthegovernmentofJapan,seekunspecifiedbut substantial damages for years of rape, beating, starvation and other forms ofwomen。My friend, who is a JAon the faculty at one of the UC campuses, feels this would spread fast in the AAAS community and have a great negative impact on JAs around many campus communitiesAny comments? I would like to encourage many of you to join in this very important cause for socialjustice. We must condemn Japan's unwillingness to take full responsibility for warLast October a historic event occurred when 15 former comfort women from Korea,China, the Philippines and Taiwan suedthegovernmentofJapan,seekunspecifiedbut substantial damages for years of rape, beating, starvation and other forms ofwomen。My friend, who is a JAon the faculty at one of the UC campuses, feels this would spread fast in the AAAS community and have a great negative impact on JAs around many campus communitiesAny comments? I would like to encourage many of you to join in this very important cause for socialjustice. We must condemn Japan's unwillingness to take full responsibility for warLast October a historic event occurred when 15 former comfort women from Korea,China, the Philippines and Taiwan suedthegovernmentofJapan,seekunspecifiedbut substantial damages for years of rape, beating, starvation and other forms ofwomen。My friend, who is a JAon the faculty at one of the UC campuses, feels this would spread fast in the AAAS community and have a great negative impact on JAs around many campus communitiesAny comments? I would like to encourage many of you to join in this very important cause for socialjustice. We must condemn Japan's unwillingness to take full responsibility for warLast October a historic event occurred when 15 former comfort women from Korea,China, the Philippines and Taiwan suedthegovernmentofJapan,seekunspecifiedbut substantial damages for years of rape, beating, starvation and other forms ofwomen。My friend, who is a JAon the faculty at one of the UC campuses, feels this would spread fast in the AAAS community and have a great negative impact on JAs around many campus communitiesAny comments? I would like to encourage many of you to join in this