In brief
As the legacy of comfort women fades with the passing of survivors, Mina Watanabe emerges as a pivotal advocate for acknowledgment and reparations, leading efforts to highlight these historical injustices through the Women's Active Museum on War and Peace.
Mina Watanabe has committed her life to advocating for the victims known as “comfort women”—those who were subjected to sexual slavery by the Japanese military during World War II. Recently in Tokyo, she reflected on her journey alongside the history of these women, profoundly marked by their suffering and resilience.The passing of Gil Won-ok, a vocal survivor from South Korea, at the age of 96 marked a significant loss in the movement seeking justice and acknowledgment of these atrocities. Gil was among roughly 240 survivors who courageously shared their harrowing stories from the 1930s through the war, and her death leaves only a few to carry on the fight. Despite being born long after the conflict, Watanabe has passionately pursued reparations and formal recognition for these women. Serving as the director of the Women’s Active Museum on War and Peace (WAM) in Tokyo, she places a strong emphasis on the historical context of wartime sexual violence. Her awakening to the rights of women began in her student days, particularly ignited when the first survivors began to come forward in the 1990s.The establishment of WAM in 2005 was fueled by donations from supporters both within Japan and abroad, aimed at shedding light on the plight of comfort women and advocating for their rights. Watanabe's efforts have often faced backlash, placing activists at odds with societal norms in Japan, yet her resolve remains steadfast as she continues to amplify the voices of survivors and the need for widespread accountability.
