Japan's Comfort Women (Asia's Transformations) [Paperback]

Yuki Tanaka (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0415194016 | ISBN-13: 978-0415194013 | Publication Date: December 31, 2001

Japan's Comfort Women tells the harrowing story of the "comfort women" who were forced to enter prostitution to serve the Japanese Imperial army, often living in appalling conditions of sexual slavery. Using a wide range of primary sources, the author for the first time links military controlled prostitution with enforced prostitution. He uncovers new and controversial information about the role of the US' occupation forces in military controlled prostitution, as well as the subsequent "cover-up" of the existence of such a policy. This groundbreaking book asks why US occupation forces did little to help the women, and argues that military authorities organised prostitution to prevent the widespread incidence of GI rape of Japanese women, and to control the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'One of the achievements of this volume is that it successfully personalises some of the 'comfort' women. It exhaustively details the inhumane process by which they were 'recruited' or forced into what amounted to sexual slavery and the degrading day-to-day treatment meted out to them by recruiters, managers and soldiers if the women refused to 'comfort' soldiers, became pregnant or were ill. Even more significantly, this volume attempts to establish the figures that helped to implement the 'comfort' women system, including senior Japanese military officers, Ministry of War bureaucrats, brothel owners and their recruiters and medical staff.'
- Intersections, Issue 9.

About the Author

Yuki Tanaka is at Keiwa College in Japan and is the co-author of Hidden Horrors:Japanese War Crimes in World War II (1995).

Product Details

• Paperback: 232 pages
• Publisher: Routledge (December 31, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0415194016
• ISBN-13: 978-0415194013
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #260,082 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Balanced and fair, May 12, 2007

By 

Steve Liston "Steve in Japan" (Japan) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Japan's Comfort Women (Asia's Transformations) (Paperback)

Yuki Tanaka's work on the topic of comfort women was a good eye opener.

His writing, based on fairly extensive research, and not on his or someone else's opinion will add to the depth of understanding for any student of Japan.

This book does not fall into the category of "Japan Bashing", instead helps the reader to understand that first, the use of comfort women was incredibly more prevelant than one might have otherwise thought, second, the effects of this practice are still very relevant today as Prime Minister Abe continues to deny the practice ever occurred, while many other parts of Asia still feel the pain caused by the practice.

Modern Japan still seems comfortable portraying women in a manner that would not be acceptable in the west. Any student of Japan, should be interested in understanding the "why" of such phenomenon, and this book may help toward that end.

Highly recommend this book for people who have a strong interest in Japan, Asia, psychology, war or peace for that matter.

It is not a light read, it is a thought provoking one.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Book about a Dark History, July 14, 2008

By 

Marvina Stephens "Jill Monroe" - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Japan's Comfort Women (Asia's Transformations) (Paperback)

Interesting book. The term "The Evils that Men Do" more than fits this.

It give you insight on what War is and how it goes way beyond the battlefields.

7 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Already Published, February 1, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Japan's Comfort Women (Asia's Transformations) (Hardcover)

This book was already published in December last year, under the new title "Comfort Women: Sexual slavery and prostitution during World War II and the US Occupation."
The book is available both in hardcover and paperback.