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Two more 'comfort women' pass away, leaving 22

In the past two weeks, two more "comfort women," who were forced to provide sex services to Japanese soldiers during World War II, passed away, leaving only 22 victims in Taiwan to continue the ongoing battle for justice and dignity.

Li Wen Hung-shi (李溫紅柿) died at age 87 in her hometown in southern Taiwan, surrounded by her children. She was abducted by the Japanese army at age 19 and was forced to be a sex slave in Hong Kong for two years.

The other woman, Chen Mei, 85, died after a seizure early this month. She had been imprisoned on the Chinese island of Hainan from 1943 to 1945.

The remaining comfort women are all in their 80s or 90s. Several lawsuits to win an apology from the Japanese government have failed, but they refuse to give up.

"With one foot in the grave, what can they do with the compensation?" asked Graceia Lai (賴采兒), director of the department of international affairs at the Taipei Women's Rescue Foundation.

The foundation is planning to stage a fundraising fair in Taipei's Yongkang Park today.

Several former comfort women will be present at the fundraiser.

The goal is to raise NT$5 million (US$162,000) for a "virtual museum of women's rights" on the Internet to expose the crimes committed against comfort women. It will also be a place for all women to express themselves, Lai said.

It is estimated the Japanese army abducted at least 400,000 women in China, Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia and the Philippines to provide sexual favors to its soldiers during World War II.

In Taiwan, the estimated number of victims varies from 1,200 to 2,000, but only 58 have been confirmed by the foundation, and now only 22 are still alive.
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