Projects by country or region

Atonement Project of the Asian Women's Fund >Projects by country or region - Philippines

Projects by country or region - Philippines

Country or Region	Period for Applications & Project Implementation	Project Description
The Philippines	13 Aug. 1996 - 12 Aug. 2001	Payment of "atonement money" (2 million yen) Provision of medical and welfare support projects (valued at 1.2 million yen) Delivery of the Japanese Prime Minister's letter, etc.

Background

After the war, the Philippines signed the San Francisco Peace Treaty, legally resolving issues between Japan and the Philippines with regard to reparations, material restitution and the right to claim for war damage. Then in 1956, Japan and the Philippines signed a Reparations Agreement, in accordance with Article 14 (a) 1 of the Peace Treaty. Under that Agreement, Japan provided the Philippines with services and goods valued at the equivalent of 550 million dollars.

In June 1992, radio announcements urged those forced to become comfort women by the Japanese military to come forward. Ms. Maria Rosa L. Henson decided to do so after hearing a broadcast. She met with Ms. Nelia Sancho and other human rights activists, and gave an account of her experiences. She gave her first press interview on 18 September 1992. She said that during the occupation, after being raped the first time, she joined the guerrilla resistance movement, then was captured, raped again, taken by order of Japanese military headquarters and confined with other women for nine months, during which time she was raped repeatedly.

Ms. Henson was assisted by LILA-Pilipina, a private organization established by Ms. Sancho. This organization, which had launched a campaign calling on the Japanese Government to apologize and pay compensation, was contacted by about 200 victims. Supported by LILA-Pilipina, Ms. Henson and 18 other former comfort women filed a lawsuit at the Tokyo District Court in April 1993, demanding that the Japanese Government issue an apology and pay compensation. The plaintiffs, known as lola (a Tagalog word meaning "grandmother," or "elderly lady"), eventually increased in number to 46. The lawsuit failed at the District Court and High Court levels. On 25 December 2003, the Supreme Court rejected the appeal.