A valuable document revealing the Japanese army's “comfort stations”: Reading the Jinhua Gyerim Association articles and register

Abstract

The archives of Jinhua 金華 City, Zhejiang 浙江 Province, contain a Japanese Jinhua Gyerim Association articles and register (金華雞林會會則及名簿 Jinhua jilinhui huize ji mingbu). This Korean townsmen association register was created in April 1944 and obtained by Chinese intelligence officers. This short name list with just over 200 people conceals much information on the “comfort women” (慰安婦 wei'anfu) system of sexual slavery established by the Japanese army in the Jinhua region. After confirmation through textual research and on-site investigations, the register contains records of 11 “comfort stations” (慰安所 wei'ansuo) with 8 “comfort station” overseers, 7 managers, and a total of 126 “comfort women.” This accounted for 60% of all Koreans in the Jinhua Gyerim Association 雞林會, and the youngest was only 17 years old. There was a total of 141 people involved in the “comfort stations,” accounting for 67.19% of all Koreans in the Jinhua Gyerim Association, a very startling proportion. This partially reflects the prevalence of the Japanese army's system of sexual slavery, so this Jinhua Gyerim Association articles and register is a valuable historical source that reflects the rule and atrocities of the Japanese invasion.