The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced on Wednesday that the topic of comfort women is not anticipated to be discussed during President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s impending business visit to Japan.
Although all war crimes are "deemed settled" under the 1956 restitution agreement, DFA Assistant Secretary Neal Imperial stated in a pre-departure briefing in Malacañang that the Philippine government will not stop the victims of sexual slavery from filing claims.
“[T]he government will not prevent private claims should actions be pursued by victims on their behalf so we will not stop of course the victims because this is an atrocious violence against women during the war, but as far as the government is concerned, we have already signed that reparations agreement with Japan in 1956,” Imperial said.
Numerous Asian countries, including the Philippines, experienced sexual slavery from Japanese soldiers during World War II.
A reparation deal was made between Manila and Tokyo in 1956, to which Japan would give the Philippines products and services worth USD 550 million.
The victims' number is progressively declining, but they are still fighting for justice and pleading with Japan to address the comfort women issue.
