Moral Repair

Since the comfort women were robbed of their human dignity and human rights, the matter of moral repair is a difficult one. Nothing can be given to the former comfort women that will appropriately make up for the physical and psychological damage, loss of years out of their lives, nor the shame associated with this atrocity; however, something should be done to immediately help. I propose that a good solution to moral repair is twofold. As noted, immediate aid to the former comfort women should be provided by the Japanese government; this would be a kind of impermanent method in the sense that it directly takes care of these women, not the problem. In order to reform the problem, a form of long-lasting repair would need to be put in place.

        First and foremost, a formal apology is essential to moral reparation; without it, any action is
rendered meaningless. A genuine apology humbles the self and reduces the ego of the apologetic party while acknowledging a shameful wrongness. The act of apologizing also establishes an understanding between the apologetic party and all who witness the apology that the apologizer had erred in his/her rational thought and that, due to this announcement, this irrational way of thinking ought not to be repeated. In this way, apologizing both maximizes the good by establishing a wrong way of thinking or acting that we should avoid, and it increases one’s flourishing by making one aware of the vice to avoid.

        In the ways of direct aid, the “Asian Women’s Fund” is a good starting point, but it seems too little too late (it was established in 1995). Although the Japanese government cannot replace the former comfort women’s dignity or make up for the denial of their rights, it can offer what had been denied the women. It is probably that the women, during their abuse, were shown little respect, kindness, or gentleness. Now, however, this may be given freely as a means of moral repair. It should be ensured that these women, who were brutalized and denied good lives, are taken well care of and live peacefully in comfort themselves. When these women were kept as sex slaves, used for the benefits of Japanese combatants, they were denied their rationality; they lost their dreams, hopes, and goals in life. Therefore, these former comfort women should now be provided all they require in order to live out their dreams and the rest of their lives in peace.

        “Atonement money” is too informal and impersonal a response to stand alone as the sole act of moral repair. The second step should consist of long-lasting repair. A suitable proposal for this moral repair is something like what Kim Bok-dong declared she wanted to accomplish from the Comfort Women Movement, but with more added to her wish: A formal apology expressing regret on behalf of the Japanese government and assurance that, if a similar misdoing occurs in the future, the Japanese government will do all it can to prevent and stop it from happening. In this way, the memory of the former comfort women will be honored and the likelihood of the action being repeated will be diminished, if not completely eradicated.  Thus, the pain and suffering of these former comfort women may prevent the pain and suffering of potential future cases.