Girl statue honoring victims of Japan's wartime sexual slavery installed for first time in Italy

A “Statue of Peace” is installed in Stintino, Sardinia Island, Italy. Courtesy of the Justice for the Comfort Women

A girl statue honoring the victims of Japan’s wartime sexual slavery, euphemistically called “comfort women,” has been installed for the first time in Italy. The Japanese government, which has opposed the installation of the statue, has filed a complaint with the local government, saying the inscription on the statue was “biased.”

The Justice for the Comfort Women said the unveiling ceremony of the Statue of Peace was held in Stintino, Sardinia Island, Italy, on June 22. The statue was erected on a public site about 200 meters from Stintino City Hall.

“(Japan’s wartime sexual slavery) is not just a Korea-Japan issue, but reflects the experiences and voices of numerous women in the Asia-Pacific region,” said Lee Na-young, chairperson of the Justice for the Comfort Women Justice Institute, who attended the ceremony. “It symbolizes the struggle against gender-based violence occurring around the world and hope for peace.” Stintino Mayor Rita Vallebella also said, “By setting up the Statue of Peace, we have come to solidarity with the painful cries of all women who have suffered the tragedy of war.”

The statue was erected after Rosamaria Caiaza, the editor of the online media “Cotalia,” which delivers Korean news to Italy, requested it to Stintino City Hall.

The Japanese government is putting obstacles in the way. The Japanese ambassador to Italy visited Stintino on June 20 and asked the mayor to postpone the unveiling ceremony, Sardinia’s local newspaper reported. The Japanese embassy also protested that the inscription was not true. The inscription states that during World War II, the Japanese military forcibly took numerous girls and women from the Asia-Pacific region and used them as sexual slavery for the military.

Kyodo News reported on the 22nd that mayor Vallebella said, “Korea’s unilateral opinion is written on the statue,” adding, “We will consider changing the contents of the inscription.” However, according to the Justice for the Comfort Women, the mayor said, “The statue is a reminder of the sexual violence that women around the world are still experiencing,” adding, “There can be no correction of the inscription or demolition of the statue.”

※This article has undergone review by a professional translator after being translated by an AI translation tool.