韓国サイト Q＆A No.2

Q.What are comfort stations(military brothels) for?

A.During the Japanese aggression over China, the soldiers frequently raped local women and provoked strong back lash from local people. Furthermore, the Japanese military suffered loss of its troops to venereal diseases. As a result, the military authorities set up “comfort stations”across its battlefields in order to meet sexual desires and prevent further loss of its troops. Historians pointed out that as early as from 1904 through 1905 during the Russo-Japanese War, the Japanese military severely suffered from venereal diseases so it needed a facility where its troops could be tested for sexually transmitted diseases. In 1932, right after the Manchurian Incident of 1931, the Japanese soldiers were increasingly raping local women around Shanghai, which made the army build “comfort stations(military brothels)”following the navy. (Note the soldier’ notes and public document of Japan)

There were two kinds of “comfort stations” 1) some were built and run directly by the Japanese military 2) others run by civilians. Even those operated by civilians had been planned, licensed, 242 controlled and supervised upon the approval of Japanese military. Rules and regulations for “comfort stations” focused on using condoms and STD-testing and military surgeons conducted the testing about once a week. (Note the public document of Japan and the Allied Forces) However, witnesses from Japanese troops show that Japanese soldiers didn't stop raping local women even after military brothels were set up.

http://www.hermuseum.go.kr/eng/sub01/sub0102.asp