German Authorities Remove “Comfort Women” Statue

Berlin, Oct. 17 (Jiji Press)–Authorities in a Berlin district said Friday that they have removed a statue symbolizing “comfort women,” or those who worked as prostitutes for Japanese troops before and during World War II. The decision to remove the statue, set up by a South Korean-affiliated group, came after a German higher administrative court on Thursday recognized that the statue being placed on a sidewalk managed by the Mitte district was illegal, backing a lower court ruling that the statue should be removed. The statue was installed in September 2020. The district had initially allowed the statue to be installed but decided to remove it, as it remained in place beyond the one-year period granted. The Japanese Embassy in Germany had strongly urged the removal of the statue, arguing that the statue was a symbol of incessant criticism that ignores Japan’s path as a peaceful nation after the war. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]