Please Join Us in Demanding a Fair Ruling from the Court:
On January 20, 2016, there will be a long-awaited court ruling on
the defamation suit filed by Yoshiaki Yoshimi, professor of history at Chuo
University, against Fumiki Sakurauchi, a former member of the House of
Representatives and the Japan Restoration Party.
Professor Yoshimi is a leading expert on the issue of Japanese “comfort
women” and is widely respected by his peers around the world for his
groundbreaking work. However, in spite of such achievements, he was publicly
disgraced by Sakurauchi, who stated in front of the Foreign Correspondents’
Club of Japan (FCCJ) that his work is a “fabrication,” and continued to make derogatory
comments in front of a court with no intention of withdrawing his remarks. Moreover,
Sakurauchi, the defendant, insisted that “the theory of equating ‘comfort women’
with sexual slaves is a fabrication,” and that “the part of Yoshimi’s work which
claims ‘comfort women’ were sexual slaves is completely a fabrication.”
The claim that the Japanese system of “comfort women” was not an
institution of sexual slavery ignores the history of violence and oppression
caused by the Japanese state and military, and inflicts further harm upon its
victims.
If Yoshimi does not win this case, not only will he be denied the
dignity that he deserves, but it will also deny dignity and honor to the victims
who have been hurt by the defendant’s statements.
Please lend us your support by signing this international petition demanding
a fail ruling from the court—a judgment that upholds justice and true history
for the world to see.
*Please access the petition from here:
http://www.yoisshon.net/2015/12/blog-post.html
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International Petition Demanding a Fair
Ruling from the Court
To: Tokyo District Court, Collegiate
Section 1E of 33rd Civil Division
We, the citizens of Japan, and citizens of the world, demand that
the court arrive at a fair and just decision on the defamation suit filed by Yoshiaki
Yoshimi, professor of history at Chuo University, against Fumiki Sakurauchi, former
member of the House of Representatives and Japan Restoration Party—which will
receive a ruling on January 20, 2016 (CASE CLAIMING DAMAGES ETC. 2013 (wa) No.
19679).
The plaintiff, Professor Yoshimi, has done more than anyone to
uncover the reality of the history of Japanese “comfort women” through the careful
investigation of documents and testimonies. He thus brought rays of hope to the
victims and demonstrated Japan’s conscience to the world. However, the
defendant, Sakurauchi, made remarks asserting that the plaintiff’s work is a “fabrication”
and stated in court that “the part of Yoshimi’s work which claims ‘comfort
women’ were sexual slaves is completely a fabrication.”
Dismissing a scholar’s lifelong work and the conclusions resulting
from it as a “fabrication” is not only a serious act of defamation, but also an
outrageous attack on the societal value of scholarship in general.
The world’s eyes are upon Japan and its judiciary to see what kind
of ruling it will produce against the defendant, who has claimed as “fabrication”
the lifework of a world-renowned expert on the issue of “comfort women.”
We strongly plead the court to arrive at a fair ruling—a judgment
that upholds justice and true history for the world to see.
Signature is here
Signature is here
