New York Senate Adopts 'Comfort Women' Resolution

The New York State Senate unanimously adopted a resolution condemning Japan's wartime mobilization of Asian sex slaves for the Imperial Army.

Senator Tony Avella, who proposed the motion 13 days ago, said he received many "nasty" e-mails from Japan and added that what upset him most was the allegation that Japan's well-documented abuses in World War II were lies. But he added these attempts by Japanese people backfired.

Since the motion was submitted, Japanese ultra-rightists have instigated collective protests. A message on a website named "Japanese Women for Justice and Peace" claims the so-called "comfort women" were "voluntary prostitutes." The site lists the e-mail addresses and twitter accounts of all New York state senators.

In 2007, the U.S. Congress also adopted a resolution acknowledging Japan’s sexual enslavement of Asian women. The New York State Senate was the second state legislature to adopt such a resolution after the California State Assembly in 1999.