Remilitarized Zone: How a Communist Hoax about Comfort Women Canceled Academic Freedom, Shredded the Ties Between Japan and South Korea, and Upended both of Our Lives

During World War II, the Japanese military extended Japan's civilian licensing regime for domestic brothels to those next to its overseas bases to impose strenuous health standards to control the venereal disease that had debilitated its troops. The party line in Western academia is that these "comfort women" were dragooned into sex slavery at bayonet point by Japanese infantry, but this narrative originated as a hoax perpetrated by a Japanese communist writer in the 1980s and was then spread by a South Korean organization with close ties to the Communist North. Ramseyer and Morgan's findings caused a firestorm in Japanese Studies academia, and the authors detail both the history of the comfort women and their own persecution by academic peers.

Format: Hardback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 07 March 2024
Publisher: Encounter Books,USA

During World War II, the Japanese military expanded Japan's civilian licensing regime for domestic brothels to those near its overseas bases. The primary motivation behind this decision was to enforce stringent health standards necessary to control the venereal disease that had debilitated its troops in previous wars. These brothels, known as "comfort stations," recruited prostitutes by utilizing variations of the standard indenture contracts used by licensed brothels in both Korea and Japan.

However, the prevailing narrative in Western academia suggests that these "comfort women" were coerced into sex slavery at the point of a bayonet by Japanese infantry. This narrative originated as a hoax perpetrated by a Japanese communist writer in the 1980s and subsequently spread by a South Korean organization with close ties to the Communist North.

In their book, Ramseyer and Morgan delve into the true circumstances surrounding the presence of women in Japanese military comfort stations. They explore various factors that led these women to become involved, including deceptive recruitment practices, parental pressure, and a desire for financial gain. Contrary to the popular belief that these women were forced into prostitution, the authors argue that there is no basis in documentary history to support this claim.

The findings of Ramseyer and Morgan sparked a significant controversy within the field of Japanese Studies academia. Both authors faced backlash and were subjected to censorship and ostracism for challenging the established narrative. Only in the West, particularly through the use of brutal tactics of censorship and ostracism, has the myth of bayonet-point conscription survived.

This book serves as a powerful testament to the history of the comfort women and their persecution by academic peers. The authors provide a detailed account of the comfort women system, its origins, and the false narratives that have been perpetuated over the years. They also expose the unethical practices and biases of those who have sought to undermine their research and suppress their voices.

Ramseyer and Morgan's book is a crucial contribution to the ongoing efforts to rectify the historical record and bring justice to the victims of the comfort women system. It challenges the dominant narratives and sheds light on the true circumstances surrounding the women's experiences. By recounting the history of the comfort women and their own persecution, the authors hope to inspire a broader understanding of the complexities of World War II and the importance of confronting historical injustices.

Weight: 736g
Dimension: 163 x 237 x 37 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781641773454