Hello everyone, I'm your financial journalist and economist. Today's news may seem like an in-depth report on history and human rights on the surface, but if we look at it through the lens of an economist—using concepts like cost, benefit, information asymmetry, and intergenerational transmission—we'll realize that it's actually a settlement of a "social account" that spans nearly 90 years, as well as a reevaluation of the value of memory and dignity.
The core of this article is not just emotional manipulation; it reveals a harsh reality: Justice comes at a cost, while forgetting is cheap.
Next, I'll break down this long article into five dimensions to help you understand the logic behind it in simple terms.
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I. Summary of the Main Content: A Delayed "Settlement of Accounts"
This article reveals the brutal truth about Japan's "comfort women" system during World War II through the dialogue of three key figures: Wu Jietang, a descendant of a victim; Su Zhiliang, a researcher; and Guan Jianqiang, a legal expert.
Key Facts:
1. History was deliberately erased: Japan destroyed its records after the war, leaving an official history in a state of information vacuum.
2. The cost of individual silence: The victims chose to remain silent for nearly 90 years out of shame, fear, and a desire to protect their families, only speaking out at the end of their lives.
3. The difficulty and achievements of research: Chinese scholar Su Zhiliang's team spent 33 years confirming the existence of 358 Chinese survivors and more than 2,200 comfort stations, filling a historical gap.
4. The current situation: Almost all of the survivors have passed away, and the Japanese right-wing still denies the history, with apologies and compensation still far from reality.
5. The way forward: The focus has shifted from simply seeking apologies to "memory preservation" and "human rights protection," turning historical lessons into a force for protecting women today.
In one sentence: This is the story of ordinary people fighting against the state's attempt to erase history, and it's also a profound exploration of the cost of silence.
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II. In-Depth Analysis: Five Dimensions Explained in Plain Language
1. **Information Economics Perspective:** Why is the truth so hard to find? — The information black hole created by destroyed archives
In economics, we talk about information asymmetry. In business, if sellers hide product defects, buyers suffer. But in history, the perpetrator (the Japanese government) actively destroyed all the "product manuals" (records).
- Phenomenon: Professor Su Zhiliang mentioned that Japan destroyed all relevant evidence from top to bottom at the end of the war. This means that to restore history, we can't rely on official documents; we must rely on eyewitness accounts.
- Difficulty: Finding witnesses is ten thousand times harder than finding documents. Most of the victims lived in rural areas, bound by traditional beliefs, considering it a family disgrace. In such communities, this experience could shame several generations.
- Interpretation: This is why Su's team spent 33 years confirming just 358 cases. It's not because there were few victims, but because the cost of obtaining true information was extremely high. Each testimony was earned through decades of building trust, repeated communication, and even facing rejection. It's like trying to piece together a complete map from the ashes of a burned-down city.
2. **Behavioral Psychology Perspective:** The "protective mechanism" of silence and the "value release" at the end of life
Grandma Wu Jietang's story is a typical example of irrational behavior under extreme circumstances, or a form of extreme risk avoidance.
- The logic of silence: She was sold as a young girl and later rescued by her grandfather, who made her swear to keep it secret or risk losing her family's place in society. In that era, a woman's chastity was a social asset. Exposure would have ruined her family. Therefore, silence was the best way to protect them.
- The breakthrough at the end of life: Why did she speak out before dying? Because the cost of silence changed over time. While alive, silence protected her family's safety. But at the end, she realized she was about to leave this world and no longer face public scrutiny. The cost of being forgotten outweighed the risk of being known. She wanted her descendants to know the truth, so they wouldn't misunderstand her suffering as "voluntary" or a lie. This is a form of legacy transmission, passing on the memory as a valuable asset to ensure they understood the source of her pain and gain a sense of justice.
3. **Intergenerational Transmission Perspective:** Trauma is not a burden; it's an "immune antibody"
Wu Jietang, as the third generation, didn't fall into pure hatred; instead, she turned history into a cognitive asset.
- From victim to guardian: Many descendants might see their ancestors' experiences as a family stain or burden, but Wu Jietang saw it as a responsibility.
- Current reality: Sexual violence against women still occurs today, indicating that history hasn't truly passed; it's just taken on different forms.
- Interpretation: This intergenerational transmission is a form of social immunity. If we forget history, we're like people without memories, vulnerable to the same evils (war, sexual violence, human rights violations). By writing about her grandmother's story and donating it to a memorial, she's building a public memory bank. She wants to show future generations what humanity can do under extreme systems and advocate for better protections for women.
- Conclusion: Remembering history is not for hatred but for prevention. It turns past pain into a future safety net.
4. **International Politics and Law Perspective:** Why are apologies so difficult to obtain? — The sunk cost and the culture of face
Both Professor Guan Jianqiang and Professor Su Zhiliang mention that Japan has yet to offer a formal, sincere apology. Economically and politically, this is more about power games.
- Japan's cost-benefit analysis: Acknowledging the comfort women system as a crime against humanity would mean significant legal and political losses.
- Economic cost: Compensation would be enormous and could trigger further reactions from other victims and countries.
- Political cost: It would challenge the ambiguous interpretations of the emperor and militarism in Japan's post-war constitution, weakening right-wing forces.
- The low cost of denial: Denying history and blaming the victims for lying or seeking money is a cheaper option. It doesn't require payment but erodes the victims' dignity.
- Our response: Since they choose to avoid responsibility, we can't just focus on demands for apologies and compensation; we must also keep track of the facts (through research, memory preservation, and international pressure). Professor Su's push to include the event in the World Memory Register is about establishing an internationally recognized record. Once it's recognized, Japan would face higher diplomatic and public opinion costs if it tried to deny it.
5. **Social Value Perspective:** From a "single case" to a "public good"
Finally, let's consider the impact on ordinary people. Many think the comfort women issue is distant from them, but Wu Jietang and Professor Su show that memory is a public good.
- What is a public good? It's like street lights or air—free to use and beneficial to everyone.
- The public value of memory:
- For the victims' families, it restores dignity.
- For researchers, it provides a foundation for scholarship.
- For society, it sets a baseline for human rights awareness.
- The power of art: Professor Su mentions films and paintings. Why? Because data is cold, but stories are emotional. Numbers like 358 are meaningless, but the story of a 12-year-old girl sold or an old woman's tears can move people deeply. Art helps turn abstract history into tangible emotions, making it more accessible and memorable.
- The ultimate meaning: Remembering history is not about dwelling on the past; it's about establishing a value benchmark that no country or military can use war or systems to deny women their basic rights. This benchmark is essential for protecting our rights, opposing gender violence, and upholding international justice.
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III. Lessons for Ordinary People
What can we learn from this news?
1. Don't underestimate the cost of silence: Whether for individuals or nations, hiding problems only leads to bigger issues in the future.
2. Memory needs a carrier: History doesn't preserve itself; we must support those who record it.
3. Pay attention to current human rights: History is not a distant past; it reflects present realities. Women still face sexual violence and domestic violence. Addressing the comfort women issue is about protecting vulnerable women.
4. Rationally view apologies: While we seek apologies, we should also focus on systemic change: If apologies are just formalities without systemic reforms, tragedies will repeat.
In conclusion:
This history tells us that dignity is not a gift from others; it's earned through the efforts, records, and memories of generations. No matter how powerful the opponent or how long it takes, as long as the truth exists, the book of justice will never close.