Women's International War Crimes Tribunal on Japan's Military Sexual Slavery (Tokyo Tribunal)

  • August 10, 2002

WHEREAS an international war crimes tribunal on crimes against women ("Tokyo Tribunal") was established, for the purpose of holding proceedings on military sexual slavery during the Second World War; 

WHEREAS the Tokyo Tribunal was presided over by four distinguished judges from different countries and continents;

WHEREAS the Tokyo Tribunal rendered a judgment in December 2001, after a hearing which followed the procedures of the International Court of Justice, particularly in that two amicus curiae were appointed to represent the interests of Japan;

WHEREAS the judgment condems a practice of creating "comfort stations" where young girls and women ("comfort women") were placed at the disposal of soldiers of the Japanese army against their will and systematically raped and sexually abused;

WHEREAS the Tokyo Tribunal concluded that the creation of comfort stations and the treatment of comfort women were crimes against humanity;

WHEREAS governments and international organizations must respond decisively to this judgment, particularly by encouraging that reparations be made;

WHEREAS it is of the utmost importance that preventive measures are taken to ensure such a crime against humanity does not recur;

BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Canadian Bar Association:

  • bring the judgment of the Tokyo Tribunal to the attention of the legal profession, governments, national and international institutions and the public; and
  • urge the government of Canada to:
  • officially acknowledge the judgment of the Tokyo Tribunal;
  • reaffirm publicly that systematic rape and sexual slavery as described in the judgment are crimes against humanity;
  • take concrete measures to ensure that the international community publicly acknowledges the judgment; and
  • publicly support reparation measures intended to restore the dignity of the victims.

Certified true copy of a resolution carried by the Council of the Canadian Bar Association at the Annual Meeting held in London ON, August 10-11, 2002.

John D.V. Hoyles

Executive Director/Directeur exécutif