One of Taiwan’s last remaining comfort women has passed away. Chen Tao was one of the Taiwanese women forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military during WWII, She died Monday of pneumonia in the southern county of Pingtung. She was 94.
Over 70 years ago, Chen was abducted while on her way to school. The Japanese military made her into a sex slave, and she didn’t return to Taiwan until Japan lost the war. Due to conservative attitudes prevalent in Taiwan at the time, however, she faced discrimination upon her return.
Chen had two wishes before she died. She wished that Japan would formally apologize to her. She also wished she could finish school. Tainan Girls’ High School recently gave her an honorary graduation certificate to fulfill her second wish.
The Japanese government recently reached an agreement with South Korea giving an official resolution to conflict over Korean comfort women. It has not yet reached a similar agreement with Taiwan.Three Taiwanese comfort women remain.
President Ma Ying-jeou expressed his regret through a spokesperson. Meanwhile, the foreign ministry is continuing to call on Japan's government to formally apologize to Taiwan's comfort women, offer compensation, restore their dignity, and provide for their care.